120volt system.

[Hophanatik86]

I did a search and really didn't find a lot
Of info. Is it possible to build a brew house similar to that described on electricbrewery.com using on 120 volts? I would only be using 10-15 gallon kettles to brew 5 gallon batches. Are there any resource on 120 volt systems that I am finding?

 

[Dan]

I made an electric HLT using an 8 gallon aluminum tamale pot and I think it is a 1500 watt heating element that plugs into my 15amp house outlet. I believe it draws around 13.5 amps, which is under the circuit breaker's rating but I believe it pushes the recommended continuous load. It works but took about an hour to heat 5 gallons of water to mash temp. I went back to gas mainly because the small element just took to long. i couldnt get the 5 gallons past 200 degrees so boiling a 5g batch was out of the question. If you have 20 amp breakers you could use a 2K watt element. That would probably get you more in the ballpark.

 

[mattd2]

Most of the 120V systems I have seen on here are either:
1) For smaller batches of around 2.5 gallons, or
2) Use 2x120V supplies supplied by seperate breakers.

As Dan said you are limited to 1500 watts which is not enough to successfully boil what is needed for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[jeffmeh]

Two separate 20a circuits, with a 2000w, 120v element on each, will certainly work.

 

[shoshin]

I just built two 1500W 120V heat sticks, and I brewed two 5g batches with no problem. I don't see why you couldn't extend Kal's design by installing 2 120V heating elements in each pot

 

[mattd2]

Most of the 120V systems I have seen on here are either:
1) For smaller batches of around 2.5 gallons, or
2) Use 2x120V supplies supplied by seperate breakers.

As Dan said you are limited to 1500 watts which is not enough to successfully boil what is needed for a 5 gallon batch.

Just re-read my post and I don't think I meant to put that exactly like I said

If you only have one circuit you are limited to 1500 watts which, as Dan said, is not enough to successfully boil what is needed for a 5 gallon batch.

I use what basically is the equivilant of 3kW for 7-8 gallon batches with no issues so 2x 1500W 120V elements run from different breakers should do the trick.

Sorry for any confusiion I made
Edit; Found the thread I was thinking about that might help a bit - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/dual-2000w-120v-recirculating-ebiab-build-381476/

 

[Hophanatik86]

Great thanks all for the input this is a start do you think it necessary to have two 120 elements in the liquor tun consider the highest temps you would try to achieve in it would be 170 F?

 

[jCOSbrew]

Depends on how long you want wait for the water to heat and how well insulated the hlt is.

 

[chickens4life]

It takes > than an hour to heat all of the water for a brew up (8ish gallons) with my electric "system" which consist of a 2kw element mounted through the side of an 11 gallon kettle. But that by its self does fine boiling 7 gallons by its self. So I it is set up like Kayla system where you only use the hlt or the bk at any given time and you don't mind a 60-70 min wait to for your initial heating you can get by on a single 20a circuit.

If it were me I would go with two circuits if I where going to the trouble of building all of that control (plus I am not sure how much a march pump draws but that might not even fit on the same circuit as the element, I use a tiny 12v pump that draws less than 0.5a so one circut works for me).