Jimbo's Electric Conversion

[The KYChemist]

I have two fans, running off a wall-wart, in my controller box. You can hear them, but they don't bother me one bit. I also bought a PC fan speed controller, if they were too loud, but haven't needed to install it.

[White_Lightning_Rod]

Most modern 12V wall power adapters are universal and can work from 120V and from240v as well. Just check writings on your adaptor. If it does support 220-240 you can wire it inside the box.

Doing this using the 240 leads how would you wire the wall wart? H1 to one leg of the wart and H2 to the other? or H1, H2 to one, ground to the other?

[Stillernz]

Hi Guys,

Has anyone tried using a digital controller? I am looking at
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Silicon- ... 62274.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Or is it best to stick with the one like Jimbo's?
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/AC-220-1 ... 21920.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The decision between these 2 option is driving me crazy! I will be putting an amp & volt meter in it too.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Jimbo]

Ya they don't work. http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 0#p7203410

[Stillernz]

Thanks Jimbo! One last question, with wiring the wall-wart in did you simply dismantle it and use it as parts to wire in a 12v fan? I am also looking at the 220v fans (here in NZ we are on 220v)

[Jimbo]

No I left it whole in its nice protective plastic box and cut an extension cord down to 1' to plug it in inside the box. Zip ties keep everything secure

[HDNB]

It was easy to reach in and tighten the nut on the keggle since the top is cut out. It was damn tricky in the still. i ended up using a couple dabs of hotmelt gluestick. Nontoxic and benign stuff, I chewed a bit and it was flavorless. I presssed the nut into the glue, using my finger reaching up into the hole, then used a torch to the outside to reflow the glue again to be sure the nut came down flush to the keg. For seals I used the ones that came with the elements, on the outside of the keg up against the element flange to avoid any contact with the hooch. The elements sit at the 3 gallon mark in the kegs. So minimum run size is around 5 gal.

Big thread, apologies if i missed this: where in the still are you putting this second element?

i get the one in the keg boiler, i'm up on ohm's law and appreciate the links for the controller, but i'll be damned if i can figure out where or why i'd install one in the still itself. i'm researching an electrical upgrade... i'm running a 54" CM column on a 15 gal boiler on a 1500w hotplate and these 7-9 hour runs are getting tiring... obviously affecting my reading comprehension skills... please enlighten

thanks for all the other great info and pics.

BTW... i believe stranded copper will more efficiently carry a given load than solid core of similar awg due to the "skin effect" of copper electrical conductivity, contrary to a post a ways upstream here.

[T-Pee]

BTW... i believe stranded copper will more efficiently carry a given load than solid core of similar awg due to the "skin effect" of copper electrical conductivity, contrary to a post a ways upstream here.

Only at voltages above 480 does it become an issue.

tp (electrician)

[Jimbo]

HDNB, you dont know why youd put one in a still? Why? Theyre great in a still, I do strippers at 4000 watts and spirit runs at 2000 watts. Works beautifully.

[T-Pee]

i get the one in the keg boiler, i'm up on ohm's law and appreciate the links for the controller, but i'll be damned if i can figure out where or why i'd install one in the still itself.

I think we have a terminology issue here. Is HDNB is considering the "still" as the column itself only? In that case I understand the confusion.
Bottom line: Both of the elements go in boiler.

tp

[HDNB]

i get the one in the keg boiler, i'm up on ohm's law and appreciate the links for the controller, but i'll be damned if i can figure out where or why i'd install one in the still itself.

I think we have a terminology issue here. Is HDNB is considering the "still" as the column itself only? In that case I understand the confusion.
Bottom line: Both of the elements go in boiler.

tp

yessir, i read "still" as column. since the boiler keggie was already mentioned....i was trying to get my head around the glue/nut/finger/hole thing. after 9 hours in the shed today and the chestnut thoroughbred mare being out of town all week...well what can i say? i'm dangerous on my own.

thanks for clearing that up.

[Jimbo]

Maybe this will clarify. This is the keggle (Keg kettle) that I use for heating water and making beer. It has an element. I have another without the top cut out. It fits the head and is my still. Both half barrel kegs. Each has its own 5500W ULWD element. When I need 28 gallons of boiling water for a batch of bourbon I use both to heat water.

[HDNB]

crystal clear now.

i did not pick up there were two separate units here. i was melting my brain trying how and why you had an element stuffed into the still head column...and that no one had called you out on it...
i knew i was missing something (reading comprehension) but could not put it to rest...had to know.

thanks again for the great links, it will help when i'm hottin' up the boiler with one of these elements and controllers.

[Stilldrunk]

I want to go electric with a 25 gallon milk can boiler, so say heating around 75L of wash at a time, would a 55000w element be enough?

[Jimbo]

yes that would be fine. 5500 watts will have no problem with that. As a reference I boil 12 gallons of beer at 3000W, do 12g spirit runs at 2000 and stripper runs at 4000. You could bring 22 gallons, 80+ liters, to a rolling boil in that tank no problem at all with 5500W. You could speed things up by wrapping a fire proof insulator blanket around the boiler.

[Stilldrunk]

yes that would be fine. 5500 watts will have no problem with that. As a reference I boil 12 gallons of beer at 3000W, do 12g spirit runs at 2000 and stripper runs at 4000. You could bring 22 gallons, 80+ liters, to a rolling boil in that tank no problem at all with 5500W. You could speed things up by wrapping a fire proof insulator blanket around the boiler.

