eBIAB complete - but water not heating?!

[cvillehokie]

I've finished my eBIAB, and as far as I can tell, it's working like it's supposed to - I've got Kal-type heating elements installed (Camco 02962/02963 5500W 240V) - I've verified at the element, that I'm getting 120v on each connector (ground in box to each post reads 120v).

I've even unattached the wire and measured the ohms - if memory serves roughly 15-16 on each wire.

But I've left the thing running for an hour, and it still reads 55F (both my extra gauge and the Auber PID).

I figured if I can see juice at the element, my wiring / configuration isn't the current problem, right? Do elements just not work out of the box at times?

Thanks for any/all help!

EDIT: I always had water in the kettle when attempting to fire up the element...

 

[BrunDog]

Use a volt/ohm meter and start testing.

 

[tektonjp]

I've finished my eBIAB, and as far as I can tell, it's working like it's supposed to - I've got Kal-type heating elements installed (Camco 02962/02963 5500W 240V) - I've verified at the element, that I'm getting 120v on each connector (ground in box to each post reads 120v).

I've even unattached the wire and measured the ohms - if memory serves roughly 15-16 on each wire.

But I've left the thing running for an hour, and it still reads 55F (both my extra gauge and the Auber PID).

I figured if I can see juice at the element, my wiring / configuration isn't the current problem, right? Do elements just not work out of the box at times?

Thanks for any/all help!

EDIT: I always had water in the kettle when attempting to fire up the element...

Have you verified you have 240 at the element?

 

[cvillehokie]

Each connector shows 120v which totals 240.... And I did test the ohms - should they be constant or switching on/off?

 

[dyqik]

Each connector shows 120v which totals 240.... And I did test the ohms - should they be constant or switching on/off?

120V to ground on each side could equal 240V, or it could equal 0V, depending on the relative phase of the two 120Vs. If you've got both sides of the element connected to the same leg, for example. You need to measure across both legs to verify that you have 240V.

The resistance across the element should be constant.

 

[The_Bishop]

Stupid question, but do you have this connected to 240V? You cannot get 240v from a 120v outlet.

 

[cvillehokie]

So I'm baffled - going into the contacting element doesn't show 240v like I would expect - the SSR is closed - and I do have 240v on both sides of the main contractor. I need to put a simple drawing together...

 

[cvillehokie]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1454248247.356451.jpg

Eac leg reads 120v to ground - but not 240 together

 

[PeteNMA]

Looks like your SSR is dead. Assuming that you're measuring those voltages with the element apparently on.

 

[cvillehokie]

But the SSR shows 120v across the switched side

 

[PeteNMA]

If the SSR is on then it shouldn't have any voltage across it. You should be able to measure 120v to ground but between the two legs you should measure 0v

 

[PeteNMA]

As a quick test, if you take the SSR out of circuit and just connect the two lines going to the SSR together does the element fire?

Given that your element shows continuity it's probably not dead.

 

[cvillehokie]

Each output of the SSR reads 120v to ground - wouldn't that mean the SSR is doing its job?

 

[PeteNMA]

No. All that means is that the voltage is present at the SSR to be switched.

Given that you have voltage at the element that means that something is not turning on. It's not the contactors which are at fault so pretty much the only other thing in the circuit is the SSR.

Measure the voltage across the pins of the SSR. Not to ground. I bet you read 240v which means that the SSR is not closing.

 

[cvillehokie]

So Pete - you were 100% right, it's not closing - it read 240v across; I removed it (which was a HUGE PITA) and after using a 9v - I realized I had polarity reversed from the PID.

Holy hell - such a small mistake and when wiring I remember checking a couple times to make sure I did right...

I see 240v at the element now - thanks for all the help!

 

[PeteNMA]

No trouble . I'm glad you got it working. I have had a couple of SSRs where the labels on the unit were actually reversed even