Brew-Boss and Spa Panel configuration

[Feem74]

Looking for some help on how to connect my new Brew-Boss system to a spa panel. Most of the research I find addresses a 3-wire power supply from the drier to the spa panel and 4-wire to a control panel. I have a 4-wire drier plug and the Brew-Boss system is 3-wire to the control unit. Does anyone have this same setup, or is there a wiring diagram that shows how this should be configured?

I thought I had it set up correctly, but when I compared it to a 3-wire drier plug configuration (here) it was different.

My supply (black cable) is connected to the lugs, the neutral is connected to the neutral bus and the ground is connected to the ground terminal. I have the Brew-Boss control panel line (red cable) connected to the ground bus and the breaker.

Thanks for your help!

 

[SeeMont]

I'll give this a try from what I remember, there are a few other posts about this. What is different with the three wire and four wire is that the four wire uses a ground wire. The three wire is two hot legs and the white neutral leg. Your gray and black are your hot legs and your white is neutral. Hope you enjoy the Brew Boss.

 

[ingchr1]

You have it correct, Brew Boss gets connected:

Black - Hot
White - Hot
Green - Ground
Neutral - Not Used

 

[Feem74]

Thanks guys! I also finally found the interactive diagram on spadepot.com that confirmed it. Can't wait to get this project finished and try out the new Brew-Boss.

 

[ajdelange]

You have it correct, Brew Boss gets connected:

Black - Hot
White - Hot
Green - Ground
Neutral - Not Used

This is not kosher. White is neutral. Hot legs are Red and Black. Ground is bare, green or green with a yellow stripe. If indeed the white wire is hot it should be marked, in the junction box, with a piece of red tape, paint, nail polish or something like that so that the heart of a properly trained person (or me, even though not properly trained) doesn't skip a beat when looking into the box or at the picture.

 

[ingchr1]

This is not kosher. White is neutral. Hot legs are Red and Black. Ground is bare, green or green with a yellow stripe.

Agreed, but that's the colors of the wire that comes with their unit and it's indicated as such in their instructions.

Good advice to remark the white with something.

 

[ajdelange]

This is actually pretty common. My generator and heat pump in Canada are wired with black/white for the phases.

The tape is a simple fix and actually renders the installation kosher per the NEC if you do it at both ends (i.e. at the equipment and in the panel).

 

[chiefwigms]

Not to thread jack, but I've searched a bunch and have found that the consensus is to add a spa panel. Unfortunately, I'm in a condo with no room for a panel - here's my proposed solution (haven't seen any posts about this):



I know the inline GFCI is probably 2x the price of a panel, however, does anyone see any issue with this setup? The dryer will never be on at the same time (I'm in the condo by myself).

Thanks!
-Pete

 

[PaulB]

That looks like the best way to go, especially because the box looks sealed up well. You are allowed to use the white as another hot when there is no neutral for 240V. Usually at the connection ends I would wrap a piece of red electrical tape around white insulation about 1/2" from where it is stripped as an indicator that it is being used as a neutral. The only time you would need that neutral is if you were going to use some 120V along with the 240V like some guys do in their control panels. This setup is perfectly safe given that box in between has the GFCI.

 

[ajdelange]

Why mess with the dryer? Just get the proper receptacles for the outlet and the GFCI box and make a jumper of SJOOW or something similar.

Now all this assumes that the Brew Boss is strictly 240V i.e it isn't attached to any 120V loads. In this case you need the two hots and the ground but do not need the neutral. Make sure the in-line GFCI is configured this way (and yes, those things are unbelievably expensive at least from Grainger but they seem to ask ~ 2X on what everyone else does for the same part). Also put the red tape on the white to show that it is being used as a hot - not a neutral - and be sure you wire it to a hot and not the neutral.

 

[ingchr1]

Now all this assumes that the Brew Boss is strictly 240V i.e it isn't attached to any 120V loads.

The 240V plug on the Brew Boss is only for 240V, it has a separate 120V plug. The 120V is only used to power the pump.

 

[ingchr1]

Not to thread jack, but I've searched a bunch and have found that the consensus is to add a spa panel. Unfortunately, I'm in a condo with no room for a panel - here's my proposed solution (haven't seen any posts about this):

View attachment 291698

I know the inline GFCI is probably 2x the price of a panel, however, does anyone see any issue with this setup? The dryer will never be on at the same time (I'm in the condo by myself).

Thanks!
-Pete

You can do what you have planned there with a spa panel. Just use a dryer plug as the input to the panel, then use the receptacle as you have shown to the Brew Boss. That's how I have mine setup. The spa panel doesn't need to be mounted to anything.

 

[chiefwigms]

double post

 

[chiefwigms]

You can do what you have planned there with a spa panel. Just use a dryer plug as the input to the panel, then use the receptacle as you have shown to the Brew Boss. That's how I have mine setup. The spa panel doesn't need to be mounted to anything.
View attachment 291811

So my dryer is a stacked unit, with like 4" of play between both sides, so its a PITA to get behind the dryer to plug/unplug. That's why I was just gonna have the 3' female extension hanging off the side of the dryer. The 25' inline gfci was $140 shipped, so not too bad damage wise.