P-J

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Ok, after much pondering over the situation, how about this. It would be expensive to replace the breaker in the mains panel with a GFCI breaker and you would still end up with a 3 wire system. Replacing the wire and the outlet adds a lot more to the build cost. Your place is also a rental so getting it done becomes a huge issue.

So with that all said, you buy a Spa Panel from homedepot.com - GE 50A Spa Panel - $49.00

Then wire it using a dryer power cord. You wire it like this:



Or looking at a Spa Panel:



You can mount a 4 wire outlet directly into the panel so that your brewery controller can be plugged into it.

For a little more that 50 bucks you are ready to go on with your brewery control.

Garrett

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Looks great P-J! I can't wait to get this started.

tmbc10784

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Edit, I think I'm going to try 120v, as I would be limited to my garage with 240v.

mr_tripp

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Can you connect a PID and SSR into the SPA panel?

P-J

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Yes you can - BUT - I'm not sure what you are asking.

Please explain. A little idea of what you are trying to achive would help.

mr_tripp

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I'm trying to do a single electric pot with a PID using a 240v 60amp dryer outlet. What is more economical, adding a spa panel or changing adding a GFCI on the panel box?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/wiring-assistance-single-pid-ssr-single-kettle-setup-241686/

Here is the setup I wanted to create.

John0872

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PJ,

Looking at your diagram, I noticed you have the ground and neutral bonded in the spa panel. I'm really new to this, but I thought that was only supposed to be done in the main panel?? I'm not questioning it, since I know next to nothing, just looking for clarification.

Thanks,

John

P-J

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"using a 240v 60amp dryer outlet"

Hmmm.. Dryer outlets are 30A & Electric ranges are 50A. What do you have for your power outlet? Also, is it a 3 prong or a 4 prong outlet. Is your place something that you own or is it a rental property.

Lots of questions but situations change - depending.

P-J

P-J

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John,

You are correct. However in the particular situation the outlet is a 3 wire device (dryer outlet) that is providing the 2 hots (240V) and a neutral. Using the spa panel to implement a GFCI breaker function allows the neutral/ground circuits to be broken out. This cannot be done in any way shape or manner if the panel were to be hard wired.

Just consider a dryer plugged into a 3 wire dryer outlet. The dryer has both 240V circuits (heating elements and motor) and 120V devices (timer, buzzer and lights). The outlet supplies 240V and a neutral. The dryer cabinet is grounded through the use of the neutral conductor with a bonding strap.

The NEC code changed a while ago to require dryers and electric stoved to be wired with 4 conductor circuits. The code change does not apply to circuits that were wired before this change.

HTH

mr_tripp

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It's a 4 prong. 30A dryer. Sorry

I own the house.

Thanks.