Power cable/receptacle melting

[beergutbrew]

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I've brewed 20 batches on my 50amp panel but a month ago after cleanup I went to remove the L6-30 plug from the heating element and it was almost fused together. After I managed to pry it apart, I noticed scorch marks and took the plug apart and noticed even more damage. One of the hot legs had melted the plug surrounding and started melting the wire insulation.

I tested my element, it's in range. I've inspected the wiring in the panel.

I got a new plug, hooked everything up and after two batches, it melted through again.

Any ideas where I should start troubleshooting? Did some component fail in the panel? Took 20 batches for the first failure, but only 2 this time so I'm assuming that A - the element is bad even though it test fine or B - some component inside is faulty.

50 amp system

Side note - I did just have to replace my GFCI breaker(assumed it was a lightening hit), and today for some reason the breaker tripped during HLT temp rise. I reset and everything was fine, brewday was good until I unplugged for cleanup, I assumed it tripped because the A/C kicked on and my son turned on the Microwave and coffee machine?

[kal]

Hi!

What 50A panel? 50A back to back or 50A for 30+ gallons?
What wattage heating elements are you using?

I looked up your email address and didn't find any purchases from us other than our ebook, so I'm assuming this is a panel you built yourself with parts you sourced yourself?

This has come up a few times with self-built panels. Example: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31579

Most likely not the heating element or a failed part. Most likely a poor wiring connection or poorly mated receptacle and socket.

Heat is created when current flows through an area that is too small to handle the amount of current. This can happen:

(a) with a loose connection where only a few strands are making contact because the wire is not properly tightened/fastened, and/or
(b) a wire that is too small to handle the current is used, and/or
(c) when a properly sized wire is used but some of the copper strands were cut/trimmed to get it to fit (this should never be done), or
(d) if an electrical socket or blade is dirty or charred or if the plug is not pushed and locked in properly with the receptacle.

All of these cases effectively reduce the contact area meaning that more current flows through a smaller area which in turns creates more heat which can melt the insulation on wires and damage nearby components.

It could also be that you’re actually pulling too much current by using oversized heating elements. This would only be possible if an incorrectly sized breaker was installed in the electrical panel (larger than 30 or 50 amps, depending on your control panel size) as otherwise the breaker would pop if more than 30A or 50A was pulled. A 30A or 50A breaker must be used (sized for your control panel) per our control panel instructions.

I may also be a bad part, but that's rarer.

I would replace the parts that are damaged:

Receptacle: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/products/nema-l6-30-250vac-30a-twist-lock-electrical-receptacle
Plug: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/products/nema-l6-30-250vac-30a-twist-lock-electrical-plug
If you need wiring: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/collections/wiring

I hope this helps!

Kal

[kal]

Hi!

What 50A panel? 50A back to back or 50A for 30+ gallons?
What wattage heating elements are you using?

I looked up your email address and didn't find any purchases from us other than our ebook, so I'm assuming this is a panel you built yourself with parts you sourced yourself?

This has come up a few times with self-built panels. Example: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31579

Most likely not the heating element or a failed part. Most likely a poor wiring connection or poorly mated receptacle and socket.

Heat is created when current flows through an area that is too small to handle the amount of current. This can happen:

(a) with a loose connection where only a few strands are making contact because the wire is not properly tightened/fastened, and/or
(b) a wire that is too small to handle the current is used, and/or
(c) when a properly sized wire is used but some of the copper strands were cut/trimmed to get it to fit (this should never be done), or
(d) if an electrical socket or blade is dirty or charred or if the plug is not pushed and locked in properly with the receptacle.

All of these cases effectively reduce the contact area meaning that more current flows through a smaller area which in turns creates more heat which can melt the insulation on wires and damage nearby components.

It could also be that you’re actually pulling too much current by using oversized heating elements. This would only be possible if an incorrectly sized breaker was installed in the electrical panel (larger than 30 or 50 amps, depending on your control panel size) as otherwise the breaker would pop if more than 30A or 50A was pulled. A 30A or 50A breaker must be used (sized for your control panel) per our control panel instructions.

I may also be a bad part, but that's rarer.

I would replace the parts that are damaged:

Receptacle: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/products/nema-l6-30-250vac-30a-twist-lock-electrical-receptacle
Plug: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/products/nema-l6-30-250vac-30a-twist-lock-electrical-plug
If you need wiring: https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/collections/wiring

I hope this helps!

Kal

[kal]

[kal]

[beergutbrew]

[kal]

You're welcome!

[kal]

You're welcome!