Help! Still dragon popping my gfi

[dsly1]

I've read as much as I coul online an in this site. I feel I have wired this perfectly but I still pop my fuze when I plug in.
I have harvested a 4 wire dryer cord for the power an and plugging in to that for the build

Ground goes to the base plate of the unit
From there it's connected to the ground of the 240 heavy duty rated switch have and to my boiler.

Neutral I have capped

120 line 1 I have going to 1 of the two sided switch as a master on/off from there it goes directly to the element
120 line 2 I have going to the SD unit position 1
SD Position 2 I have going to the other side of the element.
3/4 I have going to either side of the control pot.
I've added a jumper from pole 1/2 going to the other side of my heavy switch as a full power bipass.


Why am I blowing my fuse. If I had a 120 line going to one side of the element and the other 120 going to the other side if have full 240 AC going on so what am I doing wrong? Frustrated.

You guys are awesome, thanks in advanced
[img=http://s22.postimg.org/4ue4tf131/image.jpg]

[sambedded]

I can't see how exactly you did wiring but something is defenetly wrong. Only one wire should go to any SSR terminal.

[Bob Loblaw]

120 line 1 I have going to 1 of the two sided switch as a master on/off from there it goes directly to the element
120 line 2 I have going to the SD unit position 1
SD Position 2 I have going to the other side of the element.

IIRC from my build, sounds like you've wired two hot wires going through your SSR. You're lucky it's kicking the GFCI, otherwise it is going to melt your controller.

I've only seen these wired w/3-wire. Black wire goes in 1, out 2. White wire passes through uncut. Ground goes on the heatsink. 3 and 4 goes to the pot.

I can't tell anything from that picture when you use only one color of wire.

[Prairiepiss]

From you explanation. It sounds like you have it wired right. But I'm only going by what how I read it.

Have you double checked the wiring in the plugin. That you are plugging the dryer cord into?

Possible shorted SSR?
Possible shorted element?
Possible arching or shorted switch?

When does it POP the GFCI?
When you plug it in?
Is the switch off when you plug it in?
Is it turned all the way down?

When you flip the switch?
Is it turned all the way down?

Do you have a VOM volt ohm meter? If you do ohm test between the ground and both hots. Flip the switch. See if you have any continuity from ground to a hot? Make sure nothing is shorted.

I would also bypass the switch. By hooking that hot directly to the #1 terminal of the relay.

[dsly1]

Nope only 1 hot going to the unit. Other is going to the master on/off switch then to the element. (Stupid i phone make I touch to read all the questions and respond. This might be a few posts.)

Master power is off when plugging in. No pop and yes that why I have a gfi.
The two wires on each 1/2 of the SD unit is one lead in one out then to the other side of the unit, secon set is to bipass the into all together for full power. (Goes to second side of the switch) Heat saving trick I read for full power mode. I'll remove that and see if I have any luck.

[dsly1]

When not in bipass mode also all good. Until I turn up the pot.
I'll take off the bipass and take another pic

[Prairiepiss]

There is no need for the full power bypass heat saving thing. And I don't remember you saying anything about that in the first post?

[heartcut]

All the power coming in and going out needs to go through the GFCI. The GFCI has a coil around supply and return wires and looks for the fields to cancel each other out, equalling 0 milliamps current. Any electricity going anywhere other than through the GFCI over it's setpoint (like to ground) will trip the GFCI. If you have to reset it with the little buttons on the GFCI, that's what is happening. If the breaker it tripping there's a short or a mismatch in breaker size and current draw.

[bellybuster]

I would start by getting rid of your "heat saving trick" you want full power? Turn up the pot.

[thecroweater]

reckon I'd get an electrician in before someone gets killed, just saying

[dsly1]

Yup it was the switch I was using. The one sides are connected and was causing the short.
Just ran the power switch through it and taadaa! It works... I hear the element powering up.

Next issue. About about 1-2 minutes I'm getting smoke starting to appear on all the connectors of the unit

Did I fuck the ssr shorting the unit earlier? It all seems to be working happily and then this smoke.. Arggg

[WhiteDevil504]

Just FYI drew the YouTube link you posted has what I assume is your full name and Facebook picture. You might want to delete that post before it gets around too much. Not nitpicking I just know I'd want someone to tell me if I did it.

[dsly1]

Thank you. Frustrated and wasn't thinking

[rad14701]

Letting the magic smoke out is not a good sign... Probably time for a new SSR, and perhaps a new GFCI circuit breaker... And when you go to wire it back up use the KISS concept... Just connect the bare minimum components until you have a working circuit... Too many people that don't really know what they are doing get crazy and have to go balls out when the build a controller that really doesn't need to be as fancy as they try to make them... All you need is the SSR and potentiometer... Get that working and then add the other crap if you absolutely have to...

[dsly1]

Boo. I thought that was the cases. I'll have to put in another order

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

Did your heat sink and SSR come already assembled? The ones that I got were, but there was not any thermal compound between them. If you didn't check, and there was none in there, you may have baked the SSR into failure from overheating it.

[dsly1]

No I assembled for still dragon and used all the thermal paste provided which was plenty.
The smoke comes from the every contact screw. I think I let the smoke out of it when I tripped it. It still works but I can't imagine long with that going on. I ordered another. It's 10 bucks shipped. I'll see if I can find a way to anonymously post the video so you can see.

[dsly1]

View My Video
Thanks again for all the advice.

[T-Pee]

Electrical smoke is NEVER a good thing.

tp

[Halfbaked]

YUP you let the smoke out. Everytime I use them I always have trouble. More trouble to hook up eaiser trip, cost is double or more etc etc. etc... How many of you stillin on lectric are using them in runnin your stll?

[dsly1]

Opposed to what controller setup?
Ya I figured I cooked it. All good another one on
the way. I knew I had the wiring right. Just my failure to understand the switch I bought was the entire problem. It's been a very interesting project. Learned a lot so far.