Portable electric cooktop for HLT

I am setting up my basement brewery... Some reading has told me the boil will have to be done outside due to possible CO issues... I am not looking to go full electric (only 100A service) but would like to mash and sparge inside and either pump or haul the wort outside (Gravity will take care of post boil..)

I just bought a 5Gal SS kettle I plan to use for HLT from morebeer (thanks homebrew finds!)

What do folks think about something like this for HLT heating to strike and sparge temps:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aroma-Sin...00000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=5871070

Actually that wallmart one is only 800W
Something like this may be more suitable:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I14C7I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
1300W...

Before you jump into using a hot plate: You say you only have a 100A service. This brings on the next question: Do you have a dryer or electric range outlet available in your home?

If so, there are a few ways to handle going electric.

P-J said:

Before you jump into using a hot plate: You say you only have a 100A service. This brings on the next question: Do you have a dryer or electric range outlet available in your home?

If so, there are a few ways to handle going electric.

Click to expand...

Yup... That is that big plug thingy right? (sorry, only been a home owner a year and only been in the USA just a bit longer)

Infact I have a free one as we don't use the dryer... Now so that can do more that 1kW? (is it 240V @ 10A?)

cyclogenesis said:

Yup... That is that big plug thingy right? (sorry, only been a home owner a year and only been in the USA just a bit longer)

Infact I have a free one as we don't use the dryer... Now so that can do more that 1kW? (is it 240V @ 10A?)

Click to expand...

A dryer outlet will look something like this:



It supplies 240V at 30 amps. If that is what you have available you can go totally electric without problems.

Please let us know.
P-J

The question is can he afford P-J's consulting fee?


Donation of your first batch of beer.

j/k

"only" 100A service and a free dryer outlet


*sigh* I wish I had a problem like that

P-J said:

A dryer outlet will look something like this:

It supplies 240V at 30 amps. If that is what you have available you can go totally electric without problems.

Please let us know.
P-J

Click to expand...

Awesome! That is a lot of watts! I will check tonight...

cyclogenesis said:

Awesome! That is a lot of watts! I will check tonight...

Click to expand...

Please.
If that is what you have, you can go totally electric without too much trouble.

samc said:

The question is can he afford P-J's consulting fee?

Donation of your first batch of beer.

j/k

Click to expand...

Come on... Never happened. Ever.!!!

(Yea I see your j/k foot note.)

Ok... here is a pic of the socket


Now as far as I can tell it is attached to the "basement range"


40A!!

Well, the breaker says 40A.

So recommendations for a thread containing simple instructions? Is there an off the shelf solution I can just plug in? ie drill a hole and screw in with a nut and o-ring?
I've googled and seen a couple, want to know what is the best

I'm in the process of developing a setup for you. I'm leaning toward a 2 kettle rig (HLT and BOIL). I hope it is something that will work for you.

P-J

Your outlet is similar to this one from Grainger in that it is a 50A 240V outlet. Your outlet is being run from a 40A circuit breaker. I suggest that you change out the circuit breaker to a 30A 240V breaker. GFCI breakers are fairly expensive and if you were to place one in your mains panel it would require you to replace the wiring and the outlet that you would be using. A far less expensive solution is to use a standard breaker and then secure a Spa Panel. It is critically important that your brewery be GFCI protected.

You would need to get a range power cord like this one from Lowe's and then wire that to the GE Spa Panel and then set it up to be plugged into your 240V outlet - like this:




Then set up your controller this way:
(Click on the image to see a full scale diagram that is printable on Tabloid paper (11" x 17")



This way you only need one PID, one SSR and one heat sink for it, all available from Auber Instruments. A bonus is that the whole thing will fit in the Project Box also offered by Auber Instruments.

I hope this helps you.

P-J

Wow P-J Thanks! I will have a good read and think but this looks amazing!

cyclogenesis said:

Wow P-J Thanks! I will have a good read and think but this looks amazing!

Click to expand...

It pleases me a great deal that I could conger up a way for you to go electric without all of the heartburn, expense and mystery involved.

If you have ANY questions, I'd be glad to help.

P-J

I'm sure I will... I am a physicist by training and am comfortable with wiring... my lack of skills come from being Australian, quite used to Australian Standards (and colors, places to buy stuff) but a lot of things in the USA are a mystery.. (got to love 110V though... I see people do some scary things here that would not work at 240V, Xmas lights are a great example!)

cyclogenesis said:

I'm sure I will... I am a physicist by training and am comfortable with wiring... my lack of skills come from being Australian, quite used to Australian Standards (and colors, places to buy stuff) but a lot of things in the USA are a mystery.. (got to love 110V though... I see people do some scary things here that would not work at 240V, Xmas lights are a great example!)

Click to expand...

Australia? That is really neat & I wish I had the pleasure of visiting there.

I agree with you on the 240V deal. I spent 4 years in Frankfort West Germany and really had to get my mind straight about 240V only in a home. Some things were scary - indeed.

P-J

BTW: what heating elements do you suggest?

cyclogenesis said:

BTW: what heating elements do you suggest?

Click to expand...

That really depends on the size of your HLT and BOIL vessel. The 4500W elements would work well with anything from a 10 gallon pot (5 gallon batch) to a Sanke keg style brew rig (10 gallon batch).

What are you intending to use for your HLT and BOIL?

For a 4500W element lowes.com - 4500W LWD Incoloy Element
For a 5500W element lowes.com - 5500W LWD Incoloy Element

P-J

Thanks... Hmm.. decisions decisions..

Seems off the shelf solutions are either hopelessly expensive of stupidly under powered...