My Latest Project.........

[Mr Walleye]

Hey Ice

What do you think of my idea for heating the unit and the watt size?

Mike

[Consiglieri]

Looks like great fun, Mike.  Good luck completing it. 

[pensrock]

Mike we did some heating calculations at work and figuring in a load of 30 pounds of meat, it looks like it will take 1750 watts to get the temp to 200 degrees in about 45 minutes. 2500 watts would get a 30 pound load to 200 in about thirty minutes. You'll most likely be doing more than 30 pounds at a time. The calculator did not list rock wool so we selected 2-inches of a rigid board material that we use in low temp cases. The heat loss for the insulation and 30 pound load will be about 300 watts. Hope this is useful, the 1450 watts you plan to use will get it to temp but will take longer and the recovery from opening the door will be longer also. At work we always error on excess heat rather than too little output. Using a PID temperature controller if it needs less heat it will just back off more, it can't add more heat than available. You will also have the 150 watts from the smoke generator. We did not add in any weight for the rack material or anything else that may be inside the tower at start up.
pens

[Mr Walleye]

Thanks Pens

I'm just in the process of calculating my total draw in amps. I will post what I come up with tonite.

Mike

[Mr Walleye]

I did some calculations...

Smoke Generator - 1.25 amps
2 x 900 watt finned Strip heaters - 15 amps
Blower - .65 amps
PID - ?? (probably so little it wouldn't matter)
Grand total - 16.9 amps

So, if I changed to two 900 watt finned strip heaters I should still be able to run it on a 20 amp circuit with 12/2 wiring.

Does this sound correct?

Mike

[iceman]

Close enough !!!  ;D

[Mr Walleye]

Opps....

I just checked my garage and it's got 15 amp breakers with 14/2 wire.

I knew I should have waited till I got home before I made that last post!  ::)

I do have 2 plugs about 3 feet apart that are on separate breakers. I guess I could break it up and use both plugs with out rewiring it.... What's your thoughts?

I guess another option would be to run a 240 line there and go that route.

Mike

[westexasmoker]

I don't see why splitting on the two breakers won't work, although a new circuit would work also!

C

[pensrock]

If it were me I would run a new 12/2 with gnd, line to a 20 amp receptical and use it only for the heat and one of the 15 amp recepticals for the other items. I bought one of the 900 watt finned heaters for my BDS but have not got around to installing it yet. It looks like a well built item. I'm glad to see you decided to up the heat, I would much rather have more than needed than not enough. If it were me I think I would be looking at the 1000 watt heaters, but I'm like Tim the toolman..... More POWER!!!  ;D ;D

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

I guess another option would be to run a 240 line there and go that route.

I'd go 240, then do one of two things. 1) Use a 240 volt outlet and plug to your box or 2) use a conventional 120 outlet and "split" it. This allows you to use conventional plugs (albeit two). You would still need to separate each heater element on to it's respective 120 volt leg.

Leftover kilowatts for additional adult beverage fridge, another freezer for all the stuff you are making, or small supercomputer to manage everything. I think you need some high brightness LEDs for door trim. Of course, it needs to be on the network with it's own URL so you can browse to it and make adjustments.

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Mr Walleye]

Thinking about this, my PID has to control both heaters together. So, if I was to use the two separate circuits that are currently there. The two 900 watt heaters would draw 15 amps plus the very limited draw of the PID. I could easily run the smoke generator and the blower off the other circuit. The question is... would the 15 amp circuit handle it?

I know I use my Cabelas Commercial Dehydrator on one of the circuits now and it has a 1600 watt element plus a blower in it.

Mike

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

If you are asking about putting 1800 watts on a single branch circuit, I would not do it. You will have trips...

Arcin' & Sparkin'

[Mr Walleye]

If you are asking about putting 1800 watts on a single branch circuit, I would not do it. You will have trips...

Arcin' & Sparkin'

Thanks Arcs

I'm going to have to re-think this. If I have to run another circuit over there I might just as well do the 240 and boost the heaters a bit more as Pens indicated. I have lots of room on my panel.

Mike

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

I'd have to look at the Auber specs, but I think you could have your PID drive two SSRs. Each SSR would control each heating element on its own circuit. Your only addition would be a second SSR and associated wiring; everything else is the same.

Reddy Kilowatt

[Mr Walleye]

Arcs... You da man!  8)

I sent a quick email to Auber and they confirmed there is no problem for controlling two separate SSRs. The controller output can control at least three SSR in parallel.

Thanks again

Mike