Electric HLT idea. Looking for feedback.

[jiggs_casey]

I am an electricity noob. Or, at least I think I am. With that, I have installed a heating element (2000W / 120V) into my HLT. I want to make sure that my understanding is solid before I finish wiring it up.

As I understand it, this element is rated at 16.6 amp. That means that all of the wiring to that element MUST support at LEAST 16.6 amp? (17 to make it easy).

Now, when I am staring at my fusebox, I see different fuses of different 'sizes'. I was able to trace out one of the 20A fuses to my kitchen. That leads me to believe that I can use those outlets.

Now that I have said it, I guess it makes sense to me. My 'noobness' means that I am going to question absolutely everything about it. Should I be concerned that maybe the wiring between the fusebox and the outlets in the kitchen won't handle the load?

I am planning on using a properly rated, heavy duty extension cord from the kitchen to a 'control box' mounted on my brewstand. This box will have an on/off switch and a GFCI outlet mounted in it. The GFCI outlet is where I am plan on plugging the element into.

 

[harrke]

The wiring to your kitchen outlets should be OK. But, be careful. You probably should check that nothing else is plugged into those outlets at the same time. Things like a refrigerator or a microwave could blow the fuse if they were started while you were heating.

 

[heckels]

Are you the original homeowner? If so and you've never swapped a 15A for 20A fuse then you're probably alright. If you're not the original owner, to be absolutely sure you'd need to check the gauge of the wire coming into the fuse panel for the fuse.

With all of that said, for the extra 1.x amps over a period of a couple hours, I personally (just speaking for me in my own home) would not worry about it.

+1 to making sure nothing else is plugged in on that circuit.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Your 20 amp kitchen circuit needs be 12 ga wire, and may alsready be GFCI protected if you house was built in the last 20 years.

Not sure what kind of controller you are building, but it is not that difficult to just power off the element when you reach temp manually...or stir in a couple ice cubes if you overshoot. In order to use a controller that will automatically hold a specific temperature, you will need to be moving the water being heated, either stirring, pumping, or blowing air into the liquor with a small air pump.

cheers!

 

[pickles]

I'd check that wiring closely to see what gauge it is. Considering you have fuses,I'm gonna assume your house is easily 60 yrs old.

 

[kenh]

I am an electricity noob. Or, at least I think I am. With that, I have installed a heating element (2000W / 120V) into my HLT. I want to make sure that my understanding is solid before I finish wiring it up.

As I understand it, this element is rated at 16.6 amp. That means that all of the wiring to that element MUST support at LEAST 16.6 amp? (17 to make it easy).

Now, when I am staring at my fusebox, I see different fuses of different 'sizes'. I was able to trace out one of the 20A fuses to my kitchen. That leads me to believe that I can use those outlets.

Now that I have said it, I guess it makes sense to me. My 'noobness' means that I am going to question absolutely everything about it. Should I be concerned that maybe the wiring between the fusebox and the outlets in the kitchen won't handle the load?

I am planning on using a properly rated, heavy duty extension cord from the kitchen to a 'control box' mounted on my brewstand. This box will have an on/off switch and a GFCI outlet mounted in it. The GFCI outlet is where I am plan on plugging the element into.

How old is your house? Older houses only have a single 15 Amp circuit in the kitchen.

 

[Epimetheus]

You will need a 12 gauge extension cord for 20 amps at 120V. Just an observation: Once you jump from 15A to 20A, everything kinda doubles in price.

Sounds like a solid design.

 

[Call_Me_Tex]

Another recommendation... most household outlets are only rated for 15A. I would suggest pulling the outlet you intend to use and verify it's rated capacity before you start running.

 

[alien]

You need to verify that the kitchen receptacles are GFCI protected and both the receptacles and the wiring leading to them can handle 20A.

You do not need extra GFCI protection at the panel if the receptacles are GFCI protected.

Choose a 12 AWG extension cord.

