power control

[i_m_Braveheart]

hi Guys
please go easy on me here as i know you have probably answered this question over and over again i have read many of your articles on Phase angle controllers and triac controllers and how to build them but believe me electrics are way over my head so here goes.

i want to know if there is a simple plug and play device here in the uk i can purchase to control a 3 kw immersion heater also will one 3 kw be sufficient my still is of a reflux design (see below) my boiler is a standard 50L SS beer keg over here in Scotland we have 230 v supply i have looked at the Router speed controls but we cant get them over here in the uk any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated from anyone but i think this is one more directed at uk distillers

ps stil was constructed from internet plans exactly like picture so any constructive comment will be appreciated

[Lupus]

I will be watching this thread with interest. New to the hobby and have absolutely no electrical skills. A plug & play controller may cost a little more but will probably end up safer in my hands

[ErnieV]

You don't need a controller, 3kw will be plenty, I'm in Yorkshire and have made a bokacob slantplate that I am going to use mainly in pot still mode.

Read the explanation about why you can't control the temperature.


iPhone Tapatalk

[Dnderhead]

try this,,,heat water to a boil...take the temperature,,? now turn up the heat,,take the temperature what is it at now?
ok,, alcohol/water is the same way.it boils somewhere between that of water and that of alcohol.this will depend on the mix.
so you can control the rate of boil but not the temperature.

[MitchyBourbon]

I would recommend getting a controller. I have a 100 liter boiler with 5500 watt element and it heats up fast. I rarely use more than half power, so 3000 watts is plenty. The purpose of the controller is to control how hard you run, not temp. With a 3 kw element running without a controller you will be running at full power. I think you are gonna be running your boiler pretty hard. IMHO.

[i_m_Braveheart]

thank you very much with your advice so far

i see what you are saying ErnieV but this means i will be running my still at full power constantly so to speak and i also understand the theory behind controlling the temp what i am hoping to do is like someone said before its like putting on the potatoes at full power then once they boil turning down the heat till they are just simmering i feel the way Lupus does and to quote him "A plug & play controller may cost a little more but will probably end up safer in my hands" this has been doing my head in for weeks now and its the only thing holding me back.


i think i will just go ahead and run the still and hope that maybe someone in the UK will come up with a gadget like the router speed controller you can get in the USA if anyone out there has any other idea on how to control these immersion heaters or an alternative to them (but staying electric) i would love to here from you.

but thanks for all your input so far guys i do appreciate it

[ErnieV]

On the brupacks boiler there is a thermostat, it turns the boiler on and off dependent on where you set it.

These work well for making beer, try your local home brew stockists.

Like this one



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[YHB]

Have a look at this one

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/linear-vo ... s/0655644/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The catalogue is not too clear - but there are two types of controller in the same series -

1) a stepped controller that has three preset settings
and
2) a variable version with a potentiometer

- they are available in 6, 10 & 15 A sizes

[BigWilly]

I'm building a different column design but using more or less the same components and facing the same predicament with the power controller. I'm going to buy a keg and start that part of the build next week so am interested in which way you go with it. The controller YHB pointed out looks good but would 15A be ok for a 3kw heater? Did you use a standard immersion heater element? I was thinking of welding in a stainless steel flange and then using an old 3kw screw in immersion heater element i have in the loft somewhere. Like the look of your column by the way - nice one

[i_m_Braveheart]

Cheers YHB

this might very well do the job

Bigwilly

i use a standard 3KW immersion heater bought for £14 if you go to ebay and type in the following

Stainless Steel 316L Immersion Heater Element Flange, Backing Nut, Bio Fuel

this is what i welded to the keg the standard uk immersion heater just screws right in it is way cheaper than a Essex flange

[BigWilly]

Yeah that's the exact same one i have on my watch list - like i say our components are mostly the same by the sounds of things. Keep me up to date on your controller - maybe look into the amps on that one.

[ErnieV]

I'm building a different column design but using more or less the same components and facing the same predicament with the power controller. I'm going to buy a keg and start that part of the build next week so am interested in which way you go with it. The controller YHB pointed out looks good but would 15A be ok for a 3kw heater? Did you use a standard immersion heater element? I was thinking of welding in a stainless steel flange and then using an old 3kw screw in immersion heater element i have in the loft somewhere. Like the look of your column by the way - nice one

A=W/V

So, 3000W / 240V = 12.5A

So, yes, the 15A one will be OK for a 3KW heating element. I would make sure you've got your heatsink done well though.

[MitchyBourbon]

ErnieV said:
On the brupacks boiler there is a thermostat, it turns the boiler on and off dependent on where you set it.

I brew beer too and this is a good way for controlling mash temps but this is not so good for controlling your still. You don't want your power cycling on and off.

[ErnieV]

good point well made.

It does keep a rolling boil going in my setup, even though it clicks on and off.

I've not used it in a still though, I've got a SS keg and gas burner that I can turn "down"

[MitchyBourbon]

I've not used it in a still though, I've got a SS keg and gas burner that I can turn "down"

That will work nicely.

[n1cod3mus]

I just bought 3 of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230893394398? ... 1497.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

not bad for £4.95 if you dont mind waiting 2 weeks for it to turn up from china.

[i_m_Braveheart]

cheers n1cod3mus

just bought a coule of these myself

[Stainless]

Hi, that thing needs a much bigger heatsink on it and a fan to handle that powr. Old pc processor heatsink should do and the fan but you need 12v or ? to run the fan
Cheers
Stainless

[n1cod3mus]

cheers n1cod3mus

just bought a coule of these myself

i thought they were a good buy, RS componants do the same thing in an enclosure for £39 inc vat!!!

I just thought it was easier than making it my self.

my plan is to drill a hole in the plastic cap of the heater element, remove the knob from the controller and undo the nut, push the thread through the hole and do the nut back up and put the knob back on, this will require removal of the thermostat in there but if we are bypassing it anyway its redundant.

[n1cod3mus]

Hi, that thing needs a much bigger heatsink on it and a fan to handle that powr. Old pc processor heatsink should do and the fan but you need 12v or ? to run the fan
Cheers
Stainless

well my element is 3kw do it would never run flat out plus the idea is not to run it at full power for long, the one from RS has the same size sink on it. its a 5cm x 5cm heatsink which is not far off a CPU heatsink.

just have to run it and see how it goes.