Keg still electrical questions.....

[Funlovingfool1970]

Hi everyone. I recently upgraded to a keg still and wanting to go electric. I plan on using my 240v 30amp 4 prong dryer outlet as a power source. I have also purchased a cheap SCR, a 240v 5500w ULWD heating element, and 15ft of 10-3 SOOW cord. Below is the SCR that I have:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-110V-220 ... 3f44d427c4


It is my understanding that the left side terminals of the SCR is the "hot" inputs, and the right side with the little pitchfork symbols is the output side. I plan on grounding to the bottom skirt of the keg using a soldered or screwed terminal. However I have read if my SCR is in a metal enclosure such as this one that it must also be grounded, otherwise I could simply run continuous ground wire from outlet to keg. I'm a little confused on how I go about wiring the ground for both this particular SCR and keg???

My other questions deal with the 10-3 SOOW cord. I had purchased 15ft and intended to cut it into 10ft and 5ft lengths. 10ft from dryer outlet to SCR, and 5ft from SCR to the keg element. Is this too long to be acceptable or will I experience loss and/or heat issues? The outlet in my house is wired approximately 50ft or less from breaker box to the dryer outlet.

The final question is about what type of twist lock plug I can use for my 10-3 SOOW cord to connect the dryer outlet. It's rated at 250v 30amps on a 30amp breaker. Below is what it looks like:


Would this plug below work on the end of my cable for this outlet? I'm a little confused because all the dryer cords I've seen have the rounded ground plug/pole. All the twist locks have a bladed look. Also could use a dryer cord as long as I cap off the nuetral wire? I really wanted the extra length of the 10ft SOOW cord though.


Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would love to enjoy the benefits of going electric, without the risk of killing someone. As a safety precaution I plan covering any exposed terminals using appropriate methods found on this forum. Many thanks!

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

If you're asking if you can plug that plug into the outlet you pictured, then no. They are two very different plug types.

If your asking if you can make a cable with the dryer plug on one end, and a twist lock on the other, then yes.

go from your controller to male dryer plug that matches your outlet. Then use a male twist lock on your keg, and female twist lock coming from your controller.

For your grounding question, as long as your keg ground, dryer outlet ground, and controller ground all meet somewhere, you should be good.

[Funlovingfool1970]

If you're asking if you can plug that plug into the outlet you pictured, then no. They are two very different plug types.

If your asking if you can make a cable with the dryer plug on one end, and a twist lock on the other, then yes.

go from your controller to male dryer plug that matches your outlet. Then use a male twist lock on your keg, and female twist lock coming from your controller.

For your grounding question, as long as your keg ground, dryer outlet ground, and controller ground all meet somewhere, you should be good.

Thanks for the info Drunk-N-Smurf. I assume I cap off the neutral wire on the dryer cord since it won't be used? And can the twist lock plugs(not the dryer oulet plug) be 3 prong as long as they are rated for 240v 30 Amps? Would connecting both the keg ground wire and outlet ground wire together somewhere on the SCR metal casing work, or should I run a seperate length of 10 gauge wire from the SCR and connect them all elsewhere? Thanks

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

If you're asking if you can plug that plug into the outlet you pictured, then no. They are two very different plug types.

If your asking if you can make a cable with the dryer plug on one end, and a twist lock on the other, then yes.

go from your controller to male dryer plug that matches your outlet. Then use a male twist lock on your keg, and female twist lock coming from your controller.

For your grounding question, as long as your keg ground, dryer outlet ground, and controller ground all meet somewhere, you should be good.

Thanks for the info Drunk-N-Smurf. I assume I cap off the neutral wire on the dryer cord since it won't be used? And can the twist lock plugs(not the dryer oulet plug) be 3 prong as long as they are rated for 240v 30 Amps? Would connecting both the keg ground wire and outlet ground wire together somewhere on the SCR metal casing work, or should I run a seperate length of 10 gauge wire from the SCR and connect them all elsewhere? Thanks

Yes, cap the neutral.

Yes connecting both grounds to the scr would be sufficient. I'd use the screw beside your terminals as the ground screw.

Are you putting the scr into another enclosure?

[bearriver]

I use the same cord and scr/s (plural)

The two left is input, the two right is output. Put the ground eyelet on the screw holding the case together. You can find that screw just left of the input terminals or on the back. There are two that you can use.

The cord length is fine. I use 6' of 6/4 SOOW in, and two 15' lengths of 10/3 SJOOW out. Your 6 gauge SOOW has a higher rating than my 6 gauge SJOOW, and mine doesn't even get warm under full loads.

Get these plugs or something like it for the connection between the keg and controller. You only need 3 prong. (two hots and a ground) Twist locking is a bonus safety feature. Links:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement-30- ... 1c319c93fb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement-30- ... 19ddd5e468" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Your dryer outlet will not accept a twistlocking plug. I would install a designated outlet for your still from your breaker box, but that may not be totally necessary. However it's a cheap task and worth considering...

For connecting your controller to the dryer outlet, you can match the outlet with a male receptacle from just about any big box hardware store such as the Home Depot. An employee will help you if you take that picture of the outlet with you to the store.

Before you hook up to the dryer, look to see what the breaker for the dryer is rated for. Your controller will pull 23 amps or so and should be protected with a 25a -30a breaker. I wouldn't use a 50a breaker to protect a 23a appliance, but I'm also not a certified electrician. So take that part with a grain of salt...

[Funlovingfool1970]

Thanks again Drunk-N-Smurf. I would like to put the SCR in another enclosure with strain relief. Don't like the idea of having any exposed connections.
And thanks for the detailed info Bearriver. I appreciate the links to the plugs too. They are cheaper than the ones I had on my watch list already. Great help guys!

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

I wouldn't use a 50a breaker to protect a 23a appliance, but I'm also not a certified electrician. So take that part with a grain of salt...

The breaker in your panel is not to protect the appliance. It's there to prevent overload on the wiring of the house which could cause a fire.

What you have said is essentially "I wouldn't protect a 100watt lightbulb with a 15amp breaker"

The better plan would be to install a breaker or fuse in the controller enclosure that is rated to just over the max draw of your circuit. I.e if your circuit draws 23amps, use a 30amp breaker in your enclosure. Just remember if you add extra plugs in the enclosure for other things, those loads need to be taken into account as well.