9 replies to this topic

[BlKtRe]

I'm upgrading my keg washer with a heating element. Its made from a Sanke keg. I have a plastic weather proof case over the connections. The wire is in a plastic conduit and where it comes out of that there is silicone. My question is should I ground this heating element somehow. If so, how? If I use a metal stand to put the Sanke on, maybe a ground wire from the Sanke to the metal frame. If I use wood, then what?

[djinkc]

Yeah, you better ground it...........Drill a hole in the skirt and ground there outside of the box. I soldered a spade connector to the ground wire and connected to the keg with a nylock nut and bolt. I went out of the bottom of the box and silicone sealed it.

Edited by djinkc, 17 November 2010 - 05:35 PM.

[BlKtRe]

Yeah, you better ground it...........Drill a hole in the skirt and ground there outside of the box. I soldered a spade connector to the ground wire and connected to the keg with a nylock nut and bolt. I went out of the bottom of the box and silicone sealed it.

I was going to use a self tapping screw and go into an existing hole in the skirt. Then turn a copper ground wire and tighten it down. There is only two power connections on the element, no ground. So where does the other end of the ground wire go to?

[djinkc]

I was going to use a self tapping screw and go into an existing hole in the skirt. Then turn a copper ground wire and tighten it down. There is only two power connections on the element, no ground. So where does the other end of the ground wire go to?

My keg and EHLT have two hots and a ground running to them. The ground is bolted to the skirt on the hlt and I had a little tag welded on the Al kettle inside the box to ground it there. Of course the ground wire ends up on the ground buss of the breaker box. You can tap those holes in the keg skirt and use a SS bolt, spade connector and lockwasher I guess. That would be my choice rather than a self tapping screw. Just don't plug all of them, remember the exploding Sankes........ Just make that ground super secure, you don't want it falling off when it's needed.

[BlKtRe]

I remember exploding kegs. Thanks for the reminder. I have no way to ground the element. It has two hots and that is it. And a plastic weather proof box. I could ground the keg itself to a metal structure but I may use wood instead. I plan on putting a plug onto the wires at the end of the element run, then plug the element into my Love Controller box. Going un grounded doesn't seem right to me.

[djinkc]

I remember exploding kegs. Thanks for the reminder. I have no way to ground the element. It has two hots and that is it. And a plastic weather proof box. I could ground the keg itself to a metal structure but I may use wood instead. I plan on putting a plug onto the wires at the end of the element run, then plug the element into my Love Controller box. Going un grounded doesn't seem right to me.

You have to ground it back to your breaker box. Ideally with a GFI breaker, but IIRC George doesn't, and trusts his grounding. I want the added safety. I would run a new 3 wire from the breaker box to replace what you have. Since the element is in contact with the keg and the water, running the ground to the keg should be good. My 240v stuff is redundantly grounded, just in case. Don't dick around with it.WTF is up with having two hots and no ground available?????

[BlKtRe]

You have to ground it back to your breaker box. Ideally with a GFI breaker, but IIRC George doesn't, and trusts his grounding. I want the added safety. I would run a new 3 wire from the breaker box to replace what you have. Since the element is in contact with the keg and the water, running the ground to the keg should be good. My 240v stuff is redundantly grounded, just in case. Don't dick around with it.WTF is up with having two hots and no ground available?????

Running a new wire from my box isn't going to happen. All I want to do is use my Love Controller to heat up some PBW and Acid Wash. There are outlets that the Love Controllers are wired too. Maybe a portable GFCI would work. But the element still wouldn't be grounded. Maybe i should go look for a element with a ground. Ground the element to the Sanke, then plug in a portable GFCI into the Love Controller.

[BlKtRe]

Thanks for the phone call Dan.AC/UC!(All Clear Under Control) :cheers:I will post pics before I plug this thing in.

[djinkc]

Thanks for the phone call Dan.AC/UC!(All Clear Under Control) I will post pics before I plug this thing in.

Hey, always fun talking, more fun over a beer or two.I think we have him grounded, but not back to "earth" Stangbat helped with a really cool multi purpose Love controller box that we had to figure out again............

[BlKtRe]

Hey, always fun talking, more fun over a beer or two.but not back to "earth"

Highly unlikely.Thanks again Dan.