 

[adam01]

I recommend using a PID. Several advantages

1. Set temp, walk away. Come back when done. No overshoot.
2. Setup maximum current draw to not pop breakers. (I set mine to 90%
to not exceed 15amps long enough to pop the gfi/breaker.)
3. Mash at X temp. Set HLT to X, when done you have X deg water, not
X+4 or X-2.

Definitely worth the one time cost to get and setup. eHlt was one of the best
things to make brewing more repeatable.

 

[Bobby_M]

I recommend using a PID. Several advantages

1. Set temp, walk away. Come back when done. No overshoot.
2. Setup maximum current draw to not pop breakers. (I set mine to 90%
to not exceed 15amps long enough to pop the gfi/breaker.)
3. Mash at X temp. Set HLT to X, when done you have X deg water, not
X+4 or X-2.

Definitely worth the one time cost to get and setup. eHlt was one of the best
things to make brewing more repeatable.

PIDs are great and I don't disagree there, but they do nothing to control current draw. Set at 90%, they are pulling full current for 90% of the duty cycle, then zero for 10%.

 

[pickles]

Excellent point Bobby. I think a lot of people assume PIDs regulate the power and that'd just not the case.

 

[helibrewer]

Another thing to check in your kitchen is whether that 20A circuit has a 20A recepticle. 20A outlets have a little horizontal slot on one of the "normal" veritcal slots. Electricians should only put these types of outlets on a complete 20A circuit (breaker, 12AWG, etc.). If you just have the regular outlet with 2 vertical slots, that's a 15A outlet and somebody may have just put a bigger fuse in the panel.

 

[adam01]

Your're right Bobby the current is the same amount.

But GFI's and breakers work in a similar way. They open if there is too much power being drawn. This is time based. If you short circuit them, then the current is very large and they open almost immediately.

However if you exceed the limit for a short time, it takes longer for them to open.
My PID is set to the maximum of 90%. So my 16 amp system currently works on
a 15amp GFI + a 15 amp breaker. It has worked this way for a year and a half.

 

[lschiavo]

Another thing to check in your kitchen is whether that 20A circuit has a 20A recepticle. 20A outlets have a little horizontal slot on one of the "normal" veritcal slots. Electricians should only put these types of outlets on a complete 20A circuit (breaker, 12AWG, etc.). If you just have the regular outlet with 2 vertical slots, that's a 15A outlet and somebody may have just put a bigger fuse in the panel.

An isolated 20A circuit with a "single" receptacle must have a 20A rated receptacle. A 15A "duplex" receptacle or several are perfectly legal on a 20A circuit.

 

[lschiavo]

Your're right Bobby the current is the same amount.

But GFI's and breakers work in a similar way. They open if there is too much power being drawn. This is time based. If you short circuit them, then the current is very large and they open almost immediately.

However if you exceed the limit for a short time, it takes longer for them to open.
My PID is set to the maximum of 90%. So my 16 amp system currently works on
a 15amp GFI + a 15 amp breaker. It has worked this way for a year and a half.

This is true. I have run breakers near or over capacity in temporary situations. I would check the actual draw with an ammeter. Also check to see if the breaker is heating. I have seen long overloaded breakers that just won't trip anymore. Even if dead shorted. I wouldn't take a nap or leave the house with it running

 

[adam01]

Good idea on the amp meter test. I've seen breakers that won't open too - a whole house
full of Federal Pacific breakers. I had 5 different circuits that wouldn't open when shorted.

When I replaced the panels with Square D breakers, I had my young son take a hammer
and turn every breaker into quarter sized pieces of bakelite. Absolute trash.

 

[passedpawn]

Good idea on the amp meter test. I've seen breakers that won't open too - a whole house
full of Federal Pacific breakers. I had 5 different circuits that wouldn't open when shorted.

When I replaced the panels with Square D breakers, I had my young son take a hammer
and turn every breaker into quarter sized pieces of bakelite. Absolute trash.

Wow. I'll remember that.