Current leak help

[wuttheheeck]

Hello all. I have a 120v element inside a stainless pot for a seperate 4 vessel heat exchanger.

I have noticed that I have a current leak after finger testing water temp.

I am using the gangbox method similar to Kal as the junction of my leads. The water does heat up which make me concerned why i felt a shock, I was under the impression that electricity would bypass the element taking the shortest route.

This leads me to my next concern; the ground.
I have grounded the inside of the gangbox and by contact the ground should connect to the SS pot. I am considering extending the cord all the way into the handle for an insured ground.

My question for you is, how do I find said electrical leak. Everything looks wired fine to me, all my coverings are water tight ect.

Cheers

 

[Sock]

Hello all. I have a 120v element inside a stainless pot for a seperate 4 vessel heat exchanger.

I have noticed that I have a current leak after finger testing water temp.

I am using the gangbox method similar to Kal as the junction of my leads. The water does heat up which make me concerned why i felt a shock, I was under the impression that electricity would bypass the element taking the shortest route.

This leads me to my next concern; the ground.
I have grounded the inside of the gangbox and by contact the ground should connect to the SS pot. I am considering extending the cord all the way into the handle for an insured ground.

My question for you is, how do I find said electrical leak. Everything looks wired fine to me, all my coverings are water tight ect.

Cheers

An ohm meter, might let you know. Or a megger?

 

[raouliii]

Are you plugged into a functioning GFCI receptacle or breaker? I would recommend a ground directly connected to the pot.

Are you setup like this?

 

[wuttheheeck]

Are you plugged into a functioning GFCI receptacle or breaker? I would recommend a ground directly connected to the pot.

Are you setup like this?

My control panel is fed through a 20a GFI circuit in the garage.

My element is installed in a very similar manner. Because I am using a smaller diameter pot (ie smaller than a keg of blichman) the lock nut wouldn't fit using the stainless washer. The lip of element catches on the inside of the gangbox hole, then inserted into hole in kettle, followed by o-ring and then lock nut. This method has shown to be water tight.



Before additional tests today I will extend the ground to the kettle body, and I will re-test the GFI circuit.

I will report back soon, anything else I am missing? Maybe the absence of the thin washer is causing a poor connection between the paint-coated gang box and kettle wall.

 

[raouliii]

My control panel is fed through a 20a GFI circuit in the garage......

Did it trip as you got a shock putting your finger in the water?

....I will extend the ground to the kettle body, and I will re-test the GFI circuit.....

That is a safe approach.

....Maybe the absence of the thin washer is causing a poor connection between the paint-coated gang box and kettle wall.

Yes, that could be the case relative to the apparent lack of a good kettle ground. I'm more concerned that your water/kettle is becoming energized in the first place. Once you ground it, you may have GFCI trip problems.

 

[processhead]

You may want to verify your ground conductor is continuous from the kettle to your electrical panel.

Use an ohmmeter to measure the resistance between the kettle and your panel ground.

The resistance should be no more than a 2-3 ohms.

Broken or intermittent ground connections are not unheard of.