Wiring distribution and fusing questions

[cruelkix]

Ohio-Ed: this is exactly my concern. After seeing the comments here and doing some reading, it seems to be safe. I'm also using shrink tubing to help secure my connections. I can't see how it would be practical to use 6awg wire for all my connections to the fuses.

A very good suggestion I got in my thread was to ground my enclosure in case something came loose. I highly reccomend it if you are using a conductive enclosure (metal).

 

[Ohio-Ed]

A very good suggestion I got in my thread was to ground my enclosure in case something came loose. I highly reccomend it if you are using a conductive enclosure (metal).

The case should absolutely be grounded.

However, in the "worst case" scenario I described, the "flying lead" did not contact the case (which should trip a GFCI), but rather contacted the other "hot" lead resulting in a short. The wire would act just like a heating element.

I honestly think the risk is pretty slim. I have found the risk can be mitigated by drinking beer and playing with boiling water & wort in close proximity to high current, 240v electric.

Ed

 

[pickles]

I will definately have everything grounded. In fact my enclosure has a grounding wire
from the door to the case as well. I'm gonna go ahead with this, thanks for the input everyone.

 

[cruelkix]

Cool! Good luck man. Looks like you have things plotted out well. I'll tell ya, the scariest part is flipping the breaker to the panel the first time!! I closed my eyes, turned my head and told the wife to be ready to dial 911! I'm not a huge fan of working with electricity.

 

[Walker]

[argumentative]How do you know the one failed tho? Unless you are good about checking your equipment, when they are closed up in a case, how do you know when one is dead? You wont really know until they both die, so what's the point?[/argumentative]

You can use a multimeter to check the voltage on the receptacle that your element is plugged into. The one that is dead will have 120V on it when measured from that line to neutral. The good one will show no voltage.

 

[cruelkix]

You can use a multimeter to check the voltage on the receptacle that your element is plugged into. The one that is dead will have 120V on it when measured from that line to neutral. The good one will show no voltage.

Haha, I know HOW to check. I'm just saying unless you actually check it frequently you'll never know if one died or not. You'll only really know when both died.

And we are still assuming that they fail closed, which may or may not be the case depending on the SSR you buy.

 

[Walker]

Ah.. sorry. Misunderstood your question.

This is what panel mount indicator lamps are for. Attach a little lamp to the output of each SSR and mount them on the front of the control box. The lights turn off and on along with the element. If one of them stays stuck ON, then you know.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

You can use a multimeter to check the voltage on the receptacle that your element is plugged into. The one that is dead will have 120V on it when measured from that line to neutral. The good one will show no voltage.

Actually, I think most SSR's "leak" voltage if no (or very little) load is applied.

 

[Walker]

Actually, I think most SSR's "leak" voltage if no (or very little) load is applied.

They do. They leak a tiny amount of current when they are OFF. If there is no load attached to them, you get confusing meter readings.

Actually, if there is a very small load, you get weird behavior, too. I have a VERY low watt indicator lamp on my panel and enough current leaks through to cause it to light up with no larger load attached to the SSR. Confused the crap out of me when I first started testing my panel out.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

They do. They leak a tiny amount of current when they are OFF. If there is no load attached to them, you get confusing meter readings.

Actually, if there is a very small load, you get weird behavior, too. I have a VERY low watt indicator lamp on my panel and enough current leaks through to cause it to light up with no larger load attached to the SSR. Confused the crap out of me when I first started testing my panel out.

Yup, my LED illuminated switches light up unless I have a load plugged into the receptacle. I had a heck of a time my first go around testing an SSR.

 

[cruelkix]

Ah.. sorry. Misunderstood your question.

This is what panel mount indicator lamps are for. Attach a little lamp to the output of each SSR and mount them on the front of the control box. The lights turn off and on along with the element. If one of them stays stuck ON, then you know.

Now that sir, is a good idea. The SSRs I have, have little leds on them, but i sure cant see them when they are in the panel. Of course my panael itself is actually pretty well hidden with the way I have mine set up ..... not sure where I would run the lights ....

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Now that sir, is a good idea. The SSRs I have, have little leds on them, but i sure cant see them when they are in the panel. Of course my panael itself is actually pretty well hidden with the way I have mine set up ..... not sure where I would run the lights ....

I giggle everytime the LED's in my switches start flashing as the PID starts doing its thing

 

[Walker]

simple pleasures for simple minds

 

[Ohio-Ed]

simple pleasures for simple minds

Yea... I know. I do the same when draining one of the vessels and the siphon tube sucks it almost dry. And if there is someone close, I have to point it out to them too.

 

[P-Lay]

I honestly think the risk is pretty slim. I have found the risk can be mitigated by drinking beer and playing with boiling water & wort in close proximity to high current, 240v electric.

Ed

Nothing really constructive to say, but I just read through this whole thread and found this hilarious. Thanks for the laugh.