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Williams 728
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RedBeard23 said:
It's hard wired with really stiff and thick wire, #6 I believe. The hole in the enclosure has been smoothed out and just this morning I inspected the wiring, no sign of chaffing. The control panel will be mounted on the wall so there won't be any strain on the wiring. But thanks for the concern, much appreciated!
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kal said:
Even thick romex wire should be installed with a strain relief/clamp of some sort. It would cost you $2 or so and is highly recommended regardless of how you mount the panel.

Kal
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BrunDog said:
So agreed with Kal - I would recommend a clamp. This would ensure that any movement doesn't translate inside, where unsuspectingly loose connections can occur and quickly become dangerous.

-BD
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crane said:
+1 The weight of the wire should be supported by the strain relief clamp, not the electrical connections inside the box.
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RedBeard... Looks like you are outnumbered. Throw a simple clamp in that hole and make us all feel better. 5 dollar part... insurance claim on your dwelling... come on man. It's really the right thing to do. :mug:
 
Just thought I would post a picture of my in progress brewery control panel stand. Main panel is a 50 amp Kal clone. The top center panel is the amp / volt meters, the top left and right panels are for future expansion if needed. The top panels can fit two 1/32 din PID's with two XLR connectors and four LED indicator lights in each. The four stainless covers on either side of the panel are also for future expansion. The temperature probe cables are fed out through the round black cable port under the panel. The lower panel with the two PID's is for running two more 30 amp panels that will be mounted inside the cabinet base (one PID for each panel). This panel is punched out for XLR connectors above each PID and an element on/off switch and LED element indicator light below each PID. The plan is that this will allow me to run two 4500 watt elements per kettle off of the 50 amp and one 5500 watt element per kettle off of each of the secondary 30 amp panels with the 5500 watt elements independent of each other and the 4500 watt elements. I am still working on wiring all of the receptacles which are located on the back lower half of the cabinet. Will post a picture of the back when it is completed.

100_1747.jpg
 
i've had some larger more complex stuff in my time... but for right now since i just moved (Well, when i built this a number of months ago) i just wanted something simple with no bells and whistles.

1115150824b by Noah Scott, on Flickr

switch next to the pid turns it on
switch under the light turns the element on
switch next to that is for the pump

23227958795_bf5e767bd4_c.jpg
[/url]1122151757a by Noah Scott, on Flickr[/IMG]

and a picture of the whole area.
 
Thanks all! I got tired of the tower needing to be away from the wall (i've had a love hate relationship with it). So every time i needed to open the top, i either could only open it a little bit or had to pull the keezer away from the wall.

Wife took the kids to her parents, which doesn't happen often. Decided to use the time to make something and had this in the back of my mind for a few months now.

here is a closer shot of it... kind of a template for the side to see how well i like it (if anything needs to be reinforced more, anything i want to change, etc) before i make a much nicer one.

22599510634_5c8c67ab46_c.jpg
[/url]1122151757 by Noah Scott, on Flickr[/IMG]
 
Rivenin said:
Thanks all! I got tired of the tower needing to be away from the wall (i've had a love hate relationship with it). So every time i needed to open the top, i either could only open it a little bit or had to pull the keezer away from the wall.
Click to expand...
I have to say, having the tower off the side like that is brilliantly simple and fixes an age old problem! Great idea!

Kal
 
No, I used dry rub on Transfers. It wasn't cheap because of the upfront cost of the negative plus the print, but it looks very professional.
 
OK, thanks; yes, definitely looks great. I'll have to do some research on dry-transfer. Was it much more than $70? That's about what it'll cost me in panel tags and I'd be willing to spend a little more to have it look nicer.


Trillium said:
No, I used dry rub on Transfers. It wasn't cheap because of the upfront cost of the negative plus the print, but it looks very professional.
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chessking said:
Added the lightning machine. I also finished my third electric batch. Man, I love electric brewing!
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Scary, and not in a good way; you have a plug that is live going from your breaker and feeding your panel!

Spend the money to finish that control panel the correct way... Heck, if you can buy and wire up a lightning machine, you can get new plug/receptacles with the proper orientation.

Even if you know to turn off the breaker before unplugging it, you're the only one who'll ever touch it, it won't ever get unplugged, etc... That may be all well and true, but all it takes is 30a into someone one time to make the ~$40 not spent fixing it a deadly mistake.

It really is a gorgeous control panel, see it through to the end. Get new plug/recept or just a strain relief and hard wire it.

Trying to be truly helpful, not snarky/judgemental.

:mug:
 
I'm not sure I understand the panel should have the plug and the breaker the receptacle right? I'm sorry I have to agree and thats not like me. I think hardwire it and maybe into a switch so you can shut the panel off so it's not always live. Or switch the orientation. After a couple of brews and you wanna start farting around with your panel maybe and forget
 
applescrap said:
I'm not sure I understand the panel should have the plug and the breaker the receptacle right?
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The idea is make sure that even if you unplug something, that there's no live voltage/current available on the plug spades. Right now if you unplug from the panel, the spades are all live.

Think of a regular 120V/15A item you plug into any common outlet in your house: Unplug it and it's safe. That's the way it should be done.

Good luck!

Kal
 
Love the lightning machine! Please get the correct receptacle and plug on that box so I don't have to worry about you "becoming one with the lightning".......

