Safety / Testing

[GRBC]

Received my new, assembled Kal/Spike control panel and planning to fire it up for the first time this weekend. I put together the element power cord & outlets following the instructions on the Electric Brewery website & using the 1.5" TC enclosures from Brew Hardware. My control panel is plugged into a 4-prong dryer outlet that is connected to 30 amp GFCI breaker in my main panel.

What can I do to test the safety of the grounding of my elements, panel, and other electrical components and the GFCI function of my breaker? Thanks.

 

[Sparky]

Assuming that it is a correctly wired 4-prong outlet, for 30amp, you should be fine. But, to ensure is okay, take a volt-meter and check your outlet for correct wiring which is according to the NEMA outlay of that plug.

If you need help with testing or determining, let me know.

 

[GRBC]

Thanks Sparky, did that after plugging things in last night and seeing that I was only getting 120V to the panel. After a quick response from Mike/Kal, I bought a multimeter and actually found that the outlet appears to be wired up incorrectly. Looks like one of the hot lines got connected to neutral.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1416679925.666863.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1416679949.333088.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1416679961.555611.jpg

I also checked for continuity between the ground spade on my heating element plugs and my HLT and BK and got the buzzing indicator, so I think I am OK there.

Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Bill

 

[processhead]

I don't know how the outlet would have ever worked with a clothes dryer?

If you haven't done it already, make sure the ground and neutral are connected to the correct terminals on the receptacle. The bare ground wire on the bottom and neutral on the top, two hots on either side.

A reversed neutral and ground connection would result in the same voltage readings you show

This is a good example of how important it is to have an understanding of electrical fundamentals when assembling your own gear or wiring to your homes electrical panel.

Circuit breakers, fuses, GFCI's, and other protection devices only work if they are designed and installed properly.

Brewers who make the decision to go electric really need to educate themselves before connecting to their panel.

 

[GRBC]

I don't know how the outlet would have ever worked with a clothes dryer?



If you haven't done it already, make sure the ground and neutral are connected to the correct terminals on the receptacle. The bare ground wire on the bottom and neutral on the top, two hots on either side.



A reversed neutral and ground connection would result in the same voltage readings you show



This is a good example of how important it is to have an understanding of electrical fundamentals when assembling your own gear or wiring to your homes electrical panel.



Circuit breakers, fuses, GFCI's, and other protection devices only work if they are designed and installed properly.



Brewers who make the decision to go electric really need to educate themselves before connecting to their panel.

Thanks for the feedback. The outlet was installed with the buildout of the brew room as part of a basement remodel, so it hasn't been used before. The disturbing thing is that we paid an electrician to wire up the basement including this outlet & he appears to have done it wrong. I did put together the element wiring & pump power cords, but that was the limit of my DIY comfort zone, based on my limited experience with electrical fundamentals.

For my education, can you explain how reversing the ground & neutral wiring to the outlet, would result in 240V measured at one of the hot lines & neutral? That doesn't make sense to me - seems like the only way to get 240v there would be for one of the hot lines to be connected to the neutral. Thanks.

 

[GRBC]

Problem solved. The electrician had wired the outlet correctly, but had the GFCI breaker wired incorrectly. Disturbing that it was done wrong, but it is fixed now.

 

[processhead]

For my education, can you explain how reversing the ground & neutral wiring to the outlet, would result in 240V measured at one of the hot lines & neutral? That doesn't make sense to me - seems like the only way to get 240v there would be for one of the hot lines to be connected to the neutral. Thanks.

I should have been more specific.
When you measured 120 volts in the picture you posted, you could have gotten the same reading if the ground and neutral conductors has been crossed on their respective terminals.

Since you mentioned you found the mistake at the GFCI breaker, its worth pointing out that the same mistake could have happened there as well.

I'm glad you found the mistake. It's frustrating when you pay someone to do it right, and then you find beginner mistakes like this one.