50 Amp PID Brewery Build Finally!!!

Ok so I have finally begun to build my brewery. I have been a long time lurker on the HBT forums, and I utilize the search function alot so I have never had to post anything as someone has already usually asked the questions.
Currently I am planning a HERMS system/ Kal clone. The information on Theelectricbrewery has also helped alot. I have three Blichmann 20 Gallon kettles and the panel is almost ready to start getting cut. I will post pictures as soon as I am able.
A question though that has arisen for me is:
Due to a misship on the Electrical panel parts I have two extra 40 Amp SSR's. I was thinking of mounting those to the Large Heatsink and wiring in two extra outlets for heating elements. My thought being that for in the future if I decide to go bigger I would be able to run two elements per kettle instead of right now wiring in for running one element per kettle simultaneously. I know I could not run all four at the same time but I was thinking now I could run two at the same time, and in the future have a three way switch that would than allow me to run two elements per kettle in different kettles. I hope this makes sense.
So the ultimate question would be can the Auberins PID Syl-2352 run two SSR's off of the same output. I will try and post a potential Wiring Diagram if anyone needs it to help the description.
Also more pictures to follow as I can lay out the parts that I already have.

I imagine this would work just fine. The PID presents a voltage potential at the output to tell the SSR to turn on. The SSR sinks very little current so you should be able to wire multiple SSRs in parallel to the PID output without affecting the voltage the PID puts out or the current pull out of the PID.

The other option is to just use 80A SSRs as I do in my 50A wiring diagram here:



Kal

Thanks Kal, the whole question is for future so it doesn't matter too much for right now. I just want to start brewing so I will worry about that when the time comes. Thanks again for all the inspiration and the great info you have provided to me.
Thomas

You're welcome. Good luck with the brewery!

Kal

ok here are somee pictures of what I have going on right now!

Another question, in the control panel I have a 63 amp contactor to supply main power pictured in the top left. Than I have two 25 amp circuit breakers and a 15 amp circuit breaker. To supply power to the circuit breakers should I run three 10 guage wires from the contactor to each of the circuit breakers or should I still run 6 guage wire to the circuit breakers as 6 guage is what is supplying power to the whole control panel. I have attached two pics to help, and pardon the crude drawing skills.
Thomas

I made 2 hot terminal blocks and ran 6 gauge wire from the main contactor to each of the blocks. Then I branched off of the blocks with appropriate gauge wire for all my breakers.

I asked a similar question and there is a provision in the NEC somewhere that would allow you to run the 10 gauge for that brief distance between the contactor and the breaker. This is the way I do it and my panel hasn't burst into flames - your results may differ.

Thanks for the info BadNews I will take a look and see what I can find, as you can see it is no more than four inches probably closer to three

BadNewsBrewery said:

I asked a similar question and there is a provision in the NEC somewhere that would allow you to run the 10 gauge for that brief distance between the contactor and the breaker. This is the way I do it and my panel hasn't burst into flames - your results may differ.

Click to expand...

Is it something to do with the difference between ampacity ratings for power transmission and chassis wiring? Trying to get my head around it.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

alien said:

Is it something to do with the difference between ampacity ratings for power transmission and chassis wiring? Trying to get my head around it.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Click to expand...

Wire length, resistance, and heat are directly proportional for a given amount of current. I couldn't give you the precise formulae, but those are the basic relationships.

Do the chassis wiring ampacities apply inside the panel?

Topdawg2881 said:

Another question, in the control panel I have a 63 amp contactor to supply main power pictured in the top left. Than I have two 25 amp circuit breakers and a 15 amp circuit breaker. To supply power to the circuit breakers should I run three 10 guage wires from the contactor to each of the circuit breakers or should I still run 6 guage wire to the circuit breakers as 6 guage is what is supplying power to the whole control panel. I have attached two pics to help, and pardon the crude drawing skills.
Thomas

Click to expand...

I don't know what NEC says, but common sense would say that the breakers would trip before the 3.27" of wire melts and burns the panel to the ground. The lower ampacity breaker will still protect the wire upstream of it in the event of an over-current so long as the wire length doesn't create that much of a a drop between the source and the fault.

But this is all from a mechanical engineer who just makes up electrical engineer hearsay to confuse the rest of the world for his enjoyment.... so take it at your own risk!

My thought also is if I use 10 guage wire from the main contactor coming in and run it the approx four inches to the breakers. And I run a seperate wire for each breaker. That none of the individual wires will ever see more than 30 amps which is what the 10 guage wire can handle. I also think you are right that the breakers would trip before the individual wires would melt and burn. So this is the way that I am going to run it I think, as dealing with 6 guage wire is a PITA. and trying to make jumpers with it is not going to work very well. So three individual 10 guage wires from the Contactor to the breakers it is.

WPStrassburg said:

I don't know what NEC says, but common sense would say that the breakers would trip before the 3.27" of wire melts and burns the panel to the ground. The lower ampacity breaker will still protect the wire upstream of it in the event of an over-current so long as the wire length doesn't create that much of a a drop between the source and the fault.

Click to expand...

+1

WPStrassburg said:

But this is all from a mechanical engineer who just makes up electrical engineer hearsay to confuse the rest of the world for his enjoyment.... so take it at your own risk!

Click to expand...

Welcome to my world.