Now I want it bad! Can't wait to do some test runs.

Thanks for the great info.

[lampshade]

When running that power, insure that your wash has cleared. Burnt yeast gives off a terrible smell.

[bearriver]

When running that power, insure that your wash has cleared. Burnt yeast gives off a terrible smell.

Agreed. I right now am loathing the fact I have to clean out burnt residue in my boiler. Hell...

[opihiman911]

Jimbo, awesome tutorial on doing an electric conversion. I am in the process of building mine using the suggested materials you mentioned. I have two questions to wrap up my build.

When wiring in the 250v analog meter, do you run a sensor wire to one or both of the output hot wires onto the positive post? I assume this can be common 18g wire since it just a sensor and not a load wire? Can I just ground the negative post in with all the other ground wires? Or should I ground it directly to the regulator? Sorry electrical isn't my strong point and my electrician nephew is away on vacation for the next month and I don't want to wait that long.

Second question is for someone who used the 3000 pound stainless steel NTP coupler. When I thread in my 5500w camco element, it doesn't thread in all the way flush to mate with the gasket. Is this okay since this is taper threads and will self seal? Or do I need to wrap the threads with teflon tape?

Thanks for all the help.

Peace,
Opihi

[Jimbo]

220 out is hot 1 and hot 2. No ground. 1 side to each side of the meter.

Teflon tape is your friend for sealing.

[Stonemull]

BTW... i believe stranded copper will more efficiently carry a given load than solid core of similar awg due to the "skin effect" of copper electrical conductivity, contrary to a post a ways upstream here.

Only at voltages above 480 does it become an issue.

tp (electrician)

skin effect is related to frequency and material resistance and only becomes an issue at 50/60hz with massive power cables, so they use multiple smaller cables instead.
use of a higher voltage means a lower current for the same power capacity, meaning a smaller cross section can be used reducing skin effect.
stranded copper will also make no difference unless each strand is insulated as in litz wire, gets used in high power RF transformers.
at 60hz, no need to worry about skin effect till your cables are an inch thick and its all needed for current capacity. solid or stranded, no matter.

[fatman]

What is a "walmart"?

[The KYChemist]

What is a "walmart"?

I believe you meant "wall wart"... It's basically the plug part of a cell phone charger, that plugs into the wall. So named because they are bulbous and sometimes unsightly to those who desire a cleaner looking wiring job.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wall+wa ... 72&dpr=0.9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[rager]

1 side to each side of the meter.

uh? I understand H1 and Hot2. what meter are you talking about? a volt meter testing ?

thanks

[The KYChemist]

1 side to each side of the meter.

uh? I understand H1 and Hot2. what meter are you talking about? a volt meter testing ?

thanks

He was referring to the two terminals on the back of the analog voltmeter. This is the common one, I and a lot of members use. A wire, from each of the hot output terminals, is connected to the terminals on the back of the gauge. I used 10 gauge wire for my whole controller build. As far as I know, it doesn't matter which terminal you hook each wire to, as I believe they aren't polarity specific. I could be wrong though.

EDIT: So... H1 to a terminal on the back of the gauge, and H2 to the other terminal. Coming from the output side of the controller.

[fatman]

Oops, I read it as walmart! My bad! And I already wear reading glasses!

[sambedded]

Voltmeter should be connected in parallel with load (heating elemnt). Since the current through voltmeter is very small you can use any AWG wire even 26 is Ok. But insulation should be rated at least 400V.
Since we dealing with AC there is no polarity, so it doesn't matter which voltmeter terminal to be connected to wich heater leg.

[Jimbo]

Thanks KY, I was answering Opihi question. See Sambedded's comments below as well, no current flow so 'sense' wires to the voltmeter can be any guage as long as the insulation is rated for high voltage.

When wiring in the 250v analog meter, do you run a sensor wire to one or both of the output hot wires onto the positive post?

1 side to each side of the meter.

uh? I understand H1 and Hot2. what meter are you talking about? a volt meter testing ?

thanks

He was referring to the two terminals on the back of the analog voltmeter. This is the common one, I and a lot of members use. A wire, from each of the hot output terminals, is connected to the terminals on the back of the gauge. I used 10 gauge wire for my whole controller build. As far as I know, it doesn't matter which terminal you hook each wire to, as I believe they aren't polarity specific. I could be wrong though.

EDIT: So... H1 to a terminal on the back of the gauge, and H2 to the other terminal. Coming from the output side of the controller.

[NattyBoh]

Jimbo, I have a pot still (keg with 2" column and shotgun) and just added the 5500/220 element. Would the 10000w 220v SCR be the simplest controller to add? (Including a fan). I got confused when reading another thread about the SCR and it only putting out half of the power so 2 were needed...like I said it was confusing.

[Jimbo]

Yes, that 10,000 watt one is great. Youll only pull half its rated power so it never gets that hot. A fan is still a good idea since it will be in a box and needs air movement to get the hot air out of the box. I have 2 of them in a box but each drives its own 5500W element. So I can have 2 tanks going at once. If you do that make sure your input line and breaker is sized right, see my writeup for details.