50 or 60 amp breaker for control panel ?

[RickCask]

I'm building a electric brewery control panel for 2 -5500 watt heater probes.
My GFI Spa panel is 60 amps at 240 volts which will be hard wired into the control panel.
I can use a 50 or 60 amp two pole 240 volt breaker from my service panel to power this set up. Power first to the Spa Panel and then from there to the control panel.
Would there be any advantage to using the 60 amp breaker ?
I was thinking about future up grades or other benefits.

 

[stevehaun]

How much more does it cost (breaker, wire, outlets, etc)? It may not be worth the difference. 60 amp stuff costs a fair bit more than 50 amp.

 

[augiedoggy]

A 5500w element draws 22 amps.... 2 running at the same time for back to back brewing is 44amps Max and I believe a large pump draws between 3-4 amps... so 50a will work OK unless you are powering more equipment off your panel at the same time.

 

[Geordan]

I put 60 in because it allowed me to run my HLT and BK (48 amps together) with two pumps going (another 4a or so) without worrying about bumping up against my breaker capacity. The cost of a 60A GFCI was negligible compared to a 50, and the cost of the supply wire was about 20% more overall (maybe $25 for the entire run.)

 

[augiedoggy]

I put 60 in because it allowed me to run my HLT and BK (48 amps together) with two pumps going (another 4a or so) without worrying about bumping up against my breaker capacity. The cost of a 60A GFCI was negligible compared to a 50, and the cost of the supply wire was about 20% more overall (maybe $25 for the entire run.)

Good point,
For me since it was a longer run I was looking at over twice the cost $100+ (6 gauge is a lot more expensive than 10 as well as a lot harder to run or fish through walls if needed)...So this could matter for some more than others and since I dont see myself really spending 8 hours doing back to back brew batches it wasn't a very serious consideration.

 

[RickCask]

A 50 ampere breaker will work for me now. Since my Ground Fault Spa Panel is 60 amps I can just change the breaker in the sub panel at a later date and increase it to 60 amps if desired.
I assume 3 #6 wires (hot, hot, and neutral )with a #10 ground wire will work and be up to code with either the 50 amp or 60 amp breaker from the sub panel to the spa panel.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I'm building a electric brewery control panel for 2 -5500 watt heater probes.
My GFI Spa panel is 60 amps at 240 volts which will be hard wired into the control panel.
I can use a 50 or 60 amp two pole 240 volt breaker from my service panel to power this set up. Power first to the Spa Panel and then from there to the control panel.
Would there be any advantage to using the 60 amp breaker ?
I was thinking about future up grades or other benefits.

Uh, well...if you had a 60a breaker, 60a spa panel and wiring that is recommended for a 60a load in the distance from your main to the subpanel...I guess that you could run even bigger heating elements in the future. 11,000w heats up a lot of water, though. Not sure if you'll ever need any more juice than 50a, unless you're going pro.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I put 60 in because it allowed me to run my HLT and BK (48 amps together) with two pumps going (another 4a or so) without worrying about bumping up against my breaker capacity. The cost of a 60A GFCI was negligible compared to a 50, and the cost of the supply wire was about 20% more overall (maybe $25 for the entire run.)

I'm running 50a for two 5500w elements running at the same time, along with 2 PID's, two beer pumps, two thermo displays and some lighted switches. No problems after a year, year-and-a-half of using it.

 

[augiedoggy]

I'm running 50a for two 5500w elements running at the same time, along with 2 PID's, two beer pumps, two thermo displays and some lighted switches. No problems after a year, year-and-a-half of using it.

I would assume with all that running at the same time you should be topped out right at about 50 amps draw however thats with guessing your pumps draw less than 3 amps a piece...otherwise your elements are putting out less than 5500w which most do... my two 4500w ones draw 17.4 amps max on one and 18.2 on the other...

I find I can run one of my two larger 4500w elements at the same time as my control panel with two of my dc 24v pumps as well as my 1000w rims and still only draw about 26 amps... If I did brew back to back brews I could see the advantage of a bigger circuit..as it is now I have to temporarily shut down my 220v chiller for my fermentor temp control while brewing just to be safe since they are on the same circuit..

If the main box was in my basement as well as my brew panel I would have likely done it but I had to go from a downstairs closet to a bedroom upstairs and down the hall... plus I have a 60a hot tub running and only a 100a main service into the house... really wish I had a basement...

 

[LandoLincoln]

I would assume with all that running at the same time you should be topped out right at about 50 amps draw however thats with guessing your pumps draw less than 3 amps a piece...otherwise your elements are putting out less than 5500w which most do... my two 4500w ones draw 17.4 amps max on one and 18.2 on the other...

I find I can run one of my two larger 4500w elements at the same time as my control panel with two of my dc 24v pumps as well as my 1000w rims and still only draw about 26 amps... If I did brew back to back brews I could see the advantage of a bigger circuit..as it is now I have to temporarily shut down my 220v chiller for my fermentor temp control while brewing just to be safe since they are on the same circuit..

If the main box was in my basement as well as my brew panel I would have likely done it but I had to go from a downstairs closet to a bedroom upstairs and down the hall... plus I have a 60a hot tub running and only a 100a main service into the house...

Each pump draws about 1.4a.
Each element draws about 22.9a (although I've never actually measured the draw).

So that's 48.6a.

 

[augiedoggy]

Each pump draws about 1.4a.
Each element draws about 22.9a (although I've never actually measured the draw).

So that's 48.6a.

gotcha... I dont know why I though the pumps had a larger draw than that...with the pids and leds you would likely be right about 49amps.. in reality though your 5500w elements likely only draw about 22amps based on the experience I have had measuring the 5 elements I have...

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

I've had mine setup for 2 years or so. 50a at the panel, 60a spa panel. I run a 4500w element in the BK and a 5500w in the HLT, 2 pumps, and the exhaust fan all off the panel - plus the LEDs and what not. Never had a problem. I opted to go with the 4500w in the BK because it's still plenty of juice, and it doesn't have to work as hard as the HLT - taking wort from 170 to boil is easier than taking it from 50 to 170 in the HLT. I get a heavy boil on 14gallons at 75% power. Sure, you could get two 5500s in there, but are you doing yourself any favors pushing the breaker near its maximum limits?
-Kevin