# Electric Smoker won't heat up



## Jessop (Sep 3, 2018)

What to do my ribs are all rubbed what can I do with them now?  Could I grill them with the rub on it?


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## Steve H (Sep 3, 2018)

What's wrong with your smoker? Info please


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## chilerelleno (Sep 3, 2018)

Set your grill up to smoke/grill, or do them in the oven.

What kind of grill?


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## Jessop (Sep 3, 2018)

Charbroil electric Smoker model 14202002 it goes through the preheat cycle but no heat at all the heating element is cold. So I wrapped them in foil and for now the ribs are in an oven and in an electric roaster. Hopefully they will get done at 300.


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## mosparky (Sep 3, 2018)

What kind of electric smoker ?


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## Hank R (Sep 3, 2018)

I used to do mine in the oven at 225 for 2 hrs in a roaster the finish off on the BBQ with indirect heat, Ribs on 1 side and heat on the other.


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## Jessop (Sep 3, 2018)

Found my problem with my smoker.  Do you think the element is bad as well, or will I get lucky and be able to just order the two black wires that goes to the heating element?


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## chilerelleno (Sep 3, 2018)

Looks to be a good bit of corrosion on the ends of the element, I'd have to see them cleaned up first.
And I usually prefer to replace when an issue first manifests.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 3, 2018)

Jessop said:


> Found my problem with my smoker.  Do you think the element is bad as well, or will I get lucky and be able to just order the two black wires that goes to the heating element?




That's the biggest weakness of the MES.
My one went bad there, but all I needed was a new "flag" connector.
Check with 

 tallbm

He'll tell you what you can do.

Bear


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## bmudd14474 (Sep 3, 2018)

chilerelleno said:


> Looks to be a good bit of corrosion on the ends of the element, I'd have to see them cleaned up first.
> And I usually prefer to replace when an issue first manifests.



X2 

If you are already going thru the trouble replace the element and do all new connectors then your not back at this in  6 months.


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## mosparky (Sep 3, 2018)

I'd get the ohm meter out and start checking. Element to gnd, element itself. If all is good, get some high temp terminals and effect needed repairs. Being you usually can't buy just 2 connectors you might as well replace the terms at the roll out switch as well.
 In the mean time get the ribs on the grill indirect or oven, should be fine except for the lack of smoke. You might even be able to manage that depending on your set-up.


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## Jessop (Sep 3, 2018)

The ribs were good wish I would have had the smoke flavor. Next time... Thank you all for your help during my crisis.  I'll dig out my meter and ohm it out after work this week.  Here is just one of the three cookie sheets with the ribs for your viewing pleasure


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## dr k (Sep 3, 2018)

If the element ohms ok but the element legs lost some male spade to connect to you can always get another element as a back up like I have and solder the stripped clean wires to the cleaned up legs.


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## tallbm (Sep 4, 2018)

Hi there and welcome!

You won't know if the element is good or not until you test it BUT at a glance it looks to me like the connectors are the issue.  
In any case you will need new connectors just be sure to buy Hi Temp ones.  I'm not sure if those heating elements are are 1/4" and the wiring is 14-16AWG but if so one of the following would solve the need for High Temp connectors:

(the image is wrong those are actually Barrel connectors not clamp downs)

So get your hands on some good connectors, clean the corrosion off the element tabs and wire itup.  You will need connectors no matter what so if it still does not heat up you have the connector part resolved.
Let us know what you find! :)


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## Jessop (Sep 4, 2018)

thats the thing that isn't corrosion the wires were burnt offi relooked at them this morning before work and they are charred not corroded.


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## zwiller (Sep 4, 2018)

Glad it worked out.  If element specs out, I'd clean it all up with a dremel, solder them together, and be done in a snap.


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## tallbm (Sep 4, 2018)

Jessop said:


> thats the thing that isn't corrosion the wires were burnt offi relooked at them this morning before work and they are charred not corroded.



By all means be sure to check the element with your multimeter.
Just know that when the connectors corrode and begin to wear out they start causing more resistance (at the tab, the wire, or both) due to bad/unsolid connection.  More resistance leads to heat and heat leads to burning up.

I've had loose connectors as well as loose/wiggly components (safety rollout limit switch tabs) cause burn up issues like your image shoes.  Once everything was replaced with good, strong, and tight connections it all went away.

Troubleshoot it all out and you will find answer :)


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## zwiller (Sep 4, 2018)

I'd put a wager that the crimps cut a few strands and led to this.  This is also why I recommended soldering.  Easy to do and good project to learn.  Degree of difficulty: one beer :)


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## dr k (Sep 5, 2018)

I believe the MB oem connectors are aluminum.  If you put one in your hand and one of the nickle plated steel that tallbm mentioned the nickle is 2x as dense. Then the opposing steel legs of the element and aluminum MB connectors react producing aluminum oxide corrosion. Then connectors get loose,  then loose connections increase resistance,  which creates heat then this dance continues till corrosion and heat disintegrates the aluminum into nothing but a wire and the aluminum oxide corrodes everything around it. The ground nut, heating element legs.


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## bingobuster (Sep 5, 2020)

Did you end up replacing the disconnects?  I'm having the exact same issue.  I'd like to know what you used to fix your issue.


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## dr k (Sep 6, 2020)

bingobuster said:


> Did you end up replacing the disconnects?  I'm having the exact same issue.  I'd like to know what you used to fix your issue.


Supco T1113 lugs on amazon for 14-16 gauge wire with barrels that won't crimp so solder. Difficult to slide on the element spaded because it's high heat nickle plated steel vs aluminum. Some solder directly to the element spades because they don't get hot enough to melt the solder.


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## bill1 (Sep 12, 2020)

The advice to ohm out the element is always good before just replacing connections.  To _quantify _that: 
1. Resistance of _either _element connection to the case ground should be GREATER THAN 25 kilo-ohms.  
2. Resistance reading _between _the two element connections, with all other wiring removed, should be _between _12-18 ohms.  (15 ohms corresponds to a 1000 watt element.)

First, verify the meter reads 0 ohms when touching the leads together.  The leads should be shiny.  The element connections must be shiny too when taking these measurements  so you might have to file or scrape a bit to accomplish that.  Otherwise your resistance readings are not valid.


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