going electric, need some advice

[Beer_]

Hi,
My buddy got a 15 gal blichmann boiler maker G2 and plans to get the blichmann boil coil as well. We use it to brew one five gallon batch so far on his stove. It worked great but we are planning to move up to full boils and even ten gallon batches soon. We need to figure out how to get power, GFCI and variable control. Do you guys have any suggestions on the following....

1. GFCI protection. we'll be plugging into a 30 amp 220 volt dryer receptacle.
can't do a new breaker in the panel because it's a rental and will also run the dryer while not brewing. the spa box would work but I'm a bit unclear if this is advisable with the older three wire outlet and what amperage the spa panel should be. the inline cords look really straight forward but my impression is that they are not as reliable a real breaker.

2. Control. How critical is variable control on an electric setup? with the boil coil it's either all or nothing by plugging it in or unplugging it. doesn't seem ideal. Especially if a dry fire will burn it up instantly. not planning on rims/herms at this point just heating sparge water and kettle boiling.

3. on/off.is using a breaker, say in a spa panel sufficient for a power switch or is this too much of an abrupt change for the coil to handle repeatedly?

The big question is, is there a way to accomplish all of these in one shot?

thanks for your help!!!

 

[Riot]

In your position I would go with a power cord with gfci to the panel, a large contactor on a switch for main panel power, and either a PID temp controller capable of manual mode or a SSVR with a knob for power control. It really doesn't matter where you get ground fault protection as long as you have it, and I definitely couldn't deal with no power control for the boil. If you aren't setting up a RIMs or HERMs system and are only worried about power output for the boil I think the SSVR would be a better choice than the PID, for ease of use if nothing else

 

[doug293cz]

If your buying Blichmann gear, I'll assume your not looking to cut corners to save a couple $.

People who have tried manual on-off control for HLT or BK have not found them very satisfactory, so I would recommend at least a rudimentary control panel.

Since you won't have a neutral wire, you need to have everything in your control panel rated for 240V. If you don't want automatic temperature control on your HLT, then you should be able to get away with the following:

1. Box to house control components
2. Spa panel
3. 240V, 40A SSVR (not SSR)
4. 240V, 30-40A, DPST, 240V coil contactor
5. 240V SPST switch for contactor coil circuit
6. Potentiometer for SSVR (check rating required by SSVR)
7. Heatsink for the SSVR (+heatsink compound)
8. 240V LED lamp for power on indication
9. 3 pin 240V, 30A socket for connection to Boil Coil
10. 2X - 3 pin 240V plugs for Boil Coil & Spa Panel
11. 10-3 stranded wire cable

You can add more plug/socket pairs for more convenience at extra cost.

I am not an electrician. You are responsible for your own safety. If you do not have the requisite skills to do safe electrical work, then consult an electrician.

Brew on

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I just built my Electric setup.
50 amp spa panel plugged into a 3 wire dryer outlet
25foot extention cord running out of the spa panel so I can brew where I want
I use a pid control panel and use the power control for the boil.So yes it definitly works.
Couldn't tell you about a boil coil I used a 5500w element.

Most here will say you need a 20 gallon pot for 10 gallon batches

 

[Beer_]

If your buying Blichmann gear, I'll assume your not looking to cut corners to save a couple $.

People who have tried manual on-off control for HLT or BK have not found them very satisfactory, so I would recommend at least a rudimentary control panel.

Since you won't have a neutral wire, you need to have everything in your control panel rated for 240V. If you don't want automatic temperature control on your HLT, then you should be able to get away with the following:

1. Box to house control components
2. Spa panel
3. 240V, 40A SSVR (not SSR)
4. 240V, 30-40A, DPST, 240V coil contactor
5. 240V SPST switch for contactor coil circuit
6. Potentiometer for SSVR (check rating required by SSVR)
7. Heatsink for the SSVR (+heatsink compound)
8. 240V LED lamp for power on indication
9. 3 pin 240V, 30A socket for connection to Boil Coil
10. 2X - 3 pin 240V plugs for Boil Coil & Spa Panel
11. 10-3 stranded wire cable

You can add more plug/socket pairs for more convenience at extra cost.

I am not an electrician. You are responsible for your own safety. If you do not have the requisite skills to do safe electrical work, then consult an electrician.

Brew on

actually the bichmann was a gift to my buddy from his girlfriend:rockin:
I got socks....Awesome parts list. I'll look through each to see if I can make sense of it. I've got some electrical experience and know a few electricians who I could get to sign off on my project.

thanks

 

[Beer_]

I just built my Electric setup.
50 amp spa panel plugged into a 3 wire dryer outlet
25foot extention cord running out of the spa panel so I can brew where I want
I use a pid control panel and use the power control for the boil.So yes it definitly works.
Couldn't tell you about a boil coil I used a 5500w element.

