clearance electrical wire

[mendozer]

picked up some stuff at Lowes today and saw a 25 ft coil of 8-2 for $35, regular priced $60. I plan to go electric in the future so I thought why not get it.

Assuming I understand this right: 6500 W / 220 V = 29 Amps. So for a two element setup, one element per wire into the spa panel. And two wires going into two 40A breakers from the spa panel to the fuse box.

Yes?

And I can use this same wire for the element, spa panel, and fuse box lines?

 

[brewerJase]

Do you plan on running both elements at the same time?
Also you more than likely have 240 not 220. So you're closer to 27A.
#8 is good for 40A so it's perfect to feed the elements. But to feed the panel I would run a #6


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[mendozer]

I MAY run them both i don't know, but that's why they'd be on separate channels.
Why the smaller size from the panel if it still allows 40A?

 

[brewerJase]

I MAY run them both i don't know, but that's why they'd be on separate channels.

Why the smaller size from the panel if it still allows 40A?

Run one #8 to each element and a #6 to the panel. A #6 is bigger than a #8 and good for 60A
Also a 4500w works great for a 5 gallon batch.


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[mendozer]

Oh so you're saying you'd have ONE #6 wire going into a 60 A single breaker?

 

[brewerJase]

A #6 is good enough to run both elements. But you'll need to control the elements. Do you have any plans on what type of controller you'll use?

 

[mendozer]

Off the top of my head, HLT would have a PID and BK would either have SSVR or just on/off since it only has to boil

VERY simple electric setup. My pump is DC solar pump so that's different

 

[brewerJase]

I would use an ssvr for sure. An element at 100% can be a little to much. so you'll need a #6 wire feeding a control panel then into a fuse block or two 2pole 40a breakers. Now that you have two 40a 240v circuits you can feed a pid and a ssvr. Then you can use the #8 wire to feed your elements.

 

[mendozer]

help me understand why #6 is needed from CP to fuse. I saw that #8 is rated up to 40A, #6 is up to 55A. Since two wires are going from CP to fuse panel to two separate 40A fuses, why the bigger wire? Does it have to do it bigger capacities being upstream? Failsafe before a short gets to the fuse box, etc?

Give me the non-electrical but still smart answer

Also, don't most peopl use spa panels, where does that come into play? In between fuse and CP I thought.

 

[brewerJase]

If you use two wires to the control panel then two wires the the elements then using #8 is fine and you won't need any breakers in the control panel. I was talking about using one wire from the electrical panel to the control panel then two wires to the elements.


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[mendozer]

ah I see now i get it. To simplify things, and reduce the cost to buy more wire, I would do that into two ports in the panel. thanks