Use heating element only with control panel

I have a 50a control panel that I've yet to use for a variety of reasons. I finally got my kettles back but one of the two kettles has to be junked and a new one will be purchased tomorrow. I'd like to test the other kettle, which is my brew kettle, by just heating up water. Can I run the control panel with nothing more than one of the heating elements plugged in?

I have two temperature probes and one will go to the BK, but I have to drill the hole for that still. The other will go on the HERMS out coil when I get the coil and when I get a new HLT. So basically I'm just using the control panel to run bare bones until I get everything else purchased.

Also, once the HLT comes and I have the heating element in there, can I brew without the use of automation and just use the control panel to control my heating elements and pumps (no temp probes)?

I hope that makes sense.

I know the Auber PIDs need a temp probe to be connected to do anything. It doesn't mean it needs to be installed in a pot yet, but if you want it to turn the heat on it needs the probe.

Can't say anything for sure without seeing the wiring diagram of your panel or the PID model numbers, but assuming that the control panel is designed properly, so that it's safe to power up with one element unplugged - i.e. female receptacles on the panel side, male plugs on the elements - then yes, you can plug only one element into the panel and run the boil kettle controls. Nothing bad should happen to the HLT circuitry if there's no element plugged in to it - no current will flow through that part of the circuit, because it's open circuit.

As long as you have manual control of the amount of power flowing to the two elements (or at least an on/off switch for each element and a good about of headspace in the boil kettle), then you should be able to brew manually without PID control. You may still need to connect the temperature sensors to the PID controllers to get them to power up and offer you manual mode if they have them, but you wouldn't need to install the sensors in the kettles to get manual mode to work.

I asked Brumatic, who designed the panel, to give me the manufacturer of the PIDs. The panel has female receptacles and there was a mention that I can run the setup with just the heating elements when I was having it built. However, I know I was saying if I didn't go with HERMs, could I just use the panel without a HERMs system. So it didn't really imply i'd run one element and nothing else just to fire the thing up.

What I figured was I would plug the heating element in to the "bk" since that's the BK anyway, and hit manual, and go from there.

I do have a manual mode on the control panel. Here it is:

Yep, that should be good to go with just the boil kettle plugged in, and the switch set to manual.

For manual HLT control during mashing when you get your HLT, and without bothering with the PIDs, you could plug the HLT element into the BK receptacle and use the manual control to heat strike and sparge water - you don't absolutely need to run the BK at the same time as the HLT. I just use a cooler as a HLT, and heat all the water required in the boil kettle at the moment.

dyqik said:

Yep, that should be good to go with just the boil kettle plugged in, and the switch set to manual.

For manual HLT control during mashing when you get your HLT, and without bothering with the PIDs, you could plug the HLT element into the BK receptacle and use the manual control to heat strike and sparge water - you don't absolutely need to run the BK at the same time as the HLT. I just use a cooler as a HLT, and heat all the water required in the boil kettle at the moment.

Click to expand...

Ah I get it.
My PIDs are auber SYL-2362.

Hello said:

Ah I get it.
My PIDs are auber SYL-2362.

Click to expand...

the clones right?
I believe these are your pids...
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...ature-Controller-XMT612/209587_598878204.html

http://www.cart100.com/Product/15272570476/

side by side pics of the internals show they are identical to the auber units which are also made over in china, possibly by the same company.

The control panel should work fine without the probes if just using manual mode ssvr control.