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tlarham

tlarham

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So I've only used a 1500w heat stick because I've yet to spring for a couple of 20amp outlets run to my deck for brewing. But recently the thought hit me...

...why not use my Dryer plug?

In my basement I have two circuits -- washer and dryer. One is labeled 20amp, and the other is the 220 outlet for the dryer. I could utilize both and do all electric brews in the basement -- two heatsticks (1500 and Other)

What size heating element could I run into a 220 outlet? Do they make GFCI for those outlets?
 
yes, dryer would wrk no problem should be at least a 30 amp circuit. you would only need 1 element. you could run up to a single5500 watt, maybe a 6000.
i am in process of building one that plugs into the dryer outlet myself.
 
24 A is the max you'd want to pull on a 30A breaker. (80% load)
Is it a 220V outlet or a 240V outlet?
5500W on 240V = 22.9A is really the only option on that 30A circuit,

Watts/Voltage=Current draw.

I too plan to look at using my dryer outlet and will go with either a 4500-5500W element depending what my breaker is. I haven't looked that far ahead yet.
 
I run my whole brewery from my 30A dry circuit. I put in a sub panel and put a gfci in for the brewery and a 30A for the dryer.
I have 5500W for my BK and 4500W for my RIMS. I only run one element at a time. Doesn't seem to really slow me down at all.
 
A 220 outlet and a 240 outlet are the same thing, it is just a matter of terminology. The industry prefers the term 240. The outlet you show is a 220/240 standard dryer outlet, it has the two 110/120 legs and a neutral leg, but no grounding leg. They make GFCI breakers, not GFCI outlets for 220/240. The breakers run anywhere from $80 to $250 bucks.
 
Yah, my 30A GFCI breaker was about $80, my 50A GFCI was $99 plus tax
 
Look in your breaker box for the size they used. The circuits should be marked. If they are not I would test them all and document where they go.

You can get gfci power cords. Sold for RV use.
 
luvhopps said:
A 220 outlet and a 240 outlet are the same thing, it is just a matter of terminology. The industry prefers the term 240. The outlet you show is a 220/240 standard dryer outlet, it has the two 110/120 legs and a neutral leg, but no grounding leg. They make GFCI breakers, not GFCI outlets for 220/240. The breakers run anywhere from $80 to $250 bucks.
Click to expand...

True, but you want to make sure of the actual voltage coming out. That will make the difference in the amperage you pull.
 
IrregularPulse said:
True, but you want to make sure of the actual voltage coming out. That will make the difference in the amperage you pull.
Click to expand...

That is absolutely correct. At 220V that 5500W element would have a current rating of 25A, and as you stated, at 240V it would have a current rating of 22.9A. That is a 2.1A difference, not a big difference but it does make a difference as to the total wattage that could be safely used on that circuit without over-loading it.
 
luvhopps said:
That is absolutely correct. At 220V that 5500W element would have a current rating of 25A, and as you stated, at 240V it would have a current rating of 22.9A. That is a 2.1A difference, not a big difference but it does make a difference as to the total wattage that could be safely used on that circuit without over-loading it.
Click to expand...

Not really.

5500W is at 240VAC on most elements, they are rated at 5500W at 240VAC. If you are actually getting 220VAC to the element, then the element is only operating at 4622W. 4622W at 220VAC is only 21A

You get a drop in wattage with a drop in voltage, so the drop in voltage will not result in an increase in amperage. I have not personally seen a 5500W element rated at 5500W at 220VAC, they have all been at 240VAC... so you see, a loss in voltage will actually result in a loss in wattage and a resultant loss in amperage.

The element doesnt keep pumping out 5500W when you decrease the voltage.
 
The Pol said:
Can you explain what you meant by this IrrP?
Click to expand...

The voltage coming from your service can actually vary some. For instance my 240V measures 220V, some places it can be a little closer. The element is rated for x watts at 240V. Ill use a 4500W element as an example.

P=VI: 4500W=240*I: I=18.75A
V/I=R: 240V/18.75A=12.8 Ohms

Now stuff in 220V, cause that is my total line potential.
V/R=I: 220V / 12.8Ohms = 17.2A
So my actual power out put from a 4500W element is
P=VI: 220V * 17.2A = 3781W

Edit: Your better off just using the rating on the element to determine current draw, your line voltage isn't guaranteed to stay at any given potential.
 
CodeRage said:
The voltage coming from your service can actually vary some. For instance my 240V measures 220V, some places it can be a little closer. The element is rated for x watts at 240V. Ill use a 4500W element as an example.

