Exploded SSR / Loud Pop / PLEASE HELP

[r8rphan]

The question is at what voltage does the element actually deliver it's rated power? At any lower voltage, it will deliver lower power, and draw less current. If the element can deliver rated power at less than the maximum possible line voltage, then power at max possible voltage needs to be determined in order to calculate max possible current draw. A possible complicating factor would be if the element had a negative temperature coefficient of resistance. To my understanding, the elements we use have small positive temp coefficients, so we don't have to worry.

Brew on

Exactly! Rated power/voltage are 'maximums' Rarely will that be the case...

 

[r8rphan]

Either could be used. I don't think there is any benefit to using a breaker for the PID fuse. It might be advantageous to use a breaker for the pump outlet, as it is more likely that the pump could overload without an actual permanent fault condition.

Brew on

Until you are in the middle of a brew and don't have a spare fuse... (Let the cursing begin).. lol


I was just curious what you used...

Fuses sometimes just get weak and 'go'... (Then again, so do breakers)

 

[r8rphan]

Popping in for one last note, his idea absolutely would work, it doesn't matter if the contacts on the controller are NO. He just needs to use a pilot relay with the coil voltage for the contactor going through the NC contacts of his pilot relay. I drew a mock up a few posts back and attached as a PDF.

a lot easier if they were just NC to start with though...

 

[augiedoggy]

Ok so I'm pretty shaken up. I knew I was no electrician going into this but I thought I had it wired correctly. I'm fine. Did not receive any shock.

I'm building a very simple electric HLT. I must have wired something wrong b/c when I flipped the switch on my project box, my box jumped from the table and the SSR inside was fried. The 30 amp breaker in the main panel had tripped but the 50 amp GFCI had not. Feel free to tear me a new one. I'm ashamed of myself and pretty flustered.

Here's my wiring diagram

Here's my list of materials.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_591488-427-3032WZ_0__?productId=50179201#img

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087O6T10/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.lowes.com/pd_423568-43469-2203___?productId=4013827&pl=1&Ntt=30+amp+dryer+outlet

nevermind already pointed out

 

[augiedoggy]

No, but a light bulb is a load and you stated you wouldn't use a switch to power a load. So what you are implying is that at some point of power consumption there is a cutoff where you should not use a switch and instead use a contactor regardless of whether the switch can handle that load or not? Can I ask what this magic number is?

I would like to know why using a breaker SWITCH is ok but using another properly rated switch isnt? is a breaker not a direct mechanical switch?

 

[augiedoggy]

Here's the measurements I made on my system a few years ago. This is with a Camco 5500W element

The 4500w element I bought from spike that I use in my only draws 4026w at the full 240v and my HLT 4500w element draws over 4400w max at the same voltage. So while the max draw is always equal to or less than the max rated output it can vary quite a bit from element to element due to manufacturing tolerances. most 5500w elements will draw around 22-21 amps with normal voltages found in 240v household wiring. with 23a being the max.

 

[r8rphan]

I would like to know why using a breaker SWITCH is ok but using another properly rated switch isnt? is a breaker not a direct mechanical switch?

They're both okay...

 

[thekraken]

Just a few seconds after it gets red. That's all it takes. Everything turns to ash. Regarding that slight movement of the element when heated, I guess that's the coefficient of expansion of the materials at play there.

How often do you do this? Ever caused any problems? Noticed accelerated 'wear'?

 

[passedpawn]

How often do you do this? Ever caused any problems? Noticed accelerated 'wear'?

Maybe a few times a year. I brew pretty often, and usually the pbw soak does the trick. But occasionally (not sure why) I get accumulated hard stuff on the element in my boil kettle, and I'd have to brush and scrape to get most of the crud off. No more scraping now

I've only replaced one element since I went electric in 2009. That element died before I started doing this. It's still possible that numerous dryfire events caused its failure, who knows. It developed a hole at the base of the element.

As far as I can tell the elements I've been doing this to are like new. I can quickly replace them if there was an issue. So far so good.