What size SSR?

[chris246810]

I'm currently buying all the parts I need to build a simple control panel for my biab build, I will be using a pid to control two elements.
Will be using two 13amp mains ins, one for each 3kw element.
I know I will need two ssrs but not sure which ones I should get, logic tells me I should just get the next size up from mains supply which would be 16amp ssrs but a lot of the info I've been reading online says to use 40 amp ones.

Can anyone tell me which would be best to use.

[themadhippy]

go for the 40A,then your not running the thing close to its max capacity

[Wonkydonkey]

Ahh, the mad hippy beat me to it,

I went for the 40a as it was the next size up cos of what the mad hippy says. And I'm running 1 x3kw pigtail.

[chris246810]

ok cheers will get the 40, any suggestions on a decent make one for a decent price. in the maintenance catalogue at work they are all around the £50 mark compared to ebay chinese crap for about a fiver. trying to avoid cheap chinese stuff in my build, i want this thing to last for many years to come not changing parts every six months when the cheap parts fail but 50 quid is a bit much i think just for a relay.

[themadhippy]

crydom are the main decent manufacturer,but they aint cheep. Im using 2 elcheapo chinese clones and they've been fine

[AnthonyUK]

As long as you have a good heatsink the Chinese ones should last.
I've been using a Fotek 25A to controll my Buffalo for a couple of years without an issue.
At a fiver each I'd be happy to but a spare or two than pay £50 each.

The Brewpi project recommends PQLYT SSRs which are only a little more expensive than the cheapy Foteks.

[chris246810]

cheers guys, ill have a look around see what i can find.
Starting a part time electrical installation course tonight so hopefully all this electrical stuff will start making more sense to me soon, may even be cheeky and ask the tutor if he can get me any parts on the cheap.

[Crispylettuce]

[quote="chris246810"]I'm currently buying all the parts I need to build a simple control panel for my biab build, I will be using a pid to control two elements[/quote]
Just out of interest, are you doing this freestyle, or drawing inspiration from somewhere? I wouldn't have a clue where to start!

[chris246810]

Basing my pot build around the grainfather style system and the panel build will be a more simplistic version of the (american) electric brewery.
I'm lucky that my boss is very knowledgeable with control panels and also I've just started doing electrics at college and the tutor likes his ale so is happy to give me advice.
I'll start my build thread soon, though it's likely to be an ongoing project as I don't have the funds to buy everything in one go.