Electric boil kettle control

[RubberToe]

Wire the neutral to your panel and use it for 110v stuff. If you're having a panel that is. Pump, etc.

Sent from the brew timer.

[TimG]

X, considering they are worthless POS'.. I can't see it having much value on the free market..

Rubber, no panel so I'll likely end up not bothering with neutral. I'm going to be building a seperate, small 120V 'control panel' with a PID to control a 120V element (either mounted to the BIAB hybrid cooler or as a typical heat stick). I'm going to attempt to run the SCR 240V element controller w/ passive cooling (it does have a big heat sink) and see how I make out.

[bluenose]

I got my ebay controller thingy in the mail today...

now what?

[TimG]

You and X put together the setup while he is on vacation, and then I copy it! Sounds like a plan to me!

[jtmwhyte]

You and X put together the setup while he is on vacation, and then I copy it! Sounds like a plan to me!

Tim forgot the step where I tag along to cheat for when mine arrives

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[jtmwhyte]

Trevor,

Is that an ultra-high-density element? Where did yo get it (guessing Amazon.ca). Need to pull the trigger soon as well.

I'd like to get this discussion going a bit about wiring for this setup. I'm thinking straight wiring (10 gauge) from 30 amp dryer plug to 'box' that holds the controller. Wire direct to controller. Maybe I should go with an off switch? Can I really get a 30 amp 240V switch that won't have some power loss? Then direct from box to element, with maybe a 30 amp plug in between (to allow the box to be disconnected from the element/kettle easily).

Looking for a good source for the above components. Princess Auto? Local electrical supply place (will I get reamed with 'retail prices'?).

As far as actual wiring.. my dryer plug is 4 prong. Is this beneficial or does it complicate things? As I understand it, the 4 wire setup has a neutral wire which is needed only if I also want to run 110V circuits off the same plug. Is this right? Should I just buy 3 wire cable and a bare 4 prong plug and ignore the neutral prong?

Grounding.. I don't want to get into an argument on whether or not GFCI is required or not, what I do want to know is how do I design the best/safest/most reliable grounding into the system? Ground the element to ground wire in cable, ground wire in 'box' is just straight through (doesn't go into controller)? Then should I 'trust' the ground circuit at the dryer plug or something I take the ground wire to 'ground' myself. For example there is a big ass metal sewer pipe nearby. Should I clamp the ground wire to this to be sure of a 'super good' ground connection?

Ok, that's a good start on the discussion (me with a bunch of assumptions and quesitons, ha).

Tim,

Sorry I missed your question at the beginning of that diatribe. It is UHD and I purchased it from a shop in Iowa on eBay
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 0936816084" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure if they listed more, but it arrived super fast and tracked.

[bluenose]

Trevor,

Is that an ultra-high-density element? Where did yo get it (guessing Amazon.ca). Need to pull the trigger soon as well.

I'd like to get this discussion going a bit about wiring for this setup. I'm thinking straight wiring (10 gauge) from 30 amp dryer plug to 'box' that holds the controller. Wire direct to controller. Maybe I should go with an off switch? Can I really get a 30 amp 240V switch that won't have some power loss? Then direct from box to element, with maybe a 30 amp plug in between (to allow the box to be disconnected from the element/kettle easily).

Looking for a good source for the above components. Princess Auto? Local electrical supply place (will I get reamed with 'retail prices'?).

As far as actual wiring.. my dryer plug is 4 prong. Is this beneficial or does it complicate things? As I understand it, the 4 wire setup has a neutral wire which is needed only if I also want to run 110V circuits off the same plug. Is this right? Should I just buy 3 wire cable and a bare 4 prong plug and ignore the neutral prong?

Grounding.. I don't want to get into an argument on whether or not GFCI is required or not, what I do want to know is how do I design the best/safest/most reliable grounding into the system? Ground the element to ground wire in cable, ground wire in 'box' is just straight through (doesn't go into controller)? Then should I 'trust' the ground circuit at the dryer plug or something I take the ground wire to 'ground' myself. For example there is a big ass metal sewer pipe nearby. Should I clamp the ground wire to this to be sure of a 'super good' ground connection?

Ok, that's a good start on the discussion (me with a bunch of assumptions and quesitons, ha).

Tim,

Sorry I missed your question at the beginning of that diatribe. It is UHD and I purchased it from a shop in Iowa on eBay
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 0936816084" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure if they listed more, but it arrived super fast and tracked.

They listed 2 more, and I bought 1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141021531623?ss ... 1497.l2649

[jtmwhyte]

Just figured I'd post some pics of the controller

[jtmwhyte]

So I'm, as my engineer and electrician friends would say, "an idea guy". As an idea guy I have little practical knowledge of how to "do" things like this. I'm putting this out as a plea for help and an attempt to create an online guide for others attempting to wire this setup. I'll provide photos of each step as it's completed but I need the steps to actually do it.... So,

Step 1: drill kettle

parts list

[mr x]

I think that's a good first step. Get the element in the kettle. The Electric Brewery site has some good info too.

[jtmwhyte]

I think that's a good first step. Get the element in the kettle. The Electric Brewery site has some good info too.

Thanks X, I checked out the Electric Brewery site and go some of what I needed to start. I'm still going to grab pictures as I go through the process to help out with other people's setups and have stupid questions.

[bluenose]

Did you get any further along with your electric controller?

I have the ebay controller thing-a-ma-jig and a heating element... now what?

[jtmwhyte]

Did you get any further along with your electric controller?

I have the ebay controller thing-a-ma-jig and a heating element... now what?

I'm in the same boat. I got the controller, element, gang box and covers. I have a 4 prong dryer outlet, but I'm not sure how to wire the controller. Can you just tape off the neutral coming from the dryer outlet?

[mr x]

Did the unit come with a wiring diagram?

[jtmwhyte]

Did the unit come with a wiring diagram?

Nope. It came in a bubble wrap bag, lol.

[AllanMar]

Unless I'm missing something.

Red/Black from dryer cord to AC IN
Red/Black from AC OUT to heating element

Ground to metal in enclosure for controller and to the vessel the element is installed in. If you don't need the neutral you can tape it up.

[mr x]

That sounds right.

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[jtmwhyte]

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[mr x]

Are those two screws for the elements touching that box. Looks a bit scary from here....

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[Jayme]

Yup agreed. Unless there is some sort of insulator inside that hole not visible in the picture... You're going to have a bit of a bang.


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[jtmwhyte]

It's not cut or nearly assembled yet. I'm using the electric brewery kettle build as a template

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[Jayme]

Very good. That shows it much better.


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[bluenose]

Where'd you get your washers and hardware? I'd also like to know where you got your dryer cord

Have you figured out what you're doing at the other end with the controller? any fancy PIDs or monitoring gizmos?

[mr x]

You won't need a pid with that unit. It will proportion the power with the dial.

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[bluenose]

are we basically controlling the boil the same way we would on a stove? Just dialing it to a sweet spot?