sicktght311
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- Oct 16, 2018
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For you electric brewers out there with home electrical knowledge.........
Most electrical brew systems running on 120v utilize 1650watt elements, such as the Clawhammer system, advertising them as being able to run on a single 15amp household circuit. Which on paper, works......1650watts = 13.75amps on 120v, plus maybe half an amp for a lower power pump, and you're at around 14amps, on a 15amp circuit. Good to go. Stepping up to a 20 amp circuit, you could run a 2200watt element, as is sold by BrewHardware, at 18.3amps, plus small pump or two, and you're under 20amps. Good to go
However every electrical code out there requires 80% total load capacity, which means that 15 amp outlet is overloaded above 12amps, and you're running the risk of fire. 20amps you should run no more than 16amps. In theory then, none of this should be safe, and the only safe way to brew at 120v is on a 20amp circuit limiting your element size to 1650watts, and at 240v 5500 watts is maximum on a 30amp circuit.
So then who here brews on a 15amp circuit, with 1650watts, or a 20 amp circuit with a 2000-2200watt element, and have you had no issues with things heating up? I've been brewing on my system with a 1650watt element and 2 small pumps (1x DC, 1x AC, both pull no more than .5amps together), DIY controller with 12awg wiring, plugged into a 20amp circuit with a 25ft 12/3 extension cord and the cord and outlet never been warm to the touch at all. My HLT element recently died, and i decided it was a good opportunity to upgrade to a 2200watt element, and move my 20amp outlet closer so i dont have to use the extension cord anymore. But now i'm second guessing whether i'm introducing a fire hazard running at more than 80% load capacity on a 20amp circuit for 2+ hours at a time while water heats up and boils
Most electrical brew systems running on 120v utilize 1650watt elements, such as the Clawhammer system, advertising them as being able to run on a single 15amp household circuit. Which on paper, works......1650watts = 13.75amps on 120v, plus maybe half an amp for a lower power pump, and you're at around 14amps, on a 15amp circuit. Good to go. Stepping up to a 20 amp circuit, you could run a 2200watt element, as is sold by BrewHardware, at 18.3amps, plus small pump or two, and you're under 20amps. Good to go
However every electrical code out there requires 80% total load capacity, which means that 15 amp outlet is overloaded above 12amps, and you're running the risk of fire. 20amps you should run no more than 16amps. In theory then, none of this should be safe, and the only safe way to brew at 120v is on a 20amp circuit limiting your element size to 1650watts, and at 240v 5500 watts is maximum on a 30amp circuit.
So then who here brews on a 15amp circuit, with 1650watts, or a 20 amp circuit with a 2000-2200watt element, and have you had no issues with things heating up? I've been brewing on my system with a 1650watt element and 2 small pumps (1x DC, 1x AC, both pull no more than .5amps together), DIY controller with 12awg wiring, plugged into a 20amp circuit with a 25ft 12/3 extension cord and the cord and outlet never been warm to the touch at all. My HLT element recently died, and i decided it was a good opportunity to upgrade to a 2200watt element, and move my 20amp outlet closer so i dont have to use the extension cord anymore. But now i'm second guessing whether i'm introducing a fire hazard running at more than 80% load capacity on a 20amp circuit for 2+ hours at a time while water heats up and boils