Setting up a "Malt Kettle" - For Baking Rolls with Holes in a Custard Shop

[Kimcheese]

Hello,

I've been lurking at HBT for some time and really enjoy the discussion here. Hope some of y'all can help me find the right path with a project.

We're using a friends ice cream shop while they're on winter break to setup a temporary bagel bakery. As you may or may not know bagels are boiled before baking. We boil ours in a mix of malt and baking soda. Here's a pic of everything bagels from our first test bake.

Since we'll only be here 6 weeks budget is a concern. However this must be safe. I'll layout my plan and my problem.

Goal: Use the following setup to heat 20gal of water to a boil (incoming temp is 140 from commercial water heater), and hold at a low gentle boil as cold bagels are added throughout the day.

We'll be adding aprox 36 (100g each at 40 F) bagels at a time to boil them for 3-4 minutes before baking. We will be adding bagels continously, batch after batch.

Plan
I expect to use the following:
100qt Vollrath AL pot, which we already have.
Install 5500w no-weld triclamp element kit
Connect with the brewhardware cord to the Stilldragon Controller.

Connect the still dragon controller to a spa panel using a dryer cord and outlet.


Based on my research the 5500w element will bring and hold 20gal of water at low boil no problemo. I hope that that thermal mass of the water and element can keep things at a near boil.

Does the 5500w element have enough power to pull this off? (I've always heated outside with propane.) The spreadsheet I downloaded estimates we're fine. See any issues with this setup?




The power in the this place is ample, it's got a huge ice cream machine. But I don't think it will work in the current configuration for me.

The ice cream machine has 3 20amp connections. Here's the tag on the machine:

Each connection uses a Nema L15-20 plug. The machine uses 3 outlets,

. The outlets are well placed for our "malt kettle".

Her's the subpanel that feeds these outlets.

We cannot use the 30amp service. That's for the oven which we need to use.

The subpanel uses Siemens LTE Q320 breakers. I can find these on [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIEMENS-Q330-3-POLE-30-AMP-240-VOLT-10KA-240-VOLT-CIRCUIT-BREAKER/332033083141?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D38530%26meid%3D4caf9cb9c39b476ca8b815aa7e7e4782%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D122010069655&rt=nc]ebay[/url]. But don't think this is a matter of changing breakers.

I do have an electrican coming to check this out but on the off chance there is a DIY route I'd love to hear ideas.

What do y'all think?

 

[Kimcheese]

I know it's not beer but this is a grain fermentation.

Any comments on using a single element for this much water? Even if power is at 208?

 

[golfindia]

A 5500w element will boil 20gal, but is going to draw more than 20A.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Your bagels look fantastic!! Sorry I'm of no help though....

 

[IslandLizard]

The ganged breakers puzzle me. For 240V, in lieu of a single double pole breaker, one can gang 2 single pole ones. Don't know why 3 breakers are ganged, and what's up with the four 20s on the bottom right. Got to see the wiring inside the panel to know what's going on.

Some appliances use 240V for heating/work and a separate 120V for the electronics, lights, fans, and are typically tapped off one of the "240V" poles (like an electric clothes dryer). If other 120V duties add up to a significant amperage draw, a separate 120V breaker and ganging all 3 together makes sense. 2 to service the 240V circuit, and 1 for the 120V. Not sure how that fits in the code though.

Your electrician will figure it out, hopefully.

Oh, yes, +1 on the bagels! They look wonderful and yummy! Hope you make a fortune with them.

 

[golfindia]

Ice cream machine sticker says "three circuits required for left, center, right system. Data applies to each cylinder." Gang switches probably so the whole machine shuts down if something happens to one freezer. You could probably run a lower power element from each of the 20a circuits, rather than one 5500w.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Great, now I want a bagel. they look excellent good luck.

 

[dyqik]

The ganged breakers puzzle me. For 240V, in lieu of a single double pole breaker, one can gang 2 single pole ones. Don't know why 3 breakers are ganged, and what's up with the four 20s on the bottom right. Got to see the wiring inside the panel to know what's going on.

Some appliances use 240V for heating/work and a separate 120V for the electronics, lights, fans, and are typically tapped off one of the "240V" poles (like an electric clothes dryer). If other 120V duties add up to a significant amperage draw, a separate 120V breaker and ganging all 3 together makes sense. 2 to service the 240V circuit, and 1 for the 120V. Not sure how that fits in the code though.

Your electrician will figure it out, hopefully.
.

They are 3-phase breakers, likely with 208V between each phase. This is absolutely a job for an electrician, not least because these are commercial premises, likely with additional code requirements, regulations and insurance requirements over residential properties.

 

[IslandLizard]

[...] This is absolutely a job for an electrician, not least because these are commercial premises, likely with additional code requirements, regulations and insurance requirements over residential properties.

Agreed!!!