Auber Instruments "PID Controller for Tabletop Brewing"

[CordialWombat]

Hey everyone, I'm looking to move from a rather ghetto 3-tier propane system to something slightly more controllable, but honestly still rather cheap and hands on.

My plan is a two tier keggle-based HERMS system with 1 pump. HLT and MLT on one tier, gravity feeding from MLT to BK. In the HLT and the BK, I'll have a water heater element attached to keggles, going into a PID controller. The pump will be on a switch which I will manually flip when needed to recirculate.

I came across Auber's PID Controller for Tabletop Brewing
http://auberinc.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=533

I like the simplicity of just using this one controller. Having it plugged into my HLT as I heat strike water, and then for maintaining the temperature for recirculating through the HERMS coil. Once sparging is complete, I'll unplug the HLT from the controller, then plug in the BK and boil on manual mode.

The main question is, the controller states that it can drive power up to 4800watts, but is only rated up to 20 amps.

If I were running a 4500watt element on a 220v, wouldn't that draw over 20amps? (20.5 by my calculation)
Would this work, or will I be forced to use a less powerful heating element.

Thanks!

 

[Brumateur]

element rated 4500watt at 240V connected to 220Volt circuit will draw around 17amp and generate around 3800Watt of heat.

 

[jeffmeh]

If your heating element is rated 4500w / 240v, then you would draw 18.75a at 240v, less if your voltage is less, e.g. 220v.

Edit: Brumateur beat me to it and even did the math! lol