Heating Element Connector Melted

[d40dave]

I have a 240V BIAB setup. I just got done brewing a batch of beer. When I tried to disconnect the power cord from the heating element I couldn't. It turns out the connector melted. I think this happened because as I was squeezing the grain bag some wort dripped onto the connector. It took a lot of grinding to disconnect the power cord from the heating element.

Shouldn't some sort of protection have kicked on. Like the GFCI breaker tripping. My setup is based on everything I have learned on this forum. My brew kettle was done by Brewhardware. I will from now on cover the connector. I'm just wondering if maybe my wiring is not quite right. Thanks.

 

[doug293cz]

The GFCI would have tripped if you had any leakage from either hot to ground in the connector. It would not trip if you had leakage from one hot to the other, but that could heat up the connector. It would also not trip if you had equal (within about 5 mA) of leakage from both hots to ground. This last possibility seems unlikely however.

Brew on

 

[Druman07]

It could have been just a bad connection, and the spill was just a coincidence. Either way you have to redo the connector, and make sure to keep it dry in the future.

 

[doug293cz]

Is there anything left you can take pictures of? Often location of burn marks, etc. can give clues about what happened.

Brew on

 

[ba-brewer]

I had a cord get stuck/melt before. I believe I had some wort that dried on the plug and created some resistance between the contacts area and heated enough to melt the plastic. It was 120V not 220 though.

 

[golfindia]

Wort is a bad conductor. Unlikely that it caused anything to melt. Two main reasons that it happens: loose screw connection and cheap poorly designed plugs.

 

[mabrungard]

Almost certainly due to excessive resistance through one or both of those connectors. Using conductive grease and proper torquing of the fasteners is needed.

 

[augiedoggy]

pics? also disassemble the plug/outlet and see if the wiring connections to them are heat damaged as well as a poor connection here can cause things to heat up excessively and is honestly more likely.

 

[d40dave]

I pretty much destroyed the plug getting it disconnected from the heating element so there is not much to see. It looks like the terminal for the white common heated up an melted enough which caused the socket to distort. Also I could not unscrew the white wire because it was too melted. Also I will inspect all my wiring before my next batch.

 

[doug293cz]

I pretty much destroyed the plug getting it disconnected from the heating element so there is not much to see. It looks like the terminal for the white common heated up an melted enough which caused the socket to distort. Also I could not unscrew the white wire because it was too melted. Also I will inspect all my wiring before my next batch.

There is no neutral (common) in a 240V three wire connection to a heating element. The three wires are Hot1, Hot2, and ground. Most three wire cords (in the USA) have black, white and green wires. Green should always be used for ground, and the black and white wires for the hots.

Brew on

 

[Bobby_M]

Did we make the cable assembly for you?

 

[d40dave]

Doug, yes you are correct. I wasn't thinking. It was the white wire carrying 120V 180 degrees out of phase with the black wire.

Bobby, no you did not make the cable. I do think the problem is with wort getting into the connector. It was a pretty messy batch compared to most but I can't be sure. I suppose it could have been a bad connection I made inside the connector but it did survive at least 30 batches.

 

[d40dave]

I got my new connector today and brewed a new batch. All went well. I inspected all my connections and everything looked good. I think what happened is that some wort got into the connector. I will from now on wrap the connector to the heating element with plastic wrap before squeezing the bag. Thanks for all your help.

 

[burdbrew]

I had the same issue with the melted connection. I definitely had a short (as many here have alluded to). I cut the adapter off and used a new plug. I now check the connections periodically.

 

[Bobby_M]

It doesnt hurt to open the connector up after a while to retorque the screws. Also, try not to twist wires before putting them into the lug. It reduces contact patch.

 

[passedpawn]

I had a connector melt down and once. It was a loose wire. I had solid wire under a screw, and repeated hot/cold cycles loosened it up. Really need to use braided wire for that type of application. Lesson learned.

 

[mabrungard]

I had solid wire under a screw, and repeated hot/cold cycles loosened it up.

That is a good point. I'll be double-checking my connections soon.

 

[day_trippr]

I would venture that this was indeed root-caused by a loose connection but carbonized wort might have closed the deal...

Cheers!