FYI: You can brew on 120v

[Bartp]

Many brewers constantly ask if they can brew using 120v. The default answer is "no", but from my experience, the answer can be "yes". It will just take a while longer.

Over the weekend I've brewed a 12 gallon batch on 1300 watts. Total boil volume was 14 gal.

The control panel I've used is actually ready for 240v, but since I'm a sucky electrician, I f'd up. One of the hot legs to the element was cold, effectively pushing only 120v.

This means that my 5500 heating element was putting out (theoretically) only 1375 watts or so.

The actual measurements with multimeter showed element resistance of 10.9 ohm and voltage between two leads (while running) at ~119v. This translates to 10.917amp draw and 1299 watts of actual output.

Since I've already started brewing, I made the decision not to mess with electricity, and just continue on 120 and "see what happens".

The kettle was filled with 15 gallons of strike water (It's a BIAB setup).

I've also wrapped my 20 gallon kettle with reflective insulation (bottom and sides).

Initial water temp was 74 degrees. It took roughly 80 minutes to get to 158 degrees. At an average of just over one degrees per minute. That's with the pot covered.

After mash it took additional 70 minutes to go from 154 to 210 (pot covered).

The probe maxed out at 210 but I was getting a decent gentle boil. (Pic below). Wasn't a vigorous boil, but enough to move the wort around.

I had no problem sustaining the boil through the 90 min of boil with the pot uncovered. (I would normally do 60 but since the boil is less vigorous, I want to give it more time to boil off the DMS)

So there you have it! 12+ gallons of finished wort using 1300 watts.

Took long time but completely doable. And for the people who are willing to invest an additional hour into brewing time, it can be practical.

Now, an ideal 120v setup would be using a 2000 watt element, and lower volume of water.

If I had no problem bringing 14 gallons of water to boil on 1300 watts, I'm sure you'll do fine with 8 gallons at 2000 watts.

Just insulate your kettle and wait a little longer.

Hope my F-up helped.

Also, my new setup:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=479439

 

[iijakii]

I'm really surprised by that. I had a 2x1500w system and it could boil about 10 gals. But even if I turned one off during the boil it'd fizzle out. My pot wasn't insulated though.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Agreed, i have been brewing with 120v for years, long before 220 was in vogue.

I do use two 2000w elements, but recall finishing an 8 gallon batch with just one 2000w element with no issues.

I feel a single 2000w element would work in a well insulated 8-10 gallon kettle for 5 gallon batches.

While it will of course take longer, it can be powered by a 20 amp gif circuit, available in most kitchens these days.

 

[crane]

The control panel I've used is actually ready for 240v, but since I'm a sucky electrician, I f'd up. One of the hot legs to the element was cold, effectively pushing only 120v.

Hold on here guys. This statement makes no sense. If one of your hot legs was "cold" (open circuit) then no current would be flowing through the element and therefore no heat would be generated. Assuming you have a properly wired GFCI (not sure this is a safe assumption to make) then the only way you could get 120V through the element is if you accidentally connected the "cold" leg to neutral.

Please explain how you determined that the element was only getting 120V.

 

[arbadarchi]

I currently brew 3.5 gallon biab batches with a 120v 1500w element from an old tea kettle in an 8 gallon PE plastic bucket. It's a little slow but it works great. The plastic helps not lose too much heat during mashing. No the plastic doesn't melt or leech. Only issue so far is it only boils off a half gallon an hour, if that's even an issue.

Hoping to get a pump and convert it to a RIMS setup soon.

 

[alphaomega]

Something doesn't add up here.
15 gallons = 56.8 litres
158-74=84 which is 46.6 degree diff in C
Water specific heat capacity is 4200 J per deg C per litre

(46.6 * 56.8 * 4200) / (80 * 60) = 2316 J/s (Watts)

So, to heat that water, in 80 minutes, without ANY losses, you'd need to put in 2.3kW.

