JollyPirate wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 5:34 am
And YummyRum I do have a multimeter! Tell me about these "quick tests" of which you speak.
You say you suspect the element is faulty . The safest test is to measure the resistance of the element .
These test must be done with the controller unplugged from the wall .
Switch multimeter to the lowest Ohms range ( it’s usually 0-200 on 99.9% of meters )
Always touch the leads together first and confirm you have a short circuit reading close to 0 ohms ( less tham 1 ohm is typical)
Now , Connect the probes to the element terminals . The elements resistance will vary depending on what wattage you have and what voltage it is designed for.
A 5500W 240v element will be 10ohms
A 2000w 240v element will be closer to 30ohms
So you can expect a resistance roughly in this range if your element is OK .
If your element is not heating then it is usually that it’s internal wire has broken . The resistance will be almost infinitely high .
So if the element is not showing a resistance , it is the problem .
If the element does measure OK , then the next thing to assume is that the voltage from the controller is not reaching it .
We now need to check the cable from the controller to the element .
You should know which wires these are . Again measure the resistance on these two wires . This is testing the resistance of the circuit down one wire to the element , through it and back up the other wire .
The resistance should be almost exactly the same as the resistance of the element plus maybe a fraction of an ohm more due to the cable resistance .
If the cable is OK as well , you should get a reading in the 10-30ohm range as before .
If there is a brake or bad connection , the resistance reading will be close to infinite resistance . ( on the 200ohm range that will show as over-range )
So if the reading is showing an open circuit you’ll need to carefully check your connections until you get a good measurement and hopefully problem solved .
I can’t offer any more advise until you show more pics of your wiring . There is a lot missing in that pic you showed . For example , does the wire to the element connect directly to the SSVR terminal or is there another connector or switch in between .
What I did see that worries me a bit ( although it has nothing to do with your fault) is that you appear to have used data cable to connect the pot to the SSVR .
Data cable insulation is not rated to handle mains voltage . The Pot terminals are at mains voltage and subsequently need to be wired with suitably rated wire .