# oven cleaner on pellet smoker



## masssmoke (Jan 16, 2020)

My Pit Boss was pretty dirty and had a lot of grease build up so I wiped it down really good then sprayed on some oven cleaner and cranked it up for an hour or so.
Then I re-set things and put on some wings to smoke.  I had cleaned the fire box out very well before during the cleaning.  Anyway, I got a bunch of shut offs as the smoker tripped my gfci several times.  Got fed up and finished them on the gas grill.  I smoke all the time on the plug that was tripping the gfci so maybe it was the moisture from the spray or earlier rain that caused it?  Any ideas on a sudden issue with gfci?


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## TNJAKE (Jan 16, 2020)

No suggestions other than dont spray oven cleaner in your smoker.......I wouldnt even use that stuff in my oven


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## sandyut (Jan 16, 2020)

hmmm tough call for sure - something musta got wet and pissed about it happening.

I wouldnt use oven cleaner on my smoker either...


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## AP514 (Jan 16, 2020)

also maybe the pellets are swollen up in the auger


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## Alphonse (Jan 16, 2020)

How did you the oven cleaner out?   Did you wash it out?  

Are the pellets swollen and causing havoc as AP514 suggested.   This is the first thing I would check.  

Did the vapor from the cleaner get to some of the controls?


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## retfr8flyr (Jan 16, 2020)

AP514 said:


> also maybe the pellets are swollen up in the auger


Bingo, if you didn't clean out the auger before you sprayed the cleaner inside your grill. If you didn't, that is most likely your problem. You can clean the auger out but it's a long difficult process. Pellets turn into an almost concrete like product when they get wet in a confined space, you have to dig the mess out by hand until the auger is cleared.


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## mike243 (Jan 17, 2020)

Moisture feeding to the ground is what was tripping the GFI. where from only you might be able to say. every body else is just guessing. let it dry out good before the next cook and retry it,I scrap mine but no water or cleaner needed on it yet after almost 2 years ,might not hurt it but not needed yet


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## sawhorseray (Jan 17, 2020)

I've had my Pro 100 ten years and never cleaned out the inside of it, as recommended by it's maker, PS Seasonings. The build-up gives the smoker character and enhances smoke flavor. RAY


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## sandyut (Jan 17, 2020)

Im with 

 sawhorseray
  on this.  I vacuum the pellet ash and thats about it on my Rec Tec.  i did get some grease down on the bottom - mixed in with the ash (poor meat placement) and I gently used a paint scraper to get that out...but thats all.


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## masssmoke (Jan 18, 2020)

hi thanks all, I just hit with a light spray of the over cleaner not enough that it was soaking the barrel or the pellet intake. I think it was just kind of a wet damp day, I am going to run it today and see if it still trips


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## Steff3 (Jan 18, 2020)

masssmoke said:


> hi thanks all, I just hit with a light spray of the over cleaner not enough that it was soaking the barrel or the pellet intake. I think it was just kind of a wet damp day, I am going to run it today and see if it still trips


If it still trips you might want to check your ignitor. They are a bit temperamental. I had cleaned out the fire pit a bit too agressively and must have cracked it causing the line to trip. I disconnected the ignitor and lit manually and no problem with the tripping so replaced the ignitor (Pit boss sent under warranty)and no problem since... Just a thought


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