That seems a lot more plausible, but still I'd think it would be hard to get to a decent boil.

 

[BBBF]

Agreed, i have been brewing with 120v for years, long before 220 was in vogue.

I do use two 2000w elements, but recall finishing an 8 gallon batch with just one 2000w element with no issues.

I feel a single 2000w element would work in a well insulated 8-10 gallon kettle for 5 gallon batches.

While it will of course take longer, it can be powered by a 20 amp gif circuit, available in most kitchens these days.

Yeap. Before I completed my dual 120v / 2000W panel, I was brewing 5 gallon batches using 1 element and 10 gallons using two elements. Being able to brew right away really delayed completing the build.

 

[bayoujeeper]

I have brewed on 1 1650w element for a couple of years, 5.5G batches. Boil around 6.25 gallons at start. Yes it took a while to heat, etc, but it worked. I added a 2000w element to the kettle on a seperate circuit and sped up the whole process.

 

[Wynne-R]

AlphaOmega has it exactly right. I think you’re taking the wrong voltage, and you really are rocking 240.

To put it another way, with your numbers, the efficiency of going to strike was 167%, going to boil was 130%. And that’s with no losses, which doesn’t happen outside of a textbook.

Actual heat losses are substantial, and increase linearly with temperature.

And, obviously a ginormous pot will have more heat loss than a smaller pot.

 

[stever1000]

I only have access to 15A circuits in my kitchen, or 1 30A plug for the stove/oven. I want to move to BIAB.

Would it be better overall to unplug the oven/stove every time I need to brew (2-3x month) and use the 240V and a single powerful element, or use two 1500W heating elements and an insulated kettle?
I would average mostly 6 gallon batches, but would like the possibility of brewing 10gallon batches (one to keg and one to bottle condition and save for the future)

 

[augiedoggy]

I only have access to 15A circuits in my kitchen, or 1 30A plug for the stove/oven. I want to move to BIAB.

Would it be better overall to unplug the oven/stove every time I need to brew (2-3x month) and use the 240V and a single powerful element, or use two 1500W heating elements and an insulated kettle?
I would average mostly 6 gallon batches, but would like the possibility of brewing 10gallon batches (one to keg and one to bottle condition and save for the future)

240v hands down much quicker and more effective.

 

[iijakii]

10gal batches = 240v hands down.

 

[stever1000]

What about a pot size for 10g batches? Is 16 enough or should I do 20g?
I think 75% of my batches would be 5g and the rest would be 10g
Which is why I can't decide which path to do, because a 5gal batch would be tiny in a 20g pot.

 

[chickens4life]

I have boiled over 9 gallons preboil in my ekettle that uses a single 2000 W element. it took a considerable amount of time but it worked just fine.

 

[wilserbrewer]

What about a pot size for 10g batches? Is 16 enough or should I do 20g?
I think 75% of my batches would be 5g and the rest would be 10g
Which is why I can't decide which path to do, because a 5gal batch would be tiny in a 20g pot.

A 20 is perfect for 10 gallon batches, but I would feel silly doing 3 out 4, 5 gallon batches in a 20.

A 20 is a helluva large pot, while sure it could work for a 5 gallon batch, I would find it inconveniently large handling wise.

16

 

[stever1000]

Thanks for the info - lots more to think about now!

 

[applescrap]

I think where you live matters and once again peopke are talking about things they dont know. Well insulated and submerged is powerful. Arbadarchi you are cool thats how to do it. I like wilser posts a lot!talked to you ince im from denver cant wait to splash out on your bags!im about to lpen a good discussion in the next few weeks. I brew in 3.5 hours and seek to sell how i fo it for 1 dollar or so. Was going to ebiab but this post seals me bailing heck i might even go with 120v heat stick at 2k watts instead of 5500 at 240

 

[alphaomega]

I think where you live matters and once again peopke are talking about things they dont know. Well insulated and submerged is powerful. Arbadarchi you are cool thats how to do it. I like wilser posts a lot!talked to you ince im from denver cant wait to splash out on your bags!im about to lpen a good discussion in the next few weeks. I brew in 3.5 hours and seek to sell how i fo it for 1 dollar or so. Was going to ebiab but this post seals me bailing heck i might even go with 120v heat stick at 2k watts instead of 5500 at 240

Said the guy with a whopping 2 posts.

