Neutral burning on imersion

GrasstoMilk

Hi
I have a 200l hot water heater for my dairy and milking parlour, in about 18 months

Ever since we got it the neutral burned. I kept stripping it back and cleaning up the connection. Sometimes it'd last for months other times not a week. Temp needs to be at 90 to wash my parlour and milk tank correctly

I had a electricitian out a month ago doing a job and got him to run a new wire in but it's after burning worse than ever, so much so it'll need a new imersion now.

Any ideas? He's to call back out with a new imersion, he reckon there was a scratch or something on it from day one which caused the burning

Bruthal

A new one will probably sort it. Once the terminal overheated the first time, it was probably damaged/oxidized, along with the end of the cable connected to it, making it prone to happening again.

The new one with new cable into it should sort it. Or with the cable cut back far enough to ensure its clean and not showing signs of having been heated as it will have been, near the terminals.

Risteard81

Why in the name of God did you keep reconnecting it when it has always been burning the cable? It beggars belief. You sound like a candidate for a Darwin award.

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

. You sound like a candidate for a Darwin award.

A shame to see that silly phrase in the electrical forum. A little over the top IMO.

Risteard81

Bruthal wrote: »

Risteard81 wrote: »

. You sound like a candidate for a Darwin award.

A shame to see that silly phrase in the electrical forum. A little over the top IMO.

It's not over-the-top - he has deliberately continuously connected up something which he knew was overheating and burning! That's not a particularly smart course of action by anyone's standards.

Tuco88

Not everybody is electrically minded, everybody learns from mistakes as this man did. My issue is why didn't the electrician make a point of it.

Risteard81

Tuco88 wrote: »

Not everybody is electrically minded, everybody learns from mistakes as this man did. My issue is why didn't the electrician make a point of it.

He may not have learnt though if he had been burned to death as a result of his supreme idiocy.

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

It's not over-the-top - he has deliberately continuously connected up something which he knew was overheating and burning! That's not a particularly smart course of action by anyone's standards.

Cleaned up connections. Lasted for months. Out in milking parlour by the look.of it. Now asking for advice.

But then again I think I failed to understand the dangers of extension leads before. Where's my award?

Bruthal

Risteard81 wrote: »

He may not have learnt though if he had been burned to death as a result of his supreme idiocy.

Well Charles, you saved him thankfully.

Tuco88

Silly question but do immersion heaters go up to 90 degrees I can't remember? I'm sure they max out at around 75-80.

Damien360

I know it's effectively outside and cold but with the heat from the load, you are creating moisture, hence the rusting.

Can you ask the electrician to change cable to a thicker grade of wiring to handle the load of constrantly on heater and I would put a socket suitable for outdoors. It may be out of the rain but there is no heating in those parlours.

Damien360

Overkill (excuse the pun) but this is what I was thinking or something similar

Tuco88

You could put dielectric grease or vaseline over the connections after connecting.

Stoner

GrasstoMilk wrote:

Any ideas? He's to call back out with a new imersion, he reckon there was a scratch or something on it from day one which caused the burning

That sounds about right . A new one should do it.