P=VI: 4500W=240*I: I=18.75A
V/I=R: 240V/18.75A=12.8 Ohms

Now stuff in 220V, cause that is my total line potential.
V/R=I: 220V / 12.8Ohms = 17.2A
So my actual power out put from a 4500W element is
P=VI: 220V * 17.2A = 3781W

Edit: Your better off just using the rating on the element to determine current draw, your line voltage isn't guaranteed to stay at any given potential.
Click to expand...

Okay, that is what I thought he meant. Post #11 was incorrect, your amp draw does NOT increase as you decrease the voltage. If you use the rated wattage at the rated votage, that is the max you will draw.
 
The Pol said:
Okay, that is what I thought he meant. Post #11 was incorrect, your amp draw does NOT increase as you decrease the voltage. If you use the rated wattage at the rated votage, that is the max you will draw.
Click to expand...

Yup you got it but, this applies to resistive loads. Inductive loads are different.
 
CodeRage said:
The voltage coming from your service can actually vary some. For instance my 240V measures 220V, some places it can be a little closer. QUOTE]

The reverse is also true. You can have a high voltage. Anywhere form 228-252 is acceptable. +-5% on a regulated service and it can be +-10% for and unregulated service. If you are closer to your substation the greater the chance that you will see a high voltage. We typically would set first house protection on regulators at 128V.

Qualifier – this is for Massachusetts
Click to expand...
 
Yes, I was incorrect in my statement. If the element was rated as 5500W at 220V then the current would be 25A, But the elements are not rated at 220V. My mistake.
 
Not to steal this thread, but I am about to wire up a 3500w heating element for my brew kettle using the Nema 10-30 plug for my dryer (3-wire). I plan on running a 3 wire dryer cord into a 50a GE GFI Spa disconnect and then on into my control box (PID, SSRs and the such). I realize with a 3 wire cord there is no true ground wire, should this be of concern in the overall safety of the system? I'm just worried I'm going to touch my electric brew kettle and I'm going to get shocked to death.
 
zGrubermeister said:
Not to steal this thread, but I am about to wire up a 3500w heating element for my brew kettle using the Nema 10-30 plug for my dryer (3-wire). I plan on running a 3 wire dryer cord into a 50a GE GFI Spa disconnect and then on into my control box (PID, SSRs and the such). I realize with a 3 wire cord there is no true ground wire, should this be of concern in the overall safety of the system? I'm just worried I'm going to touch my electric brew kettle and I'm going to get shocked to death.
Click to expand...

Id feed the panel with a 4 wire... then run the three wire (HOT, HOT, GROUND) to the BK. This gives you the neutral for 120VAC items and a ground for grounding
 
The Pol said:
Id feed the panel with a 4 wire... then run the three wire (HOT, HOT, GROUND) to the BK. This gives you the neutral for 120VAC items and a ground for grounding
Click to expand...

I realize that would be ideal but the dryer plug in my apartment is a three prong. I've read places that the neutral on a Nema 10-30 is bound to a ground in the breaker box, if that is true then it should have a grounding affect if "grounded" to the BK, correct or no?
 
zGrubermeister said:
I realize that would be ideal but the dryer plug in my apartment is a three prong. I've read places that the neutral on a Nema 10-30 is bound to a ground in the breaker box, if that is true then it should have a grounding affect if "grounded" to the BK, correct or no?
Click to expand...

Well, I mean the ground and neutral are bonded in the main panel, but with this logic, no one would run a ground to any outlet?

I see what you are saying, it isnt an ideal situation.
 
zGrubermeister said:
I guess I could borrow a ground from a nearby 120v outlet using a modified plug.
Click to expand...

You could rewire your dryer with the now standard 4 prong plug, put in the new outlet and bam, there you have your 4 prong, 4 wire outlet?!
 
The Pol said:
You could rewire your dryer with the now standard 4 prong plug, put in the new outlet and bam, there you have your 4 prong, 4 wire outlet?!
Click to expand...

I've thought about that. I just really don't want to have to buy two more dryer cords (4 wire) and a 4 prong outlet which is why I am now skipping around the idea of just borrowing a ground from another outlet. Sorry, I guess I'm really just looking for reassurance that I won't get shocked as long as I wire everything up solidly. :D

Edit: I went ahead and bought two 4 wire dryer cords and a 4 prong outlet on the cheap. I was able to find those things for $26.69 shipped off a site called Mogiz.com which I've never heard of but it had good reviews on Google shopping.
 

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