Sealing electric heating elements

[The Judge]

Bang - thanks Droid. Check out RS components range of IP65 and higher small enclosures!
https://au.rs-online.com/web/c/encl...216&sort-by=P_breakPrice1&sort-order=asc&pn=1
Must be one here surely...

 

[The Judge]

Hmmm I said that with such confidence, but I'm not so sure there is...

 

[Mr B]

Go the 5 Star one, its the shizzle

 

[Camo6]

Love these cheap Chinese elements. Of all the colours they could pic for the cable sheath they choose the two colours internationally designated for earth colour coding.
Which ever arrangement you choose be sure to use glands but allow yourself a drainhole in the enclosure in case of leaks.
Also be sure to earth the enclosure and vessel to allow a fault current path in the event of a seal or insulation failure.
Where did you buy the 2CE orange circ? The colouring indicates flex but the strands in the pic look like regular stranded cable which is unsuitable for use as a lead. But it could just be the image clarity.

 

[nosco]

On my first e biab kettle i used the enclosure and setup from the Electric Brewery. They have links to Amazon to buy them (the more i learn about Amazon the more i dont like them). With the current exchange rate it might be an ok price. Its aluminium from memory. In the end though it was leaky and basically pretty shit. I would go the tri clover set up any day over that.

 

[nosco]

The pics that sppg poated are from the Electric Brewery

 

[nosco]

https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&re... gang outlet box metal&url=search-alias=tools

 

[The Judge]

Where did you buy the 2CE orange circ? The colouring indicates flex but the strands in the pic look like regular stranded cable which is unsuitable for use as a lead. But it could just be the image clarity.

L&H. But its stranded not solid.

I contacted that mob at 5 Star days ago via email and haven’t heard back yet. Really want this sorted before next brew day.

 

[Camo6]

L&H. But its stranded not solid.

I contacted that mob at 5 Star days ago via email and haven’t heard back yet. Really want this sorted before next brew day.

Stranded is for fixed cabling and isn't recommended for a flexible lead. Ask them for 2.5mm2 flex cable. It comes in black too.

 

[The Judge]

Stranded is for fixed cabling and isn't recommended for a flexible lead. Ask them for 2.5mm2 flex cable. It comes in black too.

Ok, and just to be clear, a nice tight gland wouldn't be sufficient?

 

[Camo6]

Ok, and just to be clear, a nice tight gland wouldn't be sufficient?

I'm referring to the flexibility of the copper. Flex cable has a many fine strands of copper and is therefore more resistant to strands breaking from the constant movements that a power lead is likely to receive. Stranded cable has less strands of thicker gauge copper and while more malleable than solid (of which you won't commonly find in that diameter anyway) it is designed for a fixed application where movement is expected to be minimal.
Your local L&H should stock 2.5mm flex and will likely sell it by the metre. The good thing is it has a higher current rating anyway due to the sheathing effect of electrons but the difference would be marginal.
Size your glands appropriately but secure a cable tie to the cable sheath on the inside of the gland as a 'stopper'.

And be sure to piss off that yellow/green sheath on the element wiring. That's just plain wrong.

 

[The Judge]

I need more Camo in my life.

 

[Meddo]

L&H. But its stranded not solid.

I contacted that mob at 5 Star days ago via email and haven’t heard back yet. Really want this sorted before next brew day.

Just call them, they're pretty poor at answering emails but do usually pick up the phone. I bought a couple of their tri clamp element housings and they're top notch.

 

[droid]

I got a pic of the Orange SPun Box sent to my phone but cant load it from messages to here. I can text you the pic. They look pretty good, tho the tri-clamp jobbies sound like the go. I could buy it for myself to get a good price but then sending it across might cost a bit. I reckon about $130-$140 incl freight.

 

[droid]

Small 78mm Body Diameter x 80mm high
Large 110mm Body Diameter x 95mm high
Both have Neoprene O Ring seal

 

[droid]

^there we go, I think the stainless port is where the cable would come out and you would separate the plate from the cylinder and drill a suitable sized hole for your element, feed the wire through the outlet port and re-cap the box.

Def need flex (you can get grey as well)

For the price of all this I think the KK elements are pretty hard to go past - just to throw that in the mix

cheers

 

[The Judge]

Mate thanks for this. Though I think I’m going to try one of those triclamps. Saves me the hassle of drilling and least and isnt badly priced.