(2) 240V (HLT+BK) and (1)120V (RIMS) element panel - wiring diagram

[pedalbrewing]

Hey y'all, well is stupid hot and I just put AC in my garage, so I'm going electric, my question is does anyone have a wiring diagram for (2) 240V element and (1) 120V element, the 240V are for the HLT and BK, and the 120V is the RIMS, my batches are 10gal, and I've looked everywhere and I can't find something similar. And I want to run the HTL and the BK at the same time, so will be a 50A panel. Thanks.

 

[doug293cz]

The closest design I have is my "Any Two of Three" 50A, all 240V design. All that needs to be changed to allow a 120V RIMS is to to switch one of the hot lines to neutral for the RIMS element. You will not be able to run all three elements at the same time, even on a 50A circuit, so you need the extra switching to prevent that. Note that the schematic has an error in that the PID to SSR wires are reversed for the leftmost PID and SSR.

Brew on

 

[doug293cz]

Should also change the "Element Firing Lamp" for the RIMS element to a 120V LED, although a 240V will work, at reduced brightness.

Brew on

 

[Bobby_M]

Not what you asked, but I think it would be very worth contemplating two things:

1. Why complicate things considerably with a 3rd RIMS element when you can just put a HERMS coil in the HLT. You'll already have a perfectly good controller and element dedicated to the HLT which easily doubles as the mash "helper".

2. Now would be a great time to simplify your life and buy a 20 gallon eBIAB system. I'm 99% confident you would be super jazzed about it after your first couple batches.

 

[doug293cz]

Not what you asked, but I think it would be very worth contemplating two things:

1. Why complicate things considerably with a 3rd RIMS element when you can just put a HERMS coil in the HLT. You'll already have a perfectly good controller and element dedicated to the HLT which easily doubles as the mash "helper".

2. Now would be a great time to simplify your life and buy a 20 gallon eBIAB system. I'm 99% confident you would be super jazzed about it after your first couple batches.

I would recommend option #2 as being the simplest, lowest cost option.

Brew on

 

[pedalbrewing]

Should also change the "Element Firing Lamp" for the RIMS element to a 120V LED, although a 240V will work, at reduced brightness.

Brew on

Thank you so much so sending this over, I saw one of your designs but it was not making any sense, thanks a lot!!!!!!!!

 

[pedalbrewing]

Not what you asked, but I think it would be very worth contemplating two things:

1. Why complicate things considerably with a 3rd RIMS element when you can just put a HERMS coil in the HLT. You'll already have a perfectly good controller and element dedicated to the HLT which easily doubles as the mash "helper".

2. Now would be a great time to simplify your life and buy a 20 gallon eBIAB system. I'm 99% confident you would be super jazzed about it after your first couple batches.

The thing is that I have a 3V system gas fired with a 120V RIMS, and everything works perfectly. The only reason why I'm going electric is because it gets stupid hot in Houston in summer, and having AC in the garage now is a no brainer to go electric.

 

[Bobby_M]

The thing is that I have a 3V system gas fired with a 120V RIMS, and everything works perfectly. The only reason why I'm going electric is because it gets stupid hot in Houston in summer, and having AC in the garage now is a no brainer to go electric.

No, I know why you're thinking that just electrifying it is the logical step. I'm not saying you're wrong, but it's easy to have tunnel vision sometimes. I've brewed on 3 vessel gas systems for years and also on various 2 and 3 vessel fully electric systems. I now brew on a hot rodded single vessel BIAB system (for the past 7 years) and no matter how many times I am forced to brew on other systems, I would never give up my eBIAB rig.

The number of people I personally know that switched over is in the range of 25-30 and no one has ever regretted it. It reduced your brew day time down to 4 hours, plus or minus 30 minutes depending on mash/boil length. One tank to clean.

I'm just bringing it up because this would be the time to do it because if you think you have concerns about sunk cost now, you can mitigate more in the future. Basically take the need for double element install, complicated panel build, and 50amp circuit and swap that for a single element, simple controller and 30amp circuit. Most likely the sale of your current system would completely fund the project. Your brew day gets easier and likely the beer quality goes up too.

Just my two cents. Here's my good friend Larry brewing on his rig. He's about to land NJ home brewer of the year title for the third time.