sicktght311
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- Joined
- Oct 16, 2018
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Pulled the trigger finally on building my 3v 120v brewing controller. I've been using a hacked up inkbird IPB for over 2 years and its finally time to build something where i'm not constantly moving cables and wires, and can handle a full 20amps.
Basically a stripped own version of the Kal/ElectricBrewery controller, all running 120v 20amp power to control a 2000watt element in the boil kettle, and HLT. I'm currently running 1650watt elements but i'm upgrading to triclamp 2000watt elements soon, so i'm building this with 20amp in mind. Input power will be a 12/3 cable through the controller with a cable clamp to secure it, and the low voltage will be 16awg since its just powering PIDs, and the two pumps i use barely draw 2 amps max together (tan DC solar pump, and 25watt mark II). The controller box will be an IP67 plastic enclosure so i went for a ground bus strip instead of grounding to the enclosure like on the Kal.
My only question is instead of running the 12awg input off the power relay into a bus bar and distributed from there, should i run the 12awg out of the contactor directly to the first SSR, and piggy from that SSR over to the 2nd, and tie a 16awg off the contactor output and run THAT to the bus to power the pids and pumps? Thereby keeping all of the high amp drawing power leads off of the bus? Or does it really not matter and so long as the bus bar is rated for the voltage and amperage, it shouldnt be an issue and keeps everything neat and tidy without having to crap two 12awg wires into one SSR terminal
Basically a stripped own version of the Kal/ElectricBrewery controller, all running 120v 20amp power to control a 2000watt element in the boil kettle, and HLT. I'm currently running 1650watt elements but i'm upgrading to triclamp 2000watt elements soon, so i'm building this with 20amp in mind. Input power will be a 12/3 cable through the controller with a cable clamp to secure it, and the low voltage will be 16awg since its just powering PIDs, and the two pumps i use barely draw 2 amps max together (tan DC solar pump, and 25watt mark II). The controller box will be an IP67 plastic enclosure so i went for a ground bus strip instead of grounding to the enclosure like on the Kal.
My only question is instead of running the 12awg input off the power relay into a bus bar and distributed from there, should i run the 12awg out of the contactor directly to the first SSR, and piggy from that SSR over to the 2nd, and tie a 16awg off the contactor output and run THAT to the bus to power the pids and pumps? Thereby keeping all of the high amp drawing power leads off of the bus? Or does it really not matter and so long as the bus bar is rated for the voltage and amperage, it shouldnt be an issue and keeps everything neat and tidy without having to crap two 12awg wires into one SSR terminal
