4 Prong Outlet for Hosehead Question

[portedbuckle]

Hi everyone,

I have installed a 4 prong outlet that is GFCI protected through a breaker in my main panel. The breaker tests just fine and only trips when I've commanded an element to on. Because Hosehead uses only 3 wire power connectors, I thought it would be okay to purchase a 4 prong plug, and only wire hot, hot, and ground. The ground of my element connectors attaches directly to my kettles. On the plug, I left the prong for neutral unused. Is this what is causing my breaker to trip?

The breaker I am using is a Square D 30amp 2 pole breaker. Do I need to connect the neutral prong to something for this to work? And if so, what? Thanks so much.

 

[ccfoo242]

I think it is hot hot neutral for 3 prong 240v.

 

[raouliii]

Hi everyone,

I have installed a 4 prong outlet that is GFCI protected through a breaker in my main panel. The breaker tests just fine and only trips when I've commanded an element to on. Because Hosehead uses only 3 wire power connectors, I thought it would be okay to purchase a 4 prong plug, and only wire hot, hot, and ground. The ground of my element connectors attaches directly to my kettles. On the plug, I left the prong for neutral unused. Is this what is causing my breaker to trip?

The breaker I am using is a Square D 30amp 2 pole breaker. Do I need to connect the neutral prong to something for this to work? And if so, what? Thanks so much.

You may have a ground fault in your element wiring. It appears that element wiring is the buyer's responsibility. Are you certain the element is wired correctly. Are you certain the 240v IN wiring is correct. Have you verified with a meter?

I think it is hot hot neutral for 3 prong 240v.

Hot, Hot, Ground

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

Hi everyone,

I have installed a 4 prong outlet that is GFCI protected through a breaker in my main panel. The breaker tests just fine and only trips when I've commanded an element to on. Because Hosehead uses only 3 wire power connectors, I thought it would be okay to purchase a 4 prong plug, and only wire hot, hot, and ground. The ground of my element connectors attaches directly to my kettles. On the plug, I left the prong for neutral unused. Is this what is causing my breaker to trip?

The breaker I am using is a Square D 30amp 2 pole breaker. Do I need to connect the neutral prong to something for this to work? And if so, what? Thanks so much.

Wait, you have a 4 prong plug connecting your panel (with GFI breaker) to your controller but you are only using 3 of the 4 wires? Is your GFI wired with all 4 wires in your panel? The neutral has to be in place for the GFI to work correctly.

 

[augiedoggy]

Wait, you have a 4 prong plug connecting your panel (with GFI breaker) to your controller but you are only using 3 of the 4 wires? Is your GFI wired with all 4 wires in your panel? The neutral has to be in place for the GFI to work correctly.

nuetral has to be in place to wire the gfci breaker but the hosehead may only require hot,hot ,ground it should still work... does the breaker trip with the hosehead plugged in but without the elements? if so I would plug one element at a time in to see what trips it.

 

[portedbuckle]

Thanks everyone.

Yes. GFCI breaker wired with a neutral, but I am only using 3 of the four prongs to the hosehead at the outlet, not the main supply.

So its an element issue then? Neutral does not have to be in place to at the hosehead for the breaker not to trip? Hosehead alone with no elements doesn't trip the breaker. Thanks.

 

[augiedoggy]

Thanks everyone.

Yes. GFCI breaker wired with a neutral, but I am only using 3 of the four prongs to the hosehead at the outlet, not the main supply.

So its an element issue then? Neutral does not have to be in place to at the hosehead for the breaker not to trip? Hosehead alone with no elements doesn't trip the breaker. Thanks.

yes that would be my assumption that something is miswired or shorting in the element or element plug end.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Thanks everyone.

Yes. GFCI breaker wired with a neutral, but I am only using 3 of the four prongs to the hosehead at the outlet, not the main supply.

So its an element issue then? Neutral does not have to be in place to at the hosehead for the breaker not to trip? Hosehead alone with no elements doesn't trip the breaker. Thanks.

Neutral is only required to create a 120V circuit out of Neutral + either one of your Hot lines.

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

nuetral has to be in place to wire the gfci breaker but the hosehead may only require hot,hot ,ground it should still work... does the breaker trip with the hosehead plugged in but without the elements? if so I would plug one element at a time in to see what trips it.

I misunderstood how the hosehead was powered... thought it was a 4 wire 240v and the 120v side was connected internally. Now I look at it again I realize there is a separate 120v input (this needs a GFCI as well). If your element only is tripping the GFCI then that means the 2 HOT lines are not returning the expected current, hence a leak to ground somewhere. I guess it could also be a bad element, but my guess is also a bad connection at the element.