Ajae
Well-Known Member
I getting my hands on this panel from a small local brewery. After looking at it I realized i don't need something this big. Would anyone be interested in this before I post it on pro-brewer?
50Amp 240v 4 Elements Electric Brewery Panel
- Thread starter Ajae
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milldoggy
Well-Known Member
Pics would help, price is required. There are many 50amp home brewers. Is it set up for back to back or all elements at same time?
Ajae
Well-Known Member
I will post pics, it goes for $2900 on the electric brewery website. i'll willing to let it go for 2k
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
50a can power 2 elements at once..
Ajae
Well-Known Member
No this is their 50 amp 240 30+ gallon panel
Ajae
Well-Known Member
50a panel for back to back, its the panel that has 2 elements in HLT and two in Boil Kettle.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
ok but you cant really have both with 50a. Back to back would ideally mean it could run all four if its a 4 element (2 in each kettle) panel... this would make it a 100a panel.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Yeah, sorry guys that what i meant. Looks like i'm going to be busy this week and won't be able to pick it up until this friday or Sat morning. I was told that it will be coming with new spare parts, but none of the cables which is the way it comes on the website. Not sure if i'll get the cables and just sell out like that or i will get a power cord. I'll keep you guys updated.
postalbunny
Well-Known Member
yeah.. it's either 50amp back-to-back or 30gal+ panel setup. So either you have 4x elements that can plug into it and only 2 of them fire at once (you select dual element HLT, or select dual element BLK). The other setup is back-to-back which has a "on" selector for both elements instead of a 3-way either/or selector but you have only one element in BLK and HLT for total of 2.
Unless they modified it with some kind of additional sub panel and relay/ssr setup.
Unless they modified it with some kind of additional sub panel and relay/ssr setup.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Thank you, yes it's the first setup. Sorry for the confusion guys. I will be picking up the panel this friday, I will post pictures then.
"50amp back-to-back or 30gal+ panel setup. So either you have 4x elements that can plug into it and only 2 of them fire at once (you select dual element HLT, or select dual element BLK)."
"50amp back-to-back or 30gal+ panel setup. So either you have 4x elements that can plug into it and only 2 of them fire at once (you select dual element HLT, or select dual element BLK)."
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
Its important to point out because it is in fact the most commonly sized panel built by home brewers often used for 5-10 gallon batches... you may want to rethink if its too big for you. People usually go with either 30a or 50a ... The main difference is the 50a panel allows for the 2 elements to be on at a time for either faster heating or back to back brews.
With only 50a of heating power this is not really something that many probrewers would find useful for anything beyond a pilot brewery to test recipes.
With only 50a of heating power this is not really something that many probrewers would find useful for anything beyond a pilot brewery to test recipes.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I'll confirm everything once i have it in hand.
Silentdrinker
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50amp has nothing to do with how many elements can be used at once. It’s about how many watts can be pumped through it. It’s a max of 12,000 watts. You can run twelve 1,000 watt elements if you want. Obviously for a higher volume, you’ll want higher wattage elements to reduce time.
I don’t know what you paid, but it may be beneficial to keep it if you’re wanting to still go that route. If you don’t have a 50a breaker, run it off your dryer plug that operates at 30a, if it’s electric that is. Just keep the wattage below 7,200.
Mine is 50a but I run it off 30a right now. So I can only run one element since mine are 5500, 5000 and 4500 watts. You’ll need to make a modification to the plug or get an adapter.
I don’t know what you paid, but it may be beneficial to keep it if you’re wanting to still go that route. If you don’t have a 50a breaker, run it off your dryer plug that operates at 30a, if it’s electric that is. Just keep the wattage below 7,200.
Mine is 50a but I run it off 30a right now. So I can only run one element since mine are 5500, 5000 and 4500 watts. You’ll need to make a modification to the plug or get an adapter.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
This is completely true but for the sake of simplicity and the fact that 95% of all 240v electric home brewers use 5500w or 4500w elements these assumptions hold true for those people and causes less confusion for those new to electric home brewing..
Silentdrinker
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I understand why you said what you said. That’s why I added the caveat of wanting a higher wattage element for larger batches. My response wasn’t to challenge you or even for your education.
I figured he’s smart enough to understand a less simplified explanation for a better understanding of what his options are. Because he’s selling this panel due to the feeling that it’s “too much,” my response was for his sake. And I know you agree since you suggested he re-think his position. I simply gave him a bit more to think about.
A 30a v 50a panel contains minimal differences internally. The main difference would be some smaller gauged wires. There could be an extra switch/contact blocks and maybe an extra contractor & maybe an SSR—I’m not sure if this is a BCS or PID setup—to run another element. And a smaller box could save another few bucks. But it’s all minimal, only a few bucks.
