Need some help.

So I finally put together my keggle with 2 1500w 120v elements. Sorry for no pictures at the moment but I installed like many others have on here with the pvc housing on the outside. They are directly across from each other.

Here is the issue: When I have one element plugged in and then plug in the other to a different circuit it will trip. Sometimes one or both of the circuits. I have confirmed that I can run both by themselves. I don't know what I might need to do as this is my first run at this. Figured I would throw it to the more experienced out there.

im assuming you are talking about the circuit breaker tripping?

my initial thought is that what you think are separate circuits really aren't. how did you verify they are different?

Are you sure they are on different circuits? On the occasion where "both" circuits tripped, did you have to reset 2 different breakers in your panel?

DerekJ said:

Are you sure they are on different circuits? On the occasion where "both" circuits tripped, did you have to reset 2 different breakers in your panel?

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Yes I am certain about the 2 breakers as I did have to reset 2 different ones a few times. Mostly it was only one that would trip. I even tried other outlet combinations with no success. Thoughts?

You probably have a ground fault. You have GFCI protection, right?

alien said:

You probably have a ground fault. You have GFCI protection, right?

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I do have GFCI for both.

Are the circuits tripping (over current) or is the GFCI tripping (ground fault)? There should be some means at the circuit of telling when you have a ground fault issue vs a standard trip due to overcurrent.

BadNewsBrewery said:

Are the circuits tripping (over current) or is the GFCI tripping (ground fault)? There should be some means at the circuit of telling when you have a ground fault issue vs a standard trip due to overcurrent.

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It seems to be an overcurrent as the GFCI doesn't trip. It is only tripping in the breaker box. I have made sure nothing else was running on the same circuit as well. About to start troubleshooting again here in the next few hours so any suggestions on what to try first are welcomed.

Like TheKnub says - you might have some dubious wiring in your house. I have knob and tube in my walls, and I know for a fact that some of the circuits marked on the panel are not actually separate from each other. To turn off one of my lighting circuits I have to flip 2 breakers.

Can you verify that the circuits are actually separate by flipping one breaker then the other, and checking both receptacles to see that one then the other, actually turns off?

I just tried the circuit breaker test. It seems that everything is like it should be and cuts off the right outlets it should. Even more confused now.

Can you measure the resistance between all the terminals on your elements with everything unplugged.

Hot to neutral on the same element should be about 10 ohms. Hot to ground and neutral to ground on the same element should be infinite. Hot or neutral on one element to hot or neutral on the other should be infinite.

Is that what you get?

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I don't have have a way to test it at the moment. Could lack of a proper ground connection cause it? Just thinking out loud hope it doesn't show my ignorance too bad.

Thanks for the help guys. Changed my ground connections to be better and seems that everything is going great. Thanks again.