Testing that the controller is live and working?

[Keitai]

Using the multi meter on voltage setting (as in photo) dont you put the probes on positive and negative terminals to check it's live? Do you put them on the screws which hold wires in place (as in picture)to check? Trying to find out if the controller is live and also if it's working

 

[terryplumb]

The meter is set to DC voltage !! Surely your working on AC ?

 

[Captain Nemesis]

Youve got it on a DC setting.

Why not just put a plug and socket on it, put the cover back on, plug in a table lamp, and rotate the dial to see if it turns on and off.

 

[333rocky333]

Surely the Red and Black are the input and the output is Brown and Blue

 

[terryplumb]

Surely the Red and Black are the input and the output is Brown and Blue

It would appear so.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Using the multi meter on voltage setting (as in photo) dont you put the probes on positive and negative terminals to check it's live? Do you put them on the screws which hold wires in place (as in picture)to check? Trying to find out if the controller is live and also if it's working

Positive and negative are terms used for direct current (DC). Your time switch works on alternating current (AC), so they are live and neutral.

Your meter is on a DC range, it should be on an AC range - turned clockwise to '600'. 600 and 100 are the AC ranges.

The live and neutral inputs to the time switch are on the right, the red and the black adjacent to it marked 'L in' and 'N in'.

Your having to ask such questions, plus the sticky labels on the meter suggests to me that you don't possess much of a clue, so probably left to someone a bit more clued up. Mains voltages can be quite deadly if you don't know what you are doing.

 

[mattylad]

Use the 600v AC setting.
Not a 200 one.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The black lead should be in COM on the meter.

 

[ericmark]

As said wrong range, and leads in wrong holes, black and red in and blue and brown out.

Positive and negative are terms used for direct current (DC). Your time switch works on alternating current (AC), so they are live and neutral.

Yes we did call it live and neutral, but today we call in line and neutral both are considered as live.

The cables need the clamps on them.

In the main the neutral is not switched, so likely a neon screwdriver would have worked better for you.

 

[Keitai]

Is the meter set correctly now? And the black lead is in COM and red lead on the right outlet, is this correct? Is the red lead in the correct place?

I think the controller might not be working. Using a voltage pen the inputting lead makes the pen light up but not output one. Where do i put probes on multi meter to check this inside controller to confirm ?

 

[Keitai]

With the changed setting on meter I tried the multi meter on positive input and negative output on controller and got reading on multi meter BUT on neutral input and positive output ( as in picture ) there was no reading, does this mean the positive output isn't connected properly? I've found the wire too thick to fit in screw attachment u screw them into. Is it loose?

 

[terryplumb]

Black probe to black wire
Red probe to red wire.
Should be 230/240volts.
With timer in " on" position the following should give 230/240volts
Red probe to brown wire
Black probe to blue wire.
If the last reading doesn't give this voltage the timer is duff.
If the first reading doesn't ,it's a supply problem.

 

[Keitai]

Black probe to black wire
Red probe to red wire.
Should be 230/240volts.
With timer in " on" position the following should give 230/240volts
Red probe to brown wire
Black probe to blue wire.
If the last reading doesn't give this voltage the timer is duff.
If the first reading doesn't ,it's a supply problem.

I did as you said on the controller and there was a voltage. I then went to the immersion and (with same settings) 600 AC (See picture) I believe have multi meter on correct setting I put red probe on white terminal and black probe on blue there was no voltage reading, does this mean the immersion needs changing?

With continuity setting the thermostat is working.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Test between that right hand terminal marked with your arrow and the right had terminal of the thermostat (that triangular blue thingummy). If you gets volts there, then the thermostat has probably tripped on over-heat. Turn the power off, then in your photo the thermostat has a grey reset button - try pressing that with a suitable implement.

If it clicks when pressed, it has been tripped.

 

[AdrianUK]

I'm currently having great fun with our immersion heater, which appears to be exactly the same model as the OPs.... indeed the thermostat is the same one.

I'm having repeated problems with the over temp cutout operating 'early'.

I'm still in the process of debugging this & currently have a thermocouple in the tank (yes, actually in the water) which I'm logging every 30s. The logging software will also record the max & min temperatures seen during the logging period.

I have the thermostat set at 60 deg & that temperature agrees with the logging data. It would appear to have a hysteresis of around 5 deg.

But, and here is the puzzle, the over temp cut-out still operates randomly. My next step is to log the current pulled by the immersion so that I can get a precise collation between the temperature of the water & the thermostat operating. My current suspicion is that the over temp cutout is operating way before its quoted design of 85 deg.

A note about that particular thermostat ... the over temp cut-out can't be reset until the thermostat is COLD. I thought I'd found the problem when I found the over temp cutout tripped & it wouldn't reset (tank is also heated by the central heating). I removed the thermostat ready to replace with another & decided to have one more go before I threw it away ... it reset.

The thermostat has been replaced, twice, so it isn't just a bad 'stat (although it could be a batch problem).