Just used brand new new cooker for the first time. After some time the thermostat box on top of cooker starts to say HOT. I'm thinking-yes, it is hot. IT'S AN OVEN. Then, unbeknownst to me, the cooker shut itself down at some point and my cook was ruined. Super disappointed. This is an expensive piece of kit. I had very high hopes for it. Now it’s basically an expensive and oily piece of scrap metal.
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What type/model of CS cooker? Have you contacted CS customer service?
"This is an expensive piece of kit. " I would guess that you are in the UK? Have you contacted your local dealer where you purchased it from? Worst case, give a call to Cookshack tech support. Some of the best in the business. Cookshack takes care of their customers.
If the unit is in direct sun it can overheat the electronics which causes this. I would use a patio umbrella or other type of shade to keep it a little cooler. If it gives you anymore issues call our tech support.
Which brand it is? I would like to buy a new one for my new family. 
Anything over 80 degrees and direct sunlight I'll get the same readout on my SMO25. I use a beach umbrella to keep it cool but if it's windy I've also used a damp dish towel and gently wrapped it around the temp readout box which houses the electronics.
Of note, every time it resets it will fire up the heating element like you are just turning it on. I believe it goes on full blast for 10 minutes before it will idle. Let's just say when this happened the first time and I was smoking salmon it didn't turn out so great when temp hit 275 degrees on me 
reviving this thread
I experienced this yesterday when it was hot. My 045 was in my driveway noit in direct sunlight but it was hot outside (I live in AL)
My question: I assume the heating element shuts down when this happens? The problem is that I didnt know how long into my planned 3h cook this happened. I found it with an hour to go so I improvised and it came out ok.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts
Please run this to CS Tech. My smoker is under a covered patio and while I get temps approaching 100 degrees, I have not experienced this. I suspect the controllers board may have gotten hot but not sure.
It is the control board that overheats causing the unit to shut down. If you are going to use in direct sunlight and it's hot outside cover the control unit with a damp dish towel and you won't have any issues. Nothing else can really be done except keep it out of direct sunlight when it's hot outside.
Note If it does go into HHH when you turn it back on it will restart and cause the unit to go on high heat for the first ten minutes so your until temp will go thru the roof.
thanks for the suggestions
I apologize for not getting back to this sooner. The boards have a temp sensor on them that shuts the unit down if the board temperature exceeds 150 degrees F. Shading the unit helps on these hot days.
Thanks for your help
