Laurabobaura
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- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
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I've decided, after this past winter and trying to brew outside in -10 degree weather unsuccessfully, to go with a simple electric system in the basement.
I will be going to buy this stuff this weekend so my electrician friend can wire it up, and don't feel like making 20 trips to Home Depot/wherever if I can help it, so if people could look my plan over and let me know if anything needs changing I would appreciate it. The bits with asterisks are already there; the bits in bold I am not sure of.
300amp Panel
>*30amp nonGFCI breaker to
>*4 prong, 4 wire receptacle to
> *50amp GFCI Spa panel to
> Analog control box (kind of like the Still Dragon one but made with parts the electrician had) with 60amp SSR, on/off toggle switch, potentiometer, ridiculously oversized heatsink, to
>3 prong locking receptacle wired into analog control box
>*two 20 gal aluminum kettles,
> each with a 3 prong locking plug and 10/3 (8/3?) wire installed in a waterproof box on each kettle with a ground going up to a to machine screw well above liquid line in each kettle
> 4500watt ULWD element mounted in each kettle
Questions:
1) If going from 4 wire to 3 wire, neutral can be capped off. Where? In the spa panel or in the analog control box? Changes the wire I need to buy.
2) Placing the ground in the kettle above the liquid line is still fine even with Aluminum kettles? If I can avoid replacing 20gal aluminum kettles with SS, I will. I've never had a problem using them with my propane system, but I am not sure of the grounds on aluminum.
3) My sparge system is copper to PVC--do I need to buy stuff to ground the copper bit? Or will the kettle being grounded suffice? Would it be worth it to make a new one with high temp tubing and PVC?
4) Where can I find a DPDT switch big enough for the control box?? Certainly not radio shack, but would I be able to find it at home depot? Or should I use some other kind of on/off switch?
5)Sort of unrelated--do I have to ground a CFC? I usually hook it up before the boil, but I am not sure if I do that if I'll have to ground it as well. Or just leave it not hooked up until after the boil finishes.
To clarify: I already have a temp probe system that I am used to and I like, and a gravity fed three tier system so I don't need pumps or a PID system. I mash in a 100qt cooler that holds temps within 2 degrees so I am not wiring that or making a recirculation system.
Thanks!
I will be going to buy this stuff this weekend so my electrician friend can wire it up, and don't feel like making 20 trips to Home Depot/wherever if I can help it, so if people could look my plan over and let me know if anything needs changing I would appreciate it. The bits with asterisks are already there; the bits in bold I am not sure of.
300amp Panel
>*30amp nonGFCI breaker to
>*4 prong, 4 wire receptacle to
> *50amp GFCI Spa panel to
> Analog control box (kind of like the Still Dragon one but made with parts the electrician had) with 60amp SSR, on/off toggle switch, potentiometer, ridiculously oversized heatsink, to
>3 prong locking receptacle wired into analog control box
>*two 20 gal aluminum kettles,
> each with a 3 prong locking plug and 10/3 (8/3?) wire installed in a waterproof box on each kettle with a ground going up to a to machine screw well above liquid line in each kettle
> 4500watt ULWD element mounted in each kettle
Questions:
1) If going from 4 wire to 3 wire, neutral can be capped off. Where? In the spa panel or in the analog control box? Changes the wire I need to buy.
2) Placing the ground in the kettle above the liquid line is still fine even with Aluminum kettles? If I can avoid replacing 20gal aluminum kettles with SS, I will. I've never had a problem using them with my propane system, but I am not sure of the grounds on aluminum.
3) My sparge system is copper to PVC--do I need to buy stuff to ground the copper bit? Or will the kettle being grounded suffice? Would it be worth it to make a new one with high temp tubing and PVC?
4) Where can I find a DPDT switch big enough for the control box?? Certainly not radio shack, but would I be able to find it at home depot? Or should I use some other kind of on/off switch?
5)Sort of unrelated--do I have to ground a CFC? I usually hook it up before the boil, but I am not sure if I do that if I'll have to ground it as well. Or just leave it not hooked up until after the boil finishes.
To clarify: I already have a temp probe system that I am used to and I like, and a gravity fed three tier system so I don't need pumps or a PID system. I mash in a 100qt cooler that holds temps within 2 degrees so I am not wiring that or making a recirculation system.
Thanks!