2 element per kettles

[Pdaigle]

looking to get a 30+ gallon electrical system and was told to add 2 X 5500 watts elements. What does it change for my electrical panel? Do I need to split this somehow?

 

[stlbeer]

Each element will draw about 23 amps at 240 volts. You will minimally need 50 amps of 240v as a power source.

If you have 50 amps going into your panel you would distribute that into 2 25 amp/240 volt breakers.

In order to ensure your safety, make sure you use a GFCI breaker in the mix. Most people have 50 amps from their main house panel being fed into a 50 amp Spa panel (Home Depot (@$70) which has a GFCI breaker built-in. A spa panel is typically cheaper than buying a main GFCI breaker and the spa panel will be closer to where you brew making it a lot more convenient to get to if needed.

Google for "electricheat.xls". It's an excel spreadsheet for calculating time to heat for a given volume and amount of heat. This will help you a lot.

Keep us informed. This community can help a lot.

 

[Pdaigle]

Each element will draw about 23 amps at 240 volts. You will minimally need 50 amps of 240v as a power source.

If you have 50 amps going into your panel you would distribute that into 2 25 amp/240 volt breakers.

In order to ensure your safety, make sure you use a GFCI breaker in the mix. Most people have 50 amps from their main house panel being fed into a 50 amp Spa panel (Home Depot (@$70) which has a GFCI breaker built-in. A spa panel is typically cheaper than buying a main GFCI breaker and the spa panel will be closer to where you brew making it a lot more convenient to get to if needed.

Google for "electricheat.xls". It's an excel spreadsheet for calculating time to heat for a given volume and amount of heat. This will help you a lot.

Keep us informed. This community can help a lot.

will I have my brewery control panel have 4 inputs for my 4 elements?

 

[stlbeer]

Let's back up a bit. Would it be possible to tell us what you originally planned? Is that in a different thread? If you're going to "add 2 x 5500 watt elements", what was originally planned?

I hesitate to make additional recommendations without knowing the plans you already have.

 

[Pdaigle]

Let's back up a bit. Would it be possible to tell us what you originally planned? Is that in a different thread? If you're going to "add 2 x 5500 watt elements", what was originally planned?

I hesitate to make additional recommendations without knowing the plans you already have.

basically I will need 2 element per kettle. hot liquor tank and boil kettle so 4 in total. does that work? I want to start buying stuff but more info on what t purchase or what not.

thx

 

[Bobby_M]

Generally you'll only need to run the pair of elements in either vessel at a time so a 50 amp line to the controller is fine. Rather than have to unplug and plug elements in to the controller you'd use a selector switch to flip flop between which vessel is getting power. The switch powers the coils of high amperage contactors (relays) in the panel. This can be HLT .. OFF... BK.