Help me think through my electric panel design

[Car Ramrod]

My long term goal is to build a full brucontrol semi automated panel that will control 3 heating elements(2 being operable at once). But I'm ready to get into stepped mashing now. So I want to build a bare bones PID controller to control a single element.

I already have a 50 amp GFCI breaker in my garage. I don't want to have to buy a second main power cord later on. I also want all cables to be able to be unplugged from the control box.

My thought is to have one main power cord with say a female SS2-50R locking plug or a Cali style 50 am locking plug(would probably have to build this) and have the male outlet on the controller box. I would then have that wired directly to a 30amp fuse/breaker. Other than this being a massive plug, and assuming I can find a box big enough to fit it, would this be practical?

ETA: im going with a 50 amp panel now....

 

[doug293cz]

Unplugging at the panel ends of the power cables is certainly doable, but unplugging from the control panel enclosure adds significant cost and bulk to a design. You can get most of the portability benefit from hardwiring the power input and element output cables to the control enclosure, and having them disconnect at a wall outlet and the element.

There is no such thing as a "male outlet" outlets are always female, and the mating plugs always male. It would be extremely hazardous to have voltage on the exposed blades of a power cord, or at an "outlet."

Brew on

 

[Car Ramrod]

Unplugging at the panel ends of the power cables is certainly doable, but unplugging from the control panel enclosure adds significant cost and bulk to a design. You can get most of the portability benefit from hardwiring the power input and element output cables to the control enclosure, and having them disconnect at a wall outlet and the element.

There is no such thing as a "male outlet" outlets are always female, and the mating plugs always male. It would be extremely hazardous to have voltage on the exposed blades of a power cord, or at an "outlet."

Brew on

Ok maybe i misspoke on the male outlet....maybe i should have said receptacle or inlet, but basically a recessed male plug for the power in to plug into. Like below. But i can see it is 86 bucks just for that. http://www.powerdistributiononline....0-vac-california-style-locking-flanged-inlet/

Well i could just get a main poer cable that is a 14-50p and 14-50 R, then get a 14-50P to L14-30R dongle cable for 16 bucks on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matter...M8Z5KAQD1MW&psc=1&refRID=0R6Z6QFZWM8Z5KAQD1MW

and use a L14-30 inlet for 22 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DK3M1D...olid=3PAPDSNIXQ461&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[augiedoggy]

Its would work but will it be worth it? I believe it will violate code since that 30a outlet is only meant to pass 30a unless your panel is only going to draw 30a max.. your limiting yourself to one element at a time here when you have the power onhand for two. Is this panel something you have to teardown and store between brew sessions? To make things easier and to free up space on my panel surface I used short pigtails with a female plugs wired to them at staggered lengths

 

[Car Ramrod]

the panel was only going to pull 30.....but going through my processes last night i think i need to run 2 elements..... so im going to move up and put to pids and elements and have a full 50 amps coming in.