Changing from 120v to 240v system.

[jcs401]

If the OP reduced to a 4500w element, could the 12-3 wire remain?
Just a thought.
Depends on your batch size goals, 4500 is still plenty of heat for 5 gal, and sufficient but a little slower for 10 gal

So I would not need 10/3 wire at all? Just put a 240v plug on the end instead of the 120v 20amp plug I currently have?

 

[laredo7mm]

I thought about doing the same thing since I already had a 12 gauge line ran to the 120 outlet, but 4500W at 240V is 18.75A. The max amperage for 12 gauge wire is 20 amps. That was too close for me so I ran a separate 10 gauge line.

 

[wilserbrewer]

That was too close for me so I ran a separate 10 gauge line.

Do you wear a belt and suspenders?

J/k, we all have our own comfort level. Afaik, close is fine, exceeding is not. Me have circuit breaker mon no worry.

 

[jcs401]

Perhaps I'm lost. So if I kept all my wiring the way it is but switch out my 20amp 120v plugs to say a 240v dryer plug and outlet then install a 30amp gfi outlet/breaker, I could run a 4500 watt element??

 

[laredo7mm]

Do you wear a belt and suspenders?

J/k, we all have our own comfort level. Afaik, close is fine, exceeding is not. Me have circuit breaker mon no worry.

Yeah, I hear ya, and I thought about it. I am not an electrician and I searched for answers since I seemed to remember that the "common" load ratings for wire are not the ratings for continuous use. Continuous use from what I gathered is anything over 3 hours. I have done 3 hour boils before on my barleywine. So to play it safe, I put on the belt and suspenders, and used the 80% rule.

 

[doug293cz]

Perhaps I'm lost. So if I kept all my wiring the way it is but switch out my 20amp 120v plugs to say a 240v dryer plug and outlet then install a 30amp gfi outlet/breaker, I could run a 4500 watt element??

You still need to change from single pole switches to double pole switches, or you won't actually be able to turn the system full off (remove voltage downstream of the switches.)

Brew on

 

[doug293cz]

I thought about doing the same thing since I already had a 12 gauge line ran to the 120 outlet, but 4500W at 240V is 18.75A. The max amperage for 12 gauge wire is 20 amps. That was too close for me so I ran a separate 10 gauge line.

I think the 20A limit is for wires embedded in walls and such. For cords, UL says 12AWG is good up to 25A, if only two conductors carry current (for runs less than 50'.) A 240V system without neutral meets the two current carrying conductor restriction.

Brew on

 

[jcs401]

So looking over everything, it looks like the cost would be pretty great in price to do and switch all this over. I am wondering, I have a 2000watt element and a 1500 watt element. As stated the 2000 and or 1500 watt alone neither one was enough to get a rolling boil on say a 6 gallon batch. So my thought here; rather than switch all switches and outlets and cords on the pid controller and having to add a 220 outlet, if I used my 2000 watt element on a single pole 20amp breaker into a duel outlet gfci 20 amp plug for my mashing/recirculating, could I then when time to boil plug my 1500 watt element hot rod into a separate 15amp circuit?? This would be a total of 3500 watts come boil time, would this be enough for a good solid boil?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, 3500w will be adequate for a 6 - 6.5 gallon boil, perhaps even more with a little patience.

Huge difference between 2000 and 3500 IME, like finding second gear lol

 

[jcs401]

So can I wire a 110v 20amp two receptacle gfci to a single pole 20amp breaker? Or does it need to be 20amp two pole 220v?

 

[doug293cz]

So can I wire a 110v 20amp two receptacle gfci to a single pole 20amp breaker? Or does it need to be 20amp two pole 220v?

110/120 GFCI receptacles are wired to a single pole breaker.

Brew on

 

[jcs401]

110/120 GFCI receptacles are wired to a single pole breaker.



Brew on

So just wire the outlet,
Black; hot
White; neutral
Bare/green; ground

Then connect black to the 20amp spare breaker and white to neutral bar and ground to the ground bar correct??
Also, can I use 10/3 for this even though it is a 20amp?? This way down the road if I decided to buy the gfci 30amp 220 and outlet, the 10/3 wire would already be ran??

 

[doug293cz]

So just wire the outlet,
Black; hot
White; neutral
Bare/green; ground

Then connect black to the 20amp spare breaker and white to neutral bar and ground to the ground bar correct??
Also, can I use 10/3 for this even though it is a 20amp?? This way down the road if I decided to buy the gfci 30amp 220 and outlet, the 10/3 wire would already be ran??

Yes to what connects where.

There is no problem with using wire rated for higher current than the breaker, as long as the wires fit into the connections.