Most people can find a 30a plug in their house but not many have a 50a plug. And it can be expensive to add one if you have to hire the work out. So that alone could be his reason.
Now he knows he doesn’t need to run it as a 30gal 50a setup if he’s only wanting a 10gal 30a. And now he understand that there isn’t a thousand dollars of “wasted” components if he doesn’t utilize it to its full potential.
I’m not sure what he paid for the system, and I’m not exactly sure what he’s wanting for his setup. He could be turning a profit selling it or he could be losing money. But chances are he wouldn’t save much money, if anything, selling this one to buy a similar 30a panel.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
View attachment IMG_7801.jpgView attachment IMG_7802.jpgView attachment IMG_7803.jpg
Ok here we are, the paint is from the brewer trying make the panel match their space.
Ok here we are, the paint is from the brewer trying make the panel match their space.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Im testing everything this week, Ill let you now how if anything needs replacing. Im having a electrician at work take a look at it. Im willing to ship.
milldoggy
Well-Known Member
The wire on your shunt looks hanging, that should be attached to your 50amp input in
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Yeah I saw that, Ill have my friend check it out. I also have the wiring diagram to give him so he can compare. Hes going to check all that before connecting anything.
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postalbunny
Well-Known Member
Just finished wiring one of these up... can confirm, that wire hanging off the shunt should be connected to a 50amp contactor that is missing. That empty space should have two hots coming in from the outlet plug and one hot going to the shunt (you can see hanging) and one hot going out to and daisy-chaining down the other two contactors (which appears missing)
The middle contactor is a 3 pole, which shouldn't matter but usually there would be three 2 pole contactors because we are only using two hots. That leads me to believe they had to rig some stuff up troubleshooting and could only find the 3pole variant. It would work fine as a replacement, just cost more usually. I'm surprised they had room for this. My panel is crammed tight and i have 2 pole contactors.
You're also missing the actual safe-start interlock. In the top middle there is a receptacle with a circle-looking plug-in. That's where the safe-start interlock goes. If you can't find this, you could always rewire to bypass that safety item, but i'd suggest you just buy one and pop it in as it could safe you some heart attacks when you have power surges and your panel blips on/off; or someone messes with a knob when the panel is stored and it's brought back out and plugged in... suddenly powering up elements or pumps.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
I do know they did take some parts out, from what I was told some parts needed replacing and someone who thought they cold do it...couldn't. This is why they just decided to order another custom one from Kal. They didn't build this one they purchased it new from The Electric Brewery
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
Thats nuts... If im understanding you, what your saying is due to about $40 in hardware and 15-30 minutes labor they couldnt perform correctly they decided to sell the while thing and buy another for a couple grand.. lucky day for you I guess...
Gameface
Well-Known Member
And to clarify the 30g+ vs back-to-back issue, that is a 30g+ panel.
That means you can either heat the two elements in the HLT OR the two elements in the Boil Kettle.
You cannot heat the HLT at the same time you are heating the Boil Kettle.
Useful for people making larger batches or who really want to get their HLT or Boil up to temp super fast on 20g or below sized batches. Not particularly practical for 10g or 5g batches.
That means you can either heat the two elements in the HLT OR the two elements in the Boil Kettle.
You cannot heat the HLT at the same time you are heating the Boil Kettle.
Useful for people making larger batches or who really want to get their HLT or Boil up to temp super fast on 20g or below sized batches. Not particularly practical for 10g or 5g batches.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Yup that and a combination of them moving into a new space with a bigger brew system. Not sure what system they went with as far as a pilot system. I'll update when i get new parts in and replaced. In the meantime if you want to make and offer send me a PM. Thanks guys. Cheers
If you're serious about selling this thing, you might want to consider moving this thread to the "For Sale" sub-forum.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
As discussed it can be somewhat practical (Well as practical at a two thousand dollar plus homebrewing control panel can be) For back to back batches when used with only one element in each kettle but both on at the same time. a person can use both in each kettle but knock it down to one in each kettle when boiling and heating up new water for next brew.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
Sale fell though on PM, friend is talking a look at everything and says a quick trip around the office and grainger and it's good as new. I will also strip panel and repaint black. Then I will move into For Sale. Thanks everyone for the help. Cheers.
Gameface
Well-Known Member
Wouldn't that require quite a bit of modification? It doesn't do that as sold from TEB, does it?
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I dont know if it comes with the capability but if not you would need about $30-40 in hardware in the form of 2 contactors and 2 3 way switches.
Ajae
Well-Known Member
I've posted the controller for sale in the "For Sale" forum.
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