Most here will say you need a 20 gallon pot for 10 gallon batches

Awesome, glad to hear someone is having success with this. how did you set up the PID panel?

 

[Beer_]

In your position I would go with a power cord with gfci to the panel, a large contactor on a switch for main panel power, and either a PID temp controller capable of manual mode or a SSVR with a knob for power control. It really doesn't matter where you get ground fault protection as long as you have it, and I definitely couldn't deal with no power control for the boil. If you aren't setting up a RIMs or HERMs system and are only worried about power output for the boil I think the SSVR would be a better choice than the PID, for ease of use if nothing else

Thanks, ease of use is exactly what I'm looking for. we're still relatively low tech at this point.

 

[jsledd]

I brew electric on the cheap...

I use a keggle...a buddy welded in a tri-clamp fitting for me.


Controller:
$45 - http://stilldragon.com/index.php/diy-controller-kit.html

GFCI: 240V, 30Amp, Inline, Manual Reset:
$153 - http://gfcistore.com/30-amp-inline-gfcis.html

Element: 5500W, 240V, Stainless Base
$60 - http://www.brewmation.com/Heating_Elements.html

Element Guard:
$35 - http://stilldragon.com/index.php/element-guard-kit.html

Plugs: $150 (bought enough for 2 kettles)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Socket-NEMA...684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c56a559c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEMA-L6-30-...011?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2310ae8c5b

Paid an electrician $160 to add two 30Amp, 240V plugs in my garage (one for HLT, one for BK).

Probably spent another $50-$70 on service wire to connect everything up.

Spent about $488 per electric kettle. I bought stuff here and there as I had the money.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Awesome, glad to hear someone is having success with this. how did you set up the PID panel?

After 2 months worth of questions here:cross: This was my setup with wiring diagram,should help.I eliminated the buzzer and added a switch,both easy changes

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/adjusting-pjs-wiring-help-506385/

Heres a completed pic,as simple control box as it comes...but works real nice
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/lives-507794/

 

[Beer_]

After 2 months worth of questions here:cross: This was my setup with wiring diagram,should help.I eliminated the buzzer and added a switch,both easy changes

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/adjusting-pjs-wiring-help-506385/

Heres a completed pic,as simple control box as it comes...but works real nice
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/lives-507794/

nice work. time to dust off the drawing board.

 

[Beer_]

I brew electric on the cheap...

I use a keggle...a buddy welded in a tri-clamp fitting for me.


Controller:
$45 - http://stilldragon.com/index.php/diy-controller-kit.html

GFCI: 240V, 30Amp, Inline, Manual Reset:
$153 - http://gfcistore.com/30-amp-inline-gfcis.html

Element: 5500W, 240V, Stainless Base
$60 - http://www.brewmation.com/Heating_Elements.html

Element Guard:
$35 - http://stilldragon.com/index.php/element-guard-kit.html

Plugs: $150 (bought enough for 2 kettles)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Socket-NEMA...684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c56a559c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEMA-L6-30-...011?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2310ae8c5b

Paid an electrician $160 to add two 30Amp, 240V plugs in my garage (one for HLT, one for BK).

Probably spent another $50-$70 on service wire to connect everything up.

Spent about $488 per electric kettle. I bought stuff here and there as I had the money.

I've been looking at the still dragon. how do you like it?

 

[SilverZero]

I got about as cheap as possible with my electric BK. I put a 5500w element in the pot (basically used the procedure from the Electric Brewery website, just with a few cheaper parts like Switchcraft connectors) and I control it with a 40 amp SSRV that is controlled with a single potentiometer. No external power, no PID or PWM, and I can dial in the boil strength with the turn of a knob. Super cheap and easy.

 

[doug293cz]

I got about as cheap as possible with my electric BK. I put a 5500w element in the pot (basically used the procedure from the Electric Brewery website, just with a few cheaper parts like Switchcraft connectors) and I control it with a 40 amp SSRV that is controlled with a single potentiometer. No external power, no PID or PWM, and I can dial in the boil strength with the turn of a knob. Super cheap and easy.

Hope you got that plugged into a GFCI protected outlet. Your a$$ should be worth more to you than the $$ you would save by skipping the GFCI.

Brew on

 

[jsledd]

I've been looking at the still dragon. how do you like it?

Yes, simple and works fine for what I do.