Panel Switches

A forum for those who boldy recirculate where no man has. .... you know the rest
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Robski

Panel Switches

Post by Robski » Wed Feb 01, 2017 8:32 pm

Hello All,
My first post so firstly Hello!!!!!

I'm building my Panel....

I'll only be running a single PID to my trusty Cygnet Burco FB BIAB mash tun. Recirculating via a solar pump and insulated copper pipe relying on the Burco element to provide heat. This has been working well and I top up the heat with "manual" control of the element and a couple of strategically place digital probes.

So for my panel...... I was planning on using IP rated 16amp 240v DPST switches (Maplins) for the following
i) Master on/Off
ii) Pump (currently a 13amp socket with 12v wall wart.... looking at LED Drivers.....)
iii) to isolate the heating element.

As I have been obsessively searching Panel Builds I'm now thinking that I should be looking at relays for the master and element.....

I know Relays would be the ideal but the switches are sufficiently rated for the 2.4kW element. I would rather KISS for now. Would the switches serve and be safe????

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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Wonkydonkey
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Re: Panel Switches

Post by Wonkydonkey » Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:12 pm

well hello Robski, and welcome to jim's.

You should be able to learn a lot from here,
but I,m no sparky so can't realy answer your question. There are a few on here that could, and I think your best aswer would probably come from the madhippy...

So let's hope he pops in soon :=P

Cheers
To Busy To Add,

aamcle
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Re: Panel Switches

Post by aamcle » Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:18 pm

It sounds like a good system and I'd think you will be fine, 10 amps for the element and a fraction more for the complete system and you have 16 amp switches. Reading through your post again you haven't said how many amps you need, if your going to use 16 A switches with a 13 A draw they will need to be very good quality I've ruined a couple of cheap Centre Off DPDT switches.

If you look at automatically controlling the temperatures, the burco is unlikely to be be accurate enough. So then you will be looking at a PID / SSR combination and I would very highly recommend a PT100 probe rather than a Thermocouple. PT100s are usually accurate easy to use and calibrate were as thermocouples are the devil to calibrate.


Good Luck aamcle

Robski

Re: Panel Switches

Post by Robski » Wed Feb 01, 2017 10:21 pm

Hi Guys thanks for the speedy responses.

I'm figuring on 10.5 amps (2.4kw @230V) draw so plenty on knuckle room for the switches. These are what I've ordered.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ip65-rated-dp ... -red-n32bq

I'll be using the InkBird ITC-100 with 40A SSR and a PT100.

My recirculation system is currently very simple.... a pump and well insulated copper pipe as a riser. With a whole bunch of insulation on the Mash Tun I was surprised that the ability of the system to maintain a steady temp even at 5*C ambient. I've done a couple of manual brews and got some pretty good results.

For now the temp probe will sit insulated against the copper pipe rather than in a thermowell... Temp temp solution :D

I too am not entirely sure that the burco element will be ideal but I just fancy getting the panel up and running. All my boilers (20l & 30l Burco + 40l Buffalo) are now fitted with 16A commando as is the output on my proposed panel. As Required I will run each boiler through the panel... only ever one at a time!!! I've only got a 16amp breaker in the garage.

Excuse the mind dump!!!! I know you'll find this surprising but everyone else I talk to about this stuff tries to leave the room!!!!!

I've found a home!!!!!

republicofbeer

Re: Panel Switches

Post by republicofbeer » Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:17 am

I think you may not be understanding SSRs. On one side you have a dc signal from the PID, best place for your switch is in this cable. The SSR then activates the AC element circuit the other side. This makes the switching of the element far safer than switching the AC element and is what I did on my panel. My panel is somewhat bigger than what you are doing as it runs 14kW of elements at a time, but its the same principle


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AnthonyUK

Re: Panel Switches

Post by AnthonyUK » Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:32 am

republicofbeer wrote:I think you may not be understanding SSRs. On one side you have a dc signal from the PID, best place for your switch is in this cable. The SSR then activates the AC element circuit the other side. This makes the switching of the element far safer than switching the AC element and is what I did on my panel. My panel is somewhat bigger than what you are doing as it runs 14kW of elements at a time, but its the same principle


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I generally agree with this but some SSRs do leak a bit of current and some of the cheaper ones are know to have fail closed so it's not a 100% method of isolation but for simple on/off control during use it is OK.

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Re: Panel Switches

Post by Fil » Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:29 pm

i am not an electrician nor am i qualified in any way to give advise.. (never stops me tho..)

as long as any switch you use is rated for the sort of current it will handle its fine to use. SSRs can bleed a nominal current, mine leaked enough to warm elements just over body temp in 20 mins so not a great deal. .. But an isolating switch on the live feed is not a bad idea at all imho .

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Re: Panel Switches

Post by beer taster » Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:09 pm

Hi Robski

I use similar Maplin switches on my control box. The switch for the boiler element is manual (i.e. does not go through a PID/SSR ). The HLT and HERMS elements are controlled by the PID/SSR and the switch. I've had this control box running for many years but I am planning to upgrade the control this year as the wooden panel was only supposed to be a temporary measure :oops: :oops:

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Mark

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