Thread seal on element base or not

[thomasjr16]

Rookie question, but since the camco base has a rubber gasket should I apply pipe thread seal tape as well?

The seal tape was a little wide so I trimmed some off but are elements sealed by compression (gasket) or interference (tape) or both?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1420296476.003641.jpg

 

[The10mmKid]

Compression of the gasket.

Tape is like wearing suspenders with a belt.

'da Kid

 

[thomasjr16]

Thanks, common senses made me lean that way but after wiring up the panel and rechecking everything a few times, the brain was hurting a bit and mr Google wasn't turning up an answer fast enough

 

[augiedoggy]

btw most throw that rubber seal away and use a red silicone oring which are often sold with the nut because the rubber can impart a nasty flavor to the beer (unlikely in this case) but I believe it will rot from the acidity of the beer as well....

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

If your using the stainless element housing you MUST remove the gasket to get metal to metal contact or the pot will NOT be grounded.A very dangerous mistake.Yes use the Teflon tape,will not degrade or effect the beer.Im pretty sure your supposed to remove it with the gangbox setup also.

 

[augiedoggy]

I use the oring seal on the lipseal of the element and the kettle is grounded by the ground wire I have going to another point directly on the kettle.I varified that its grounded by checking continuity between both the groundwire and kettle and element surface.... the stainless nut holding the element in makes good contact between both the kettle wall and element for me since I used no teflon tape...or oring on the inside of the kettles

 

[The10mmKid]

NPT are an 'interference' type threads. They will get tighter until they lock together. Sealants fills the gaps between this interference. You will have plenty of electrical bonding between the element and the pot fitting. (hoping you would not screw an element in 'finger-tite'.

'da Kid

 

[augiedoggy]

NPT are an 'interference' type threads. They will get tighter until they lock together. Sealants fills the gaps between this interference. You will have plenty of electrical bonding between the element and the pot fitting. (hoping you would not screw an element in 'finger-tite'.

'da Kid

Its my understanding that the threads are not NPT on these elements but rather NPS (straight and not tapered) mine do not appear to be tapered.

 

[passedpawn]

If your using the stainless element housing you MUST remove the gasket to get metal to metal contact or the pot will NOT be grounded.A very dangerous mistake.Yes use the Teflon tape,will not degrade or effect the beer.Im pretty sure your supposed to remove it with the gangbox setup also.

Huh? I don't know how others ground their kettle, but that hex flange has nothing to do with the grounding on mine and doesn't need to touch the kettle. I don't see an easy way to connect the ground conductor to it, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone do it.

 

[The10mmKid]

You are correct Augie.

I've just been playing with the NPT fittings at work and it appears all the fittings I've read about on the kettles were SS NPT. My bad.

I wonder if a copper crush gasket would make everybody more grounded?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#3604t21/=vbl7w3

'da Kid

Its my understanding that the threads are not NPT on these elements but rather NPS (straight and not tapered) mine do not appear to be tapered.

 

[Bobby_M]

It all depends on what kind of electrical enclosure method being used. On MY weldless enclosure, the seal is made inside the pot because the ground is attached to the enclosure so that enclosure has to contact the pot directly. There are a lot of ways to get a ground to the pot when using other methods.

 

[augiedoggy]

I actually run my ground wire to the pt100 sensor which has four nuts and bolts holding the xlr style connector so I attach it via one of these.