110 set up
- Thread starter mxman06
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
with 110, it will take forever to brew any volume of beer. If you have any of the following, you have 220v: dryer, stove, range, unless they are gas, in which case, you would be best to stick with your current methods
hatrickwah
Sponsor
mxman06,
You are limited in your options, but all hope isn't lost.
Look into going with a hybrid setup, use a 110v element in a RIMS configuration, and then transfer the wort to a propane or gas cooker for the boil. As for boiling on 110v, NoCornOrRice is pretty accurate. You'll be lucky to get a 5 gallon batch rolling.
You are limited in your options, but all hope isn't lost.
Look into going with a hybrid setup, use a 110v element in a RIMS configuration, and then transfer the wort to a propane or gas cooker for the boil. As for boiling on 110v, NoCornOrRice is pretty accurate. You'll be lucky to get a 5 gallon batch rolling.
mxman06
Well-Known Member
thanks for the help i do have 220 dryer, i would just need to make a LONG extension cord witch is not completely unreasonably. i would like to brew in my basement as that is were my fermentation chamber is and moving 10 gal down stairs is not fun. how much dose a basic 220 set cost to make.
hatrickwah
Sponsor
Be careful with the LONG extension cord, especially with 220v. Depending on the amperage you run, and distance, you will need a pretty heavy cord.
The panel you should be able to do for around $1000 if you build it yourself and go PID. I built my BCS control panel setup for about $1200, since I already had the kettles done. I built a 50a setup, you may be able to do 30a for slightly less. Which would give you the power to run a 5500w element.
The panel you should be able to do for around $1000 if you build it yourself and go PID. I built my BCS control panel setup for about $1200, since I already had the kettles done. I built a 50a setup, you may be able to do 30a for slightly less. Which would give you the power to run a 5500w element.
If you use a long extension cord, 10/4 SOOW is by far the best option for brewing 10gal batches powered by a dryer. Bought in bulk, it is usually about $2.50 per foot, including shipping and tax. It is very flexible, but heavy. Make sure you don't leave a coil of wire when drawing power, or it will turn into an inductor and bad things will happen (fire).
Another issue is ventilation: you will need a fume hood that has a motor and vents outside.
I was on a tight budget as well, but the though of brewing in winter outside was too unapealing. A really simple, economical option you may wish to consider is:
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/Electric-Kettle-Controller-158p3084.htm
If you were to make it DIY style, it would be cheaper too. Search for PWM controller on this forum
Another issue is ventilation: you will need a fume hood that has a motor and vents outside.
I was on a tight budget as well, but the though of brewing in winter outside was too unapealing. A really simple, economical option you may wish to consider is:
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/Electric-Kettle-Controller-158p3084.htm
If you were to make it DIY style, it would be cheaper too. Search for PWM controller on this forum
Jarrat
Member
I added two 20amp 110v breakers and added electrical outlets beside my panel and have a brew pot with two 1500 watt elements in it....no special controllers.....works amazing.. cost for everything was around $250... just another thought
Boerderij_Kabouter
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't say 110 brewing is out of the question at all. In fact many of us do just that to great effect. Check out SIMPLE and 2P-Twent-E in my sig and look for jcarp's countertop brutus. Those are all great systems that operate on a single 20amp 11vac outlet available in any kitchen that is up to code. My systems push out 4.25g finished volume into the fermenter and 4 gallons packaged volume per batch.
This is what I do. Two separate 110v circuits at 15-20A each. My BK has two 1500w elements, my HLT has one 1650w element (though it is a little underpowered). Boil is extremely vigorous after 20minutes from sparging (sooner if I heat first runnings while continuing to sparge.)
Check your circuits. Chances are there are some that power things you can unplug/not use while brewing, giving you dedicated power.
Budzu
Well-Known Member
Second this. I'm using a 2,000 watt element, 5.4 gallon preboil, and I get a 15% or more boiloff per hour. Takes a bit to get up to boil, but nothing unpractical at all.
