gfci plug in

[tjw in kans]

anyone use a gfci plug in for their electric smoker?

 

[kookie]

Do you mean gfi= ground fault interupt outlet? Can't say I have heard of a gfci outlet. I don't plug my smokering to one, but I do plug it into a power strip with a braker built into it...... Not sure why your wondering..........It shouldn't really matter if you plug into one or not...They are basicaly the same as a normal outlet, but they have a braker built into the outlet, that trips faster then a normal braker...Hope that helps..........

 

[garyt]

GFCI is short for Ground fault circuit interupter old name for same thing, Always use one when outdoors

 

[tjw in kans]

yeah, new wording, ground fault circuit interupter, same thing as old gfi. my lake house has this for outside plug ins. moved my old ecb while cooking and water slopped out of the pan on the element and it kicked off. house in town doent have this, and never had a problem, but i have never moved the smoker while i was cooking. seems like a good idea when cooking in the rain or snow on wet ground, just in case.

 

[white cloud]

I use one with my smoke hollow in the summer time. It wasn't always that way though, I used to run an extension cord from a reg. outlet and the element burnt up. So I installed a GFCI outlet under the overhang of the pole barn. Have not had a problem since. In the winter I plug right into a GFCI inside the pole barn and just open up the big door, works great.

 

[garyt]

A GFCI or GFI , same thing are not the same as a circuit breaker or fuse. A circuit breaker or a fuse will protect an electric appliance from being damaged
when it draws too much current. A gfi will protect the user from being electrocuted by detecting when the electricity going to an appliance is going somewhere else possibly through you!!!!!!! ALWAYS USE ONE WHEN OUTSIDE OR NEAR WATER. BATHROOM, KITCHEN BASEMENT.

 

[flyin'illini]

I definitely have mine on one as stated above.

 

[smokebuzz]

A GFCI will trip when it sees 50mA on ground as mandated by IEEE, and they are worthless unless you have a grounding plug on your cords and if they are wired in correctly

 

[richtee]

Never had a problem. ' Course I'm using lump or coals ;{)

30mA leakage current to ground I think or close to... or a differential of that between what the neutral and ground conductor carries will trip a GFI. It assumes you are making up the current difference. 30 mA ain't much. But enough to kill, in certain conditions.

 

[zapper]

They don't call me Zapper for nothing!


GFIs are always a good idea, but keep in mind that nothing is perfect. I heard tales of a model getting killed while putting on a demo of a GFI back in the day. (Maybe urban legend, maybe not) GFIs also work funny with motors and water heaters, so be advised that things can still be bad and get worse!


Always be careful and try not to become part of the circuit!

 

[richtee]

LOL....very sage advice there Zzzzzap!

Never heard that about the model... Seems I do a heart test at least once or twice a year myself ;{) That 220 makes yer fillings hurt!

 

[sparky30_06]

Smokebuzz sorry to correct you man but I just have to set the record straight on this one, and being an electrician for 14 years, a contractor for 9 and now a vocational instructor I think I'm qualified to answer this one.

A GFCI or GFI are the same thing. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, everyone just started dropping the circuit to make is shorter to say. A GFCI will work if you have a grounded plug or not, and will even work on old 2 wire non grounded house wiring systems. They are available in either breaker form or single outlet form. What a GFCI does is measure the amount of current flowing out to a device and flowing back in from a device. Now if that current measurement varies move that 30 mille amps it trips off. It doesn't care if that current is flowing back threw the ground wire or flowing back to ground threw your body and directly tot he earth. They are now required in all outdoor, unfinished areas, garage, and all counter top area regardless of location. Before they only had to be 6 feet from a water source on a counter top.

They are a life safety device to prevent you getting shocked. Hope this clears things up. And yes if you are using your smoker outside or in the garage it should be plugged into a GFCI outlet. they do make portable GFCI extension cords that are short that you can plug in first or have a QUALIFIED electrician change out the outlet if you don't fell comfortable doing it yourself and make sure the polarity is correct.

 

[smokebuzz]

Sparky, i hope you don't want to compare Resumes, I think you just gave the long version of what i was tryen to say.
And it's Receptacle not outlet

 

[sparky30_06]

Smokebuzz, I will be the first to admit my resmumes is short, 1 job and my own business in 14 years so it's very short. Wasn't trying to insult your resume or what you have learned from college. Was just trying to correct an error. Sorry to have offened you.