wiring element with 4 wire stove cord

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

I've searched and searched these forums and other brewing sights and I can't find answers...

What I have is a 62 qt ss pot with a 1-inch female npt soldered in the side. I have a 4 wire stove cord. And a 5500watt element. I tried putting a 1" pvc coupler over the element housing, but the strain relief didn't work. It was a mess with a hole in the side to allow for a ground wire.

I am thinking of some variation on a Kal build but it is too late for a weldless bulkhead. The threaded part is already soldered in place.

How could I mount the box?

 

[LandoLincoln]

Okay, so you have an NPT fitting that the element will screw into.

What is going to hold the box or enclosure?

 

[AnOldUR]

BrewHardware.com



Edit:
You probably know this, but you don't need the neutral wire going to the element. Just the two hots and a ground to the outside of the enclosure.

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

Land-o-Lincoln, I don't have an answer for that, which is why I am posting to the thread.

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

AnOldUR,

Thanks - that looks very clever and quite possibly worth the $25. However, I can't envision how this would work with 4-Wire range cord and still ground the pot. I'm also guessing that the large grip would fit a 4-wire range cord.

 

[AnOldUR]

There's a screw for the ground wire inside the enclosure. The enclosure contacts the heating element to ground the entire system. Cap off the neutral inside the enclosure or switch to three wire and a male plug. It's a very simple installation. Here's mine on a RIMS, but threading into your welded bulkhead would be the same as the threaded end of the tube.

 

[crane]

You can still use Kal's method without a weldless fitting. I have a half coupling soldered to my keggle and it worked out great.

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

Crane,
I can't quite see how the box is secured to the 1/2 coupling.

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

I think I got something workable. Rather than relying on JB Weld to secure the 1 inch PVC coupler to the element, I took my inspiration from AnOldURs pictures and from th heat stick ideas.

I just used a 1 1/2-inch brass slip joint nut and a 1 1/2-inch PVC male-to-solvent weld adapter (gray electrical kind). Then welded on a PVC bushing to a 1-inch female thread (from plumbing). In the one inch hole I turned in a strain relief clamp.

I learned that the 1 1/2" x 1 1/4" slip joint nut causes leaks so I went with the 1 1/2" instead. I also filed a hexagon shape into the opening of th PVC adapter so the element head would fit flush. This also provides strain relief when applying torque to screw the element into the kettle.

I drilled a hole through the adapter to mount a screw for grounding.

The whole aparatus would not work as a heat stick because the 1 inch strain relief is not water proof. But it is certainly splash resistant.

 

[crane]

Crane,
I can't quite see how the box is secured to the 1/2 coupling.

The heating element is what screws into the coupling. Take a look at how Kal built his. Everything is the same except his uses a weldless but on the inside of the kettle.

 

[IslandLizard]

You don't need 4 wires. Only 2 hots (240V) plus a ground. Your stove has the extra neutral connection for the displays, light, fans, controls, which run at 120V.