Twist lock receptacles

[auburntsts]

Why twist lock type power receptacles on brewery control panels for 110v power (i.e. pumps) vs normal 3-prong wall receptacles?

 

[BeardedBrews]

Because Kal says so!

They are also not prone to wiggling loose and exposing the connections during use. I am not qualified to offer you advice from an electrical code standpoint, instead I will say that standard plugs and basic light switches have been working fine for me for quite some time.

 

[Master]

Partially because on the Kal clone panels, the plugs are on the bottom, and the twist locks won't pull out from gravity.

 

[auburntsts]

,...and the twist locks won't pull out from gravity.

OK, I get the security factor but that seems unnecessary. I have ceiling mounted receptacles in my garage that literally have had extension cords hanging from them for years and I've never had one fall out on its own despite lots of movement on the cords -- way more than what you would see with a typical e-brew setup.

Plus there wouldn't be a need to mod the pump's cord or fab an extension cord with the right twist lock end. As I day-dream about building my own panel, just trying to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

 

[flars]

A standard three prong plug beginning to come loose in an outlet can cause arcing that can trip a GFCI circuit. Can also cause some melting. Just less to worry about with the twist lock.

 

[BeardedBrews]

OK, I get the security factor but that seems unnecessary. I have ceiling mounted receptacles in my garage that literally have had extension cords hanging from them for years and I've never had one fall out on its own despite lots of movement on the cords -- way more than what you would see with a typical e-brew setup.

Plus there wouldn't be a need to mod the pump's cord or fab an extension cord with the right twist lock end. As I day-dream about building my own panel, just trying to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

I'd consider how you plan to take down your brewhouse at the end of the day before you make the call on your plugs. I've started adding disconnects at the kettle end so that when I'm done I can take things apart and store more easily.

If you're going to leave your equipment set up all the time, then that night not be a concern for you at all. If cost is a concern then surface mount dryer/range connections for everything might be just fine for your needs.

You could even get a clean look by mounting the standard outlet inside the control box and then routing the 3 prong cord inside the box to plug it in.

 

[lschiavo]

I used straight blade receptacles on my panel for pumps. The commercial grade receptacles are much better quality and hold a plug far better.

 

[mongoose33]

OK, I get the security factor but that seems unnecessary. I have ceiling mounted receptacles in my garage that literally have had extension cords hanging from them for years and I've never had one fall out on its own despite lots of movement on the cords -- way more than what you would see with a typical e-brew setup.

Plus there wouldn't be a need to mod the pump's cord or fab an extension cord with the right twist lock end. As I day-dream about building my own panel, just trying to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

Be careful extrapolating from one instance to another.

I've had receptacles that are very tight and it's difficult to pull the plug from them. I've also had receptacles that have almost no resistance to pulling the plug.

I suspect also that the likelihood of a plug falling out is related to other vibration. In a garage ceiling, for instance, there's likely to be vibration from garage doors opening and closing. In other contexts, not.

 

[augiedoggy]

Why twist lock type power receptacles on brewery control panels for 110v power (i.e. pumps) vs normal 3-prong wall receptacles?

In reality they arent really needed at all. But we all like to overbuild with the "Best" possible solution when we can I guess. and I suppose some people may unplug and plug them in on every brew session which could make them more loose over time but like you I have regular outlets on my garage ceiling and never had that happen..

Plus I'm not sure about now days or if this really had any bearing on the choice of components but,
The links on kals site used to net him a small commission (he was very open about this and theres nothing wrong with it) when you used them to buy your components so the less standard the stuff is the more likely you would be to just use those links vs your local sources for less and risk buying the wrong thing.

I use connectors like these myself for my 240v elements.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1Pcs-Water...167866?hash=item28024b18fa:g:rYkAAOSwMmBVjBgj
they are small, inexpensive, they screw on and the soldered connections dont have to be retightened like the screw terminals I also was able to build the panel in my avatar, a 3 element "kal clone" with pwm dc pump control for three pumps and flow and level switches for my elements for under $300 so there's a lot of unnecessary expense in that control panel from my point of view but everyone's opinion will vary on this.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

You can use whatever plug and receptacle you like, providing its rated for the voltage and current. It's up to you to think about things like safety, vibration, possible splashing, annoyance factors, etc. Beyond that, pick your poison and budgetary constraints.

 

[itsnotrequired]

You can use whatever plug and receptacle you like, providing its rated for the voltage and current. It's up to you to think about things like safety, vibration, possible splashing, annoyance factors, etc. Beyond that, pick your poison and budgetary constraints.

this. there is no code requirement which calls for the use of twist-lock plug/receptacles. that being said, keep in mind that code represents bare minimums, it is certainly acceptable to go beyond. twist-locks offer the 'piece of mind' that they will not fall out over time, are heavy-duty, designed for frequent use, etc. but commercial-grade straight blade receptacles are pretty darn good as well. this would be my bare-bones recommendation, i would not recommend the cheapo $0.40 receptacles from the big box stores. a commercial receptacle will run you, what, $1.75? seems like a decent upgrade for less than $2, especially if it is a mobile setup where pumps are plugged/unplugged frequently.

 

[augiedoggy]

this. there is no code requirement which calls for the use of twist-lock plug/receptacles. that being said, keep in mind that code represents bare minimums, it is certainly acceptable to go beyond. twist-locks offer the 'piece of mind' that they will not fall out over time, are heavy-duty, designed for frequent use, etc. but commercial-grade straight blade receptacles are pretty darn good as well. this would be my bare-bones recommendation, i would not recommend the cheapo $0.40 receptacles from the big box stores. a commercial receptacle will run you, what, $1.75? seems like a decent upgrade for less than $2, especially if it is a mobile setup where pumps are plugged/unplugged frequently.

Thats a very fair point, I just replaced a charred elcheapo 15 amp wall outlet for my neighbor last week that almost burned her house down with a 1500w electric heater plugged into it. it burned where the wire was pushed into the cheap quick connects in the back and melted the whole outlet as it caught on fire.

The ironic part was the super cheap 14awg wiring and .50 outlet was installed about 15 years ago by the company her insurance company recommended after her house almost burned completely down! they did a terrible job using those quick connects in the back and piggybacking lights at the other end of the house with outlets at the opposite end. (I did check and the breakers are 15 amp)

My earlier point was only to reinforce the point that special receptacles and plugs while nice, arent needed. obviously quality stuff should be used. I it took me ordering a couple different types of 25-30a 3pin connectors until I found some that were good quality and that I feel comfortable with using myself.

 

[itsnotrequired]

if you have something like an end table lamp, you could use that cheapo receptacle for years on end without issue. it is a small electrical load that won't place large heat-up/cool-down thermal stresses on conductive components, it is likely not plugged/unplugged frequently so there is minimal mechanical stress/wear on the receptacle, etc. the electrician who installed the receptacle in the first place really didn't do anything wrong and seemingly 'met code' but there are plenty of best-practices out there that can help reduce the potential for incidents in the future. avoiding non-intuitive lighting/receptacle grouping is one. not using those back stab connectors is another. seems like most receptacle issues are associated with using those stabs on the back. they really should be avoided, be it for general residential wiring or a brew panel.