Sealed 240V immersion heater elements

[Kbar]

Has anyone found or does anyone have a good technique, to seal the 240V heater elements that fit into the 1" NPSM ports on HLT's? All the really cost effective elements out there ($9 to $30) are open end connections (screw terminals) as they are intended for use in water heaters that provide the protection against having open terminals.

See link below of said style of elements that I am finding commercially available.

Thanks for your help!

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/elements.html

PS - will be used with a contoller (Digital on/off control or Analog PID) to set temperature and hold for the strike and mash out water. HLT is a Mini-Brew system.

http://www.minibrew.com/index.php?main_ ... 188edee97b

[Henning1966]

Take a look at this write up mr push eject did http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The- ... n-a-cooler). Also pm code and ask him he has a better solution to the ground ring and sealing issues than this article. He can show and explain it better than i can.

[Kbar]

Take a look at this write up mr push eject did http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The- ... n-a-cooler). Also pm code and ask him he has a better solution to the ground ring and sealing issues than this article. He can show and explain it better than i can.

Thank you. Good stuff. Did not think of the ground wire in this installation for short issues. Good to know.

I did find this rather spendy 3000W option with built in thermostat at Omega;

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref= ... EATER&Nav=

1" for the port I have, 3KW, built in thermostat. $280 though. Hard to swallow given the water heater elements, even up to 4500W and in stainless are $30. However, taking into account controller and thermocouple/RTD, and ease of wiring (3 wire, 240V), this may be a winner.

Thanks Henning.

[codewritinfool]

Just thinking, you might also look at your local farm supply store for livestock water heaters. They keep the drinking supply tank from freezing up.

[Elbone]

Has anyone found or does anyone have a good technique, to seal the 240V heater elements that fit into the 1" NPSM ports on HLT's?

What about wiring it, then fashioning a collar of some kind and filling with epoxy resin. Sort of like a potted transformer?

Like this

[Grizz]

You cant see it in my pic but I used a 1 1/4 90s to cover my elements connections. The 90s are connected to gray water proof pipes that run to the relays. Here is the link to my system http://beermachine.embarqspace.com/#/welcome/4535489854

[Elbone]

I used a 1 1/4 90s to cover my elements connections. The 90s are connected to gray water proof pipes that run to the relays.

Huh? Please translate to English. Thanks.

[Nyakavt]

To the OP, are you talking about sealing as in preventing a leak, or covering the exposed wires? The leak prevention can be done by drilling a very close hole in the HLT (use a step-drill bit, around $10 at harbor freight) and ordering a 1" straight pipe thread locknut to go on the inside of the HLT. The gasket that comes with the element goes on the outside of the HLT. You can get the nuts at McMaster for $5 in SS.

If you are talking about covering the wires, that article already mentioned on wortomatic would work, as would another article on wortomatic: http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/Carl's-Electric-HLT

This guy solders an electrical box over the fitting and grounds to the box.