John
 
cyberbackpacker said:
Scary, and not in a good way; you have a plug that is live going from your breaker and feeding your panel!

Spend the money to finish that control panel the correct way... Heck, if you can buy and wire up a lightning machine, you can get new plug/receptacles with the proper orientation.

Even if you know to turn off the breaker before unplugging it, you're the only one who'll ever touch it, it won't ever get unplugged, etc... That may be all well and true, but all it takes is 30a into someone one time to make the ~$40 not spent fixing it a deadly mistake.

It really is a gorgeous control panel, see it through to the end. Get new plug/recept or just a strain relief and hard wire it.

Trying to be truly helpful, not snarky/judgemental.

:mug:
Click to expand...


Nice catch and great feedback!
 
You are all wrong, at least in this aspect. This set up is no different than if a plug came out of the panel and plugged into an outlet on the wall. The spades are not live. They protrude from the panel instead of protruding form the end of a cord. Instead of bringing a plug to an outlet, I brought an outlet to the plug. Female is hot, not male. There is no more danger than the guy who plugs his cord into a dryer outlet on the wall.

Now, I cant argue that a proper recessed outlet wouldn't be better, as without a doubt, it would. But this is not a 30 amp service, its a 50 amp, and the only recessed outlet I could find is over $100,

https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...lets/Leviton/CS637-5/product.aspx?zpid=222157

with the matching plug in the $160 range.

https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...tors/Leviton/6364-CR/product.aspx?zpid=228460

My plug/outlet is rated for 50 amps, and is under $20 bucks. The only difference is that it is not recessed. Not perfect I agree, but not a death trap. I can shut off power at the main load panel, with the GFCI breaker within reach of the panel, I can safely unplug it, I can shut off the breakers inside the panel, and I can shut off the main switch. Plenty of ways to shut it down. (some better than others, obviously)

I understand you guys are trying to be helpful, and I very much appreciate it. Please continue to advise me as I need it. Take another look at it and you will see my logic is sound. Not the best option, but I'm doing the best I can with the budget I can scrape up. If I had plenty of spare jack, I would have bought one of Kal's fine systems.
 
chessking said:
You are all wrong, at least in this aspect. This set up is no different than if a plug came out of the panel and plugged into an outlet on the wall. The spades are not live. They protrude from the panel instead of protruding form the end of a cord. Instead of bringing a plug to an outlet, I brought an outlet to the plug. Female is hot, not male. There is no more danger than the guy who plugs his cord into a dryer outlet on the wall.

Now, I cant argue that a proper recessed outlet wouldn't be better, as without a doubt, it would. But this is not a 30 amp service, its a 50 amp, and the only recessed outlet I could find is over $100,

https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...lets/Leviton/CS637-5/product.aspx?zpid=222157

with the matching plug in the $160 range.

https://www.platt.com/platt-electri...tors/Leviton/6364-CR/product.aspx?zpid=228460

My plug/outlet is rated for 50 amps, and is under $20 bucks. The only difference is that it is not recessed. Not perfect I agree, but not a death trap. I can shut off power at the main load panel, with the GFCI breaker within reach of the panel, I can safely unplug it, I can shut off the breakers inside the panel, and I can shut off the main switch. Plenty of ways to shut it down. (some better than others, obviously)

I understand you guys are trying to be helpful, and I very much appreciate it. Please continue to advise me as I need it. Take another look at it and you will see my logic is sound. Not the best option, but I'm doing the best I can with the budget I can scrape up. If I had plenty of spare jack, I would have bought one of Kal's fine systems.
Click to expand...


Ahhhh, I think I remember this... The panel has an exposed male connector, with the plug coming from the breaker box being a female right? If that's the case, your right! :mug:
 
brewApprentice said:
Ahhhh, I think I remember this... The panel has an exposed male connector, with the plug coming from the breaker box being a female right? If that's the case, your right! :mug:
Click to expand...
Most certainly! Sorry for the confusion. 99% of the connectors that look like the one you're using have the spades on the cord, hence the reason everyone was offering suggestions in the name of safety.

Like you did mention however, spades sticking out the side of a panel are far from ideal as they are always the first things to be bent or knocked whenever the panel's moved. I only say this for others who are designing. Keep the spades on the cord side. That's the better solution (most times).

Happy brewing everybody!

P.S. Glad to hear you think my systems are "fine"! ;) It's appreciated!

Kal
 
Sorry couldn't see that. Should have had more faith anyways anybody who could wire something that clean and hook up cool lighting machine obviously has the brains to not fry their a..i live near you please come wire my 220!
 
kal said:
P.S. Glad to hear you think my systems are "fine"! ;) It's appreciated!

Kal
Click to expand...

Kal, your system is the gold standard of electric brewing, and without your inspiration, as well as your published design, I would still be trying to get 6 gallons of water to boil on a stove. All you guys on this forum are rock stars to me, and I have been following for years picking up tips. Thanks to you all.
 
applescrap said:
Sorry couldn't see that. Should have had more faith anyways anybody who could wire something that clean and hook up cool lighting machine obviously has the brains to not fry their a..i live near you please come wire my 220!
Click to expand...

Careful there, handing out brains. I've cocked up my share of crap in my days. Keep me away from a table saw.
 

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