2 kettle all grain?

I'm a 5 gallon extract brewer. I recently decide to switch over to all grain. I plan on making 5 & 10 gallon batches. I also decided to switch over to electric brewing. I have a plan on making a heated mash tun. My thought is to get a 20 gal stainless pot install a bottom drain with a bazooka tube with a false bottom with a 2000 watt element installed under the false bottom, then pump from bottom drain up to sparge arm. Does anyone foresee a problem with this setup that I want to build? Also I want to hook it all up with a temp controller. I know I'll be needing a PID and a SSR? what is a ssr? Is there someone that can help me out with a build list? I figured it would be best to ask the people that know what is tried and true before I go out and buy the wrong stuff.

thanks, Pete

I don't know if a 2000 watt element would be sufficient to boil 10 gallons. it might boil it but would take a loooooooong time to get up to temp.

Would I need it to boil? I'm figuring it can heat up strike water. No?

Peterock said:

Would I need it to boil? I'm figuring it can heat up strike water. No?

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oh I see. Well I can answer your SSR question. A solid state relay is what actually switches the circuit on and off for high amperage circuits when the controller can not handle that amount of electricity.

Many people here like to use the Auber Instruments 2352 PID. the PID sends a signal to the ssr so it knows when to turn the elements on and off because the PID can not handle that much electricity moving through it.

www.auberins.com

Tinga said:

oh I see. Well I can answer your SSR question. A solid state relay is what actually switches the circuit on and off for high amperage circuits when the controller can not handle that amount of electricity.

Many people here like to use the Auber Instruments 2352 PID. the PID sends a signal to the ssr so it knows when to turn the elements on and off because the PID can not handle that much electricity moving through it.

www.auberins.com

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Thank you. It's just as I figured. It's a relay. If I find a 30a controller no need for it. If I'm running a 2000 watt element which I'm pretty sure is 20a.

Peterock said:

Thank you. It's just as I figured. It's a relay. If I find a 30a controller no need for it. If I'm running a 2000 watt element which I'm pretty sure is 20a.

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watts = volts x amps

so a 2000 watt element on a 110 v circuit will pull 18.2 amps

If you can find a PID that can handle that type of load, go for it. The ones most commonly used on these boards are not capable of that much loading. Take some time and read through the posts, you'll find lots of information to guide you.

A PID modulates heat by switching the element on and off at a high frequency. A mechanical relay is not built for that frequency of opening and closing. A Solid State Relay (SSR) is suitable for that purpose.