Burco element wiring help!

[cyberbackpacker]

Hello,

I am going to be fitting a Burco 2500w replacement element into a pot for a DIY boiler. I am going to be using a temperature controller to manage the power. I need help though on wiring this element, as it has a built on overheat protection device. The element I purchased is this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HE19-BURCO-WATER-BO ... 5756988438



I need to verify the live, neutral, and earth posts, as well as know how to disable the overheat protection.

Thank you for your help!

Cheers!

[Kev888]

Hi,

mine is a little different (and the picture not so clear) so I can't be as positive as I'd like to be, but it looks like your assessment is probably correct. The earth terminal should be connected very directly to the chrome chassis and connecting live and neutral directly to the two legs of the element terminals would bypass the sensor, though in one case you'd need to be inventive as it doesn't have a spade on it. Not quite sure how I'd do that - solder is the obvious thing but usually a crimp or highter temperature weld is used as solder can melt if something gets a bit too hot.

HOWEVER, if its a boil dry type overheat sensor you 'may' not need to bypass it. Because such urns and boilers are designed to operate at or around boiling for long periods of time I believe the overheat sensor isn't as sensitive as you tend to get with kettles, which expect to click off within moments of boiling. Its 'usually' the control sensors that need bypassing on urns and things, and any overheat sensor is there for safety should something go wrong. The problem is that you probably won't know until you get the element cacked up with wort during a boil..

Cheers
kev

[cyberbackpacker]

Thanks Kev... sorry for the picture quality, but I could not get my camera to focus in on the electrical connections so I had to resort to using the ebay pic. I will try to get my camera figured out to get better pics.

If the overheat is a boil-dry fail safe, then yes, I might as well connect it through there! As I said, I will attempt to get better pics so I can get some info on how to wire it with, and without, the overheat.

Cheers.

-Kevin

[cyberbackpacker]

Alright, I tried to get a picture of the actual element; I still couldn't get it to focus very clearly, but I believe you can make things out much better.

I am thinking, that if I have everything identified properly, Line would go to the spade tab attached to the element leg lug, the earth would go to the screw terminal tab, and the neutral would go to the left spade tab on the overheat sensor? BTW I am going to be using the BCS-460 device to control the power (as well as a pump, my fermentation chamber...). Here is the website for the controller: http://www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com/index.php/

Thanks in advance!

[Kev888]

Hi, yes it looks like you have it right from what I can tell there. The 'silicone chip' looks like it is actually a small bit of GRP circuit board or something but thats just a matter of terminology.

Personally i'd suggest doing as you describe and taking earth to the screw trerminal and live & neutral to the two available spade connectors - unless they're marked L and N or something I'd imagine polarity is unimportant (I can't see why it would matter).

I'd suggest only fiddling with the overheat bit if you find that you actually need to, partly because its there for a reason, partly because it doesn't look especially convenient to bypass it and partly because from the pictures I can't tell for certain how it works (mine doesn't have one!). I'm sure it would be possible to do if necessary though.

Cheers
Kev

[sparky Paul]

The earth screw is straightforward, the thing with the two spades should be a boil-dry trip. Use the two available spades connections for live/neutral, polarity is unimportant.

If you wished to bypass the trip, you could cut the fixed wiring between the element and the trip, and connect directly to the element using a ceramic connector block... but as said above, if it works okay, I would leave the trip in circuit.

[cyberbackpacker]

Perfect! Thank you both!

[Kev888]

Thanks for the second opinion Paul - not seen you about much lately, nice to see you posting again!

Cheers
kev

[barneey]

Just incase it might help out anyone else I`ve taken a couple of pics of an element I intend to use on a build, very similar to the above forementioned element. I was just going to use the two spade connectors for the live and neutral as mentioned above, with the earth to the screw. Just thought a better pic might help

[cyberbackpacker]

Thanks Barneey... what size hole are you drilling to mount yours? I have yet to make that leap yet!

[barneey]

I have two qmax cutters of near enough the same size. One being 1+1/2 inch = 38mm the other being 40mm.

The 38mm one is just that little bit too small but if you can dremmel away to enlarge the hole it will fit. To save time and get a perfect round circle I used the 40mm qmax.

If you can get a 39mm cutter I would say try that, but with the 40mm I havent had any leaks yet + the 40mm hole cutters are used again on the haden or similar kettle elements if you intend to use them elsewhere.

I would also get yourself some spade connectors and soldier / crimp the connections to the wires.

I also used extra heavy cable as I have run the wire through the bottom insulation material.

Wire to the two free spade connectors + earth in the middle.

[cyberbackpacker]

barneey, thanks again.

Last thing. My element came with a thin fiber (?) washer. I assume that should go under the element, between the pot and the element, and not on the outside between the nut and the pot, correct?

-Kevin

[barneey]

Kevin,

Yep for my build I just used the thin fiber washer between the element and the pot, the back nut tightened against the otherside of the pot, nothing else.

Clive

[Lime Corridor]

Hi All,

I'm Bumping this old thread as it has all of the detail and images that will help me, I hope. I have had a few problems with my Burco see this topic viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52194I have replaced the element with the one featured in this thread. It reaches boiling, gets a great boil going but then repeatedly stops and is obviously affecting my sanity and my 90 min rolling boil.

by sparky Paul » Fri May 06, 2011 6:43 pm

If you wished to bypass the trip, you could cut the fixed wiring between the element and the trip, and connect directly to the element using a ceramic connector block... but as said above, if it works okay, I would leave the trip in circuit.

Can I simply cut the soldered wire from the spade with the ‘overheat sensor’ and then solder a spade to the now wireless other leg of the element?

I hope this makes sense, your thoughts are really appreciated.

LC

[Kev888]

Hi,

You could do that, but personally I don't like soldering to elements directly, as if they overheat a bit the solder can melt again. I'd be tempted to use the (stiff) wire already welded onto the element leg - cutting it towards the overheat sensor and so leaving enough to get a ceramic connector block on.

But keep in mind you are removing a safety feature and the element will now overheat if something goes wrong - such as it boiling dry (or being emptied whilst still powered on).

Cheers
Kev