Control panel question

[mike neff]

I need some help on my first electric attempt. I built a control panel from Doug’s specs. I have a 5500 watt element from brew hardaware I test ran it tonight with 5 gallons of room temp water. It took an hour to get 5 gallons to boil. During the process the light on the ez boil was lit in boil mode with 100 percent power but not the element firing lamp. I was wondering if the lamp was bad or could the element be running on 110 Somehow
Just would like to know if an hour seems unreasonable for 5 gallons before I start going through the panel I have 230 volts coming out of my outlet. This is my first post but I’ve been lurking on this site for years... The information shared here is priceless

 

[mike neff]

This is the panel. The red light is the element firing lamp. The blue one I added to for element power.

A little pappy for good measure

 

[mike neff]

Sorry for the multiple posts. When I switched to mash mode I could hear the hum of the element and the temp took off like s rocket. Also my red element light illuminated when the element was off in Mash mode so I’m guessing my wires are reversed. I forgot to mention when I pluged in my Auberin probe it read 30 in 60 degree water. Thinkinits a probe issued. Thanks again amp

 

[Dland]

I'm just getting used to the ez boil in the Auber cube, and have not mastered it. 5 gallons should reach boil faster than an hour. Have had the same thing happen to me, as well as having boil blink but still deliver 100 percent.

I can't tell you exactly what to do, but if you change the program settings on boil mode, you can get it to fire at full power. Examples, "bast" 100, program timer on, like I said, I am no expert, and can not describe it better without the thing on and in front of me, which is not possible at this time.

Maybe it is just me, but I think they could have supplied clearer instructions.

If you have a clamp meter for amps, you can confirm if on 100 percent as amps will not jump around, just draw steady. Measure across line 1 or line 2 to the L-14 outlet, or in the breaker box.

You can adjust probe reading by up to 20 degrees each way, but it does seem to be more accurate once it gets going. I was using a thermo well to protect probe in BK, and this made for less than accurate readings at lower temps. Also, you have to stir the pot regularly to get accurate reading before boil.

 

[Soulshine2]

I need some help on my first electric attempt. I built a control panel from Doug’s specs. I have a 5500 watt element from brew hardaware I test ran it tonight with 5 gallons of room temp water. It took an hour to get 5 gallons to boil. During the process the light on the ez boil was lit in boil mode with 100 percent power but not the element firing lamp. I was wondering if the lamp was bad or could the element be running on 110 Somehow
Just would like to know if an hour seems unreasonable for 5 gallons before I start going through the panel I have 230 volts coming out of my outlet. This is my first post but I’ve been lurking on this site for years... The information shared here is priceless View attachment 587188

How many amps is the circuit you have feeding it, is it enough? My brew cart I salvaged the working parts from an apartment sized electric stove . It requires 50 amp 240v . It WILL however run (sort of)on 30 amp 240v but it will not get hot enough to boil, never made it past 125*F. This was on my intended brewing area in my basement. I had to push my rig out to the polebarn where there IS a 50amp circuit 240V. Once I was plugged into the right AMPS ,it worked as planned.
I boiled 7 gallons of wort on the large element,even though the wort temp coming out of the mash tun was already roughly 150 when it hit the BK, took about 30 minutes to boil.

 

[raysmithtx]

I need some help on my first electric attempt. I built a control panel from Doug’s specs. I have a 5500 watt element from brew hardaware I test ran it tonight with 5 gallons of room temp water. It took an hour to get 5 gallons to boil. During the process the light on the ez boil was lit in boil mode with 100 percent power but not the element firing lamp. I was wondering if the lamp was bad or could the element be running on 110 Somehow
Just would like to know if an hour seems unreasonable for 5 gallons before I start going through the panel I have 230 volts coming out of my outlet. This is my first post but I’ve been lurking on this site for years... The information shared here is priceless View attachment 587188

An hour is too long for a 240VAC element. You would probably get more responses if you move this question to the "Electric Brewing" forum.

 

[mongoose33]

I've got an EZBoil w/ a 5500-watt element. To test, I had 8.25 gallons of water in the kettle, starting at 84 degrees. Took 29 minutes to bring that to a boil. If I