155 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Ok on this pic you posted the blue is the neutral, the black is the hot and the green is the ground. You only break the tab on the hot side of the socket.

I see now - so the heating/cooling sockets on the controller just open/close to pass the the power through. what does neutral do? i see it goes from plug to the socket to the controller. why doesn't the controller need any ground? also - why is there no neutral going to the cool plug?

Edited by StudsTerkel, 03 May 2012 - 10:55 AM.

[brewman]

Not everything needs a ground. Some use an internal floating ground. Again are you wiring up a AC unit or a fridge unit?Dan

[positiveContact]

maybe the whole outlet gets one ground and one neutral? not sure how things are connected in there. maybe I just need the explanation for how this all works.

[brewman]

Power must flow, It comes in the hot side and go out the neutral side.Dan

[positiveContact]

Not everything needs a ground. Some use an internal floating ground. Again are you wiring up a AC unit or a fridge unit?Dan

I'll be plugging a fridge into the outlet that i'm wiring up. i may also plug a small fan in to circulate air when the fridge is running.

[brewman]

Question, are you removing the thermistat from the fridge?Dan

[positiveContact]

Question, are you removing the thermistat from the fridge?Dan

I wasn't planning on it. I was just going to set it to as cold as it will go so it would always run when the controller wanted it to.

[brewman]

I wasn't planning on it. I was just going to set it to as cold as it will go so it would always run when the controller wanted it to.

Good I was going to say just that.Dan

[brewman]

I wish we had a DIY section for projects like this.Dan

[positiveContact]

I wish we had a DIY section for projects like this.Dan

not a bad idea although the traffic is pretty slow around here as it is

[brewman]

I posted an idea in the INFO section, check it out.Dan

[positiveContact]

Now some people say you should run the neutral to the controller and back but if you keep everything nice and covered up, or in project/plug boxes then I see no problem with running the hot.When checking which is hot/neutral get a multimeter and put the ground in the ground hole of the plug and the red lead in the right slot. It should be the hot one 115vac and the left (larger) slot should be 0 VAC.

in the diagram I posted this was done right? I'd rather be safe here.

[brewman]

Looking at your pic you can see more black lines then blue. Blue in that pic is neutral so I would swap it but again I wouldnt worry about it.Dan

[positiveContact]

Looking at your pic you can see more black lines then blue. Blue in that pic is neutral so I would swap it but again I wouldnt worry about it.Dan

so the current could run the other way without issue?

[djinkc]

Power must flow, It comes in the hot side and go out the neutral side.Dan

Actually, it alternates. Why have live wires when neutral will be safer? Sorry, I always break the neutral when working with 120.

[positiveContact]

Actually, it alternates. Why have live wires when neutral will be safer? Sorry, I always break the neutral when working with 120.

what do you mean by this?

[MtnBrewer]

what do you mean by this?

It's AC. Current flows both ways. I would wire it just like Dan's diagram shows. He has the hot wire going to the controller and then the outputs of the controller going to the hot input on the outlets. That means that if the controller is off, there is no voltage on the outlets. If you wire the hot to the outlets and switch the neutral, then you'll always have 120 on one side of the outlet.

[djinkc]

what do you mean by this?

A/C (alternating current) think of it as push/pull. As the sine wave goes up and down the live wire either pushes electrons or pulls them............

[positiveContact]

It's AC. Current flows both ways. I would wire it just like Dan's diagram shows. He has the hot wire going to the controller and then the outputs of the controller going to the hot input on the outlets. That means that if the controller is off, there is no voltage on the outlets. If you wire the hot to the outlets and switch the neutral, then you'll always have 120 on one side of the outlet.

so like this diagram from HBT? i think this is wired how you are describing (+ goes through the controller).

[positiveContact]

also - I'll be running my wiring by you guys once I have it hooked up. I plan on doing this pretty neat so I should be able to take a picture and you'll see what's up.