CoalCracker

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I just put my control panel together and bought the switches. They are 125v @ 10a rocker switches. I am running a 120v system so i'm fine there. However on two of the connections I will have a 2000w element hooked to it. That will pull 16.5a. Will these switches be ok or do I need larger ones? I see the automation direct ones are only 6a. Now with the one heatstick I can use the signal line to shut it off. That is for the HLT. The second will be turned on for the boil. This will be a straight, on/off connection. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks,
Brent

**this is running off of two 20a circuits.

IrregularPulse

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Are these switches to cut power from the element? Wired directly to the element? Or are they switching on a Relay of any kind that in turn powers the element? If you're wiring the switch directly between the wall outlet and the heating element, 10 is less than 16. Expect a melted switch.

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CoalCracker

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The one will be wired to the SSR to cut power. The other to a receptacle in the panel. I bought them and then realized they won't be enough. I wanted to confirm. Any sites you know that I can find higher wattage switches. I love the look of the selector switches, however they are rated for less. I don't really have room in the box for contactors. It's already pretty tight. For the same price I can buy another SSR and Heatsink and just cut power to both elements with the signal wire instead of the hot.

IrregularPulse

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If you're switching the SSR then it is fine because you're not actually switching the high current output of the SSR. Basically you're using a manual switch instead of a PID. Just make sure you have an SSR with an AC input.

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Tap Room Hobo

I should have stuck to four fingers in Vegas. :o - marubozo

CoalCracker

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I bought everything from Auberins. It is the 25a SSR. Pretty sure it's the same on everyone else uses. The other two I can switch the hot wire. Only because I doubt I'll put anything in there that will pull close to 10a. One is for a pump (~1.5a) the other is for whatever. Maybe I'll buy another SSR and heatsink like I was originally going to do. Then I can control both elements with the PID and be able to have the option of manually turning them on/off.

Thanks for the help!

CoalCracker

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Here is a complimentery picture.

SweetSounds

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You can use the low current switches to kill the signal from your PID to the SSR to kill an element. That will work fine.
However: Be aware that SSRs tend to fail closed - In other words, when you have turned off your switch, the element is still hot. No warning, just burns.

You CANNOT use a switch to send 120v to the SSR trigger. The SSR wants something like 9v DC to trigger.

If that's what you are trying to do, you'll need a DC power supply (Old cell phone charger?). Switch the DC power supply to the SSR trigger to activate it.
This way the smoke stays in your SSRs

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Put some duct tape over the gauge - Or better yet - Replace the high pressure gauge with a plug - High pressure gauges are useless!

CoalCracker

Recipes 

Ordered another SSR this morning. I'll resort to switching the the signal to the SSR and not switching the hot lead. I'll just have to keep an eye on it to make sure the SSR doesn't fail closed.