Electrical smell from Crown Urn.

[Stouter]

I'm worried. I did a brew today and before I started my boil I got a whiff of an electrical burning smell from the temp adjustment knob on my Crown urn. I decided to push on and completed the boil and brew, stepping up for mash out and even adjusting to get my usual boil without any problems.
Never noticed it before, and it's been sitting for a while so it's not like there would be moisture in there.

Is this the beginning of the end?

 

[Markbeer]

It would be the wires most likely. Take the bottom off and see if they are a little blackened near where they join the element.

 

[Stouter]

Yep, looks like 3 connections are starting to melt. One brown wire going from the temp adjustment unit to the element, another blue one from the power cord.

 

[Maheel]

consider soldering the plugs on to get better connections and a little less heat if they are splade plugs

you could also upgrade the size of the wiring

urns are IMO designed to cycle that allows components to cool off a little

of course get a qualified person to do the work

remove spade plug clean off any crap / plastic
get some heat shrink into position for re insulation
replug and solder into place making a better connection .
put heat shrink into place and shrink

put it back into service

 

[Stouter]

Just dropped it off at the repairer for them to check out. I've asked them to not just fix it but also see what the cause is, so maybe upgrading the wiring size will be something they suggest.

Good point Maheel about being it being designed to cycle, it gets pushed hard each batch.
This may have been a gradual thing over it's last year of use.
Last thing I want is it shitting itself half way through a batch.

 

[earle]

@Stouter , out of interest does your urn have the higher cut off temp that Crown made available a couple of years ago?

 

[Stouter]

@Stouter , out of interest does your urn have the higher cut off temp that Crown made available a couple of years ago?

Yes, or so I'm told when I purchased. I'm electrically challenged so I wouldn't know to look at it, they did mention that feature, a factory mod boil cut-off bypass. I assume normal catering requirements are that an urn boils for long enough to ensure no bugs in the water then cuts out even if the dial is mistakenly on 110d. Though I don't think the bypass is the cause of my problem.
Thinking more, it's only in the last few batches that I've been using a heat jacket sleeve, and the one I've made also covers the bottom section which houses all electrical, must get bloody hot in under there.
I'll cut it to finish above this now and only use it for holding the mash temp, not also during the boil.
Be nice to also drill or cut out a vent section for it, but a bit risky for water and moisture to enter.

 

[earle]

My heat sleeve covers the urn right down to the bottom but mine does not have the factory mod or the forum bypass mod. I haven't had any wire scorching problems as yet after 70 odd batches.

My understanding is that the factory is not a bypass but increases the temperature at which the cut out occurs. The other non-factory mod which is described on this forum does bypass the cut out altogether.

The reason I asked is that I was wondering if the factory mod lets the urn run a bit hotter, which in turn is letting the wire overheat and scorch.

 

[Stouter]

That might be the case then. Maybe if I dial more carefully to the boil instead of turning up too much.

 

[Stouter]

Got my baby back from the repairer. They said the melting connections were a general duty grade, and they've replaced these with a heavier grade. Time will tell if it's made a difference.
$65 later and it's back in action, holding mash temp right now and in for a boil later.