Good luck with that. Considering your knack for writing and your superior knowledge, that must be a steal!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Said the guy with a whopping 2 posts.

He likes me....what can I say

 

[m00ps]

I bought a 10gal kettle for 5-6 gal batches from brewboss. 120V, has 2 heating elements. Brewings never been easier.

Before that I was on my stove. Didnt have any 240V in my old place but I still got along fine...

 

[augiedoggy]

What about a pot size for 10g batches? Is 16 enough or should I do 20g?
I think 75% of my batches would be 5g and the rest would be 10g
Which is why I can't decide which path to do, because a 5gal batch would be tiny in a 20g pot.

I did 11 gallon batches fine with a 13gallon pot... it was not ideal. the 15 gallon pot I use not is fine for 11 gallon brews..with electric the boilover is not a concern and completely avoidable.

 

[augiedoggy]

I bought a 10gal kettle for 5-6 gal batches from brewboss. 120V, has 2 heating elements. Brewings never been easier.

Before that I was on my stove. Didnt have any 240V in my old place but I still got along fine...

So what your really saying is you dont know what your missing because you still have a 120v setup and never tried 240v right? 2 1500w or 2000w elements will work fine but then you have to have two separate circuits to power them and 3000w is still pretty slow and weak for making 10 gallons... even with insulation its not as convenient as 240v were the insulation is not a concern and cleanup is easier because of it.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

So what your really saying is you dont know what your missing because you still have a 120v setup and never tried 240v right? 2 1500w or 2000w elements will work fine but then you have to have two separate circuits to power them and 3000w is still pretty slow and weak for making 10 gallons... even with insulation its not as convenient as 240v were the insulation is not a concern and cleanup is easier because of it.

As an example, i can fill my 20 Gallon HLT to the brim with 65F water and have it at 154 for mash in about 50 minutes. I average exactly what the math says i should average for that volume, 1.8F per minute.

I always use 20G though regardless of if im doing 5 or 10 Gallon batches just to keep the HERMS coil covered, and having hot water to flush through the system at the end of the day is necessary anyways.

I cant imagine trying with such low powered elements even at half the volume going from 154-210 must take forever.

Regardless i guess if thats all you have access to its better than nothing.

 

[iijakii]

So what your really saying is you dont know what your missing because you still have a 120v setup and never tried 240v right? 2 1500w or 2000w elements will work fine but then you have to have two separate circuits to power them and 3000w is still pretty slow and weak for making 10 gallons... even with insulation its not as convenient as 240v were the insulation is not a concern and cleanup is easier because of it.

He said he does 5-6gal batches though, so not sure what 120v being weak for 10gal has to do with it.

2x 120v setup is great for 5gal, not so much for 10gal. 120v stuff is also a lot cheaper to buy, and you can plug it in to any two circuits etc. Not sure what the issue is here.

 

[augiedoggy]

true but the OP said 12 gallon batches... the second guy said he does five but wants to eventually do 10... the last M00ps said he does 5 and I agreed its ok for five but still slow. I believe that if if he tried 240v he would prefer it over the 120v... I think a good comparison for 5-6 gallonsd though it would be more like driving a 4 cyl powered car vs a v8... only without the worry of gas mileage since its just pennies difference in the electric bill.

your right though , if one never plans on upgrading and doesnt mind the wait 3,000 watts with one element on a temp controller would be fine... but then what happens when you want to go to 10 gallons? total rewire with all new stuff needed. thats an important point which has been the basis of this thread. no issues, I could have worded my comment better I suppose...