Simple Electric Control 220v Wiring Help

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ddimaria

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Hello, I'm having an issue where I'm unable to fire my heating element with the simple wiring diagram below. It's a 3-wire, 220v/20a circuit...ground is not shown. When I fire up the system, the PID turns on and is set to manual mode to run at 100% The RTD probe is hooked up as well. The OUT indicator is displayed. Also, the LED on the 40a SSR is on, but no heat is generated at the 3500W element. If I connect the wires 1 & 2 and bypass the SSR, the element fires up, which would indicate to me that the SSR isn't working. I ordered and installed a new SSR, but had the same results. While it's possible that both SSRs are bad, it seems unlikely. Does anyone have an idea what might be wrong here? Thanks in advance for any feedback! -David

diagram.jpg
 
From the sound of things and your testing method I would say your SSR is bad - twice. Are you getting new ones or used ones? Where did they come from? I'd talk to vendor and see if they had a bad batch of them or something along those lines.
 
Thanks for the reply! The SSRs have the same manufacturer (Fotek), but come from different vendors. They are inexpensive SSRs from China ($13 includes heatsink)...maybe I should have gone with an Auberins or Grainger. Does the wiring look OK to you?
 
Your wiring diagram is a little screwy. If you actually installed it that way you'd have some problems with your contactor - all of the "in" should go to the bottom, and all of the "out" should come from the top (or vice versa). The little gapped portions in the middle is what closes when the coil is energized, so power flows vertically in your drawing orientation, not horizontally like you show.

I'm guessing this is probably just a drafting error, but worth asking. Otherwise, your setup seems like it should work. Do you have the ability to check voltages in the panel (multi-meter)? If so, take a reading off post 1 on the SSR to a neutral or to the Hot-1 point on your panel. You should get 220-240v. With the SSR on, do the same off post 2, you should get the same results. I'd also check the DC voltage across terminals 7 and 8 on your PID to confirm it's not a PID issue.

Are you actually using the AuberINS SYL-2352, or an ebay knock off?
 
I didn't look at the contactor wiring, but if that's how you wired it it would have sparked when it was closed. Since you said that didn't happen I assume it was wired correctly. I know from personal experience if you connect the hot and neutral to an SSR on the switched side you will fry it. It takes about 15 seconds, but it will happen.

As BNB suggests, use a multimeter to figure out where the flow of voltage stops. And if you are checking 1 hot leg of your 240v to neutral you will only see half of the voltage, i.e. 120v. If you check hot 1 and hot2 for voltage, you'll see the full 240v (or 220v).
 
Yea, my diagram isn't 100% correct. I have a slightly different coil (220v Auberins). It's hooked up properly and activates when turned on, which powers the PID (Auberins SYL-2352). I verified that the PID is sending DC current to the SSR via a multimeter (also, the LED on the SSR lights up). This is a 220v/20a, 3 wire connection (2 hots, 1 neutral). To my understanding, the SSR modulates the amps on just one leg of the 220v. Is this correct? Thanks! -David
 
First - hopefully you meant to say your supply is 2 hots and a ground, for safety reasons...

The SSR switches one leg on or off, there is no 'modulation' per say. Are you confident you're getting 220-240v on the downstream side of the contactor? I'd guess so, as you said you wired it up directly to the element and it worked.

Can you provide any photos of your actual setup / how it's installed? Otherwise, it sounds like bad luck with a second crappy SSR>
 
Your heating element need 2 hots plus ground. Also make sure that your kettle is grounded (to the element power cord) and that your power source has a GFCI.
 
Thanks for following up guys! I was a bit sloppy in my last post relating to the wiring and the function of the SSR. Good catch BadNewsBrewery, the third wire is a ground, not a neutral. Also, nice correction on modulation. I did a conductivity test on posts 1 & 2 on the SSR when the SSR was activated by the PID (LED light was on, and DC current was flowing to the SSR), and the was no conductivity. I did this test on both SSRs. I also ran the test with the 9 volt method I found on the web...still, no current is flowing through 1 & 2 on the SSR.

Thanks for everyone's help on this! It seems fairly conclusive that the SSRs are bad. Lesson learned: it's a "false economy" to purchase the cheapest parts you can find (from China)...it's better to spend the extra 20% to get quality parts.
 
I think you nailed it - you can save a few bucks buying crap parts, but you'll have to buy them 3 or 4 times. Sounds like your SSR is crummy.
 
Your heating element need 2 hots plus ground. Also make sure that your kettle is grounded (to the element power cord) and that your power source has a GFCI.

Well, yes and no. The kettle needs to be grounded for safety reasons but not to fire the element.

One way to rule out the element as a potential problem is to simply wire it without the SSR in the way. Close the contactor and you should get heat.
 
Hello, I'm having an issue where I'm unable to fire my heating element with the simple wiring diagram below. It's a 3-wire, 220v/20a circuit...ground is not shown. When I fire up the system, the PID turns on and is set to manual mode to run at 100% The RTD probe is hooked up as well. The OUT indicator is displayed. Also, the LED on the 40a SSR is on, but no heat is generated at the 3500W element. If I connect the wires 1 & 2 and bypass the SSR, the element fires up, which would indicate to me that the SSR isn't working. I ordered and installed a new SSR, but had the same results. While it's possible that both SSRs are bad, it seems unlikely. Does anyone have an idea what might be wrong here? Thanks in advance for any feedback! -David

diagram.jpg
What type of pid are you using
 
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