Hmm, I should have been more specific. While Boerderij_Kabouter and others have really nice setups on 110v, I ruled that out as a possibility for me because I would need to brew all the time if I were to meet my (+ friends that come over) present average consumption of about 20 gallons a month. If your friends like beer, a 10 gallon system is highly reccomended, and for that, 110v won't cut it.
Even if you can't boil a 10 gallon batch with 110, you could do everything else and then just boil outside on the propane burner.
I used to have an HLT with a 110 set up. 1500 w took a long time to heat up the water to strike temp, but it did! I would turn it on when I was having my morning coffee, and then went and crushed the grain and got everything else ready. By then I was ready to mash in, and would proceed.
It wouldn't be feasible to do that in the basement, and then haul 12 gallons outside for the boil, but it's possible to do that in your garage so that you can just do most of it inside the garage if you want to go partially electric.
I used to have an HLT with a 110 set up. 1500 w took a long time to heat up the water to strike temp, but it did! I would turn it on when I was having my morning coffee, and then went and crushed the grain and got everything else ready. By then I was ready to mash in, and would proceed.
It wouldn't be feasible to do that in the basement, and then haul 12 gallons outside for the boil, but it's possible to do that in your garage so that you can just do most of it inside the garage if you want to go partially electric.
I disagree, 2 110v circuits at 20 amps each will provide 4000w, which is ample for ten gallon batches. I have grown tired of reading, "you need 220v". Not true IME.
CoalCracker
Well-Known Member
^^This. I boil 10 gallon batches with two 2000w heaters. Have been for about 2 years now. Just recently upgraded to a 25 gallon kettle for 20g batches. Will use propane for that though. As long as you have two outlets on separate circuits, you'll be fine.
Just went down and double-checked my panel, I don't have any 20amp circuits at 110v. Maybe they are common in new buildings but I've not seen a 20amp /110v circuit anywhere I've lived. Sounds like a good possibility though for 10gallons.
15a is fine for up to about 1500watts. I can keep a boil of ~6g. with one 1500w element and insulated (blanket-wrapped) kettle. I'd think 3000w could (slowly) boil a 10g. batch. In fact, my calculations say at 95% efficiency you can boil 14 gallons using 3000w in 37 minutes from a temp of 160 (post-sparge).
I use a pair of 110v, 1500w ULD elements in my boil pot. I use two separate circuits to power them. When heating water I have a 1000w bucket heater I will throw in off a 3rd circuit. Then transfer that water into my HLT and move the bucket heater there to maintain the temp. I have an 8 gal. pot and my wort boils up just fine. For 10 gal, I'd consider 3 or 4 1500w elements if I had the separate circuits.
Here is a calculator for amperage: http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter
Basically a 110v, 1500w element pulls 13 amps so its fine on a 15 amp breaker. I think it depends on how many separate circuits you have access to and how many elements you want to put in your pot. Granted if 220v were a viable option for me I would have gone that way, but my 110v setup works for me.
Here is a calculator for amperage: http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter
Basically a 110v, 1500w element pulls 13 amps so its fine on a 15 amp breaker. I think it depends on how many separate circuits you have access to and how many elements you want to put in your pot. Granted if 220v were a viable option for me I would have gone that way, but my 110v setup works for me.
Jarrat
Member
if your using 13amps you really should step up to a 20amp breaker..
I recently set a house record w/ a 1/2 keg (15.5 gallon batch)...initial boil was 18-19 gallons w/ two 120v 2000w elements. I was surprised, didn't time it, but not that long from mash temps to boil, maybe 1/2 hour / 45 minutes.
Yes, two 20A GFI circuits
I'm sure that most people know, but you don't just step up to a 20 amp breaker. If there's a 15 amp breaker in your panel it probably means it's feeding 14 gauge wire. Unless you know for sure that there's all 12 gauge on the circuit you don't want to replace a 15 amp breaker with a 20.
I moved into a house where the previous owner had done this. Even the home inspection before I purchased didn't catch it. I found the problem a year later while doing some wiring. Had a lot of electronics on that circuit. Fortunate the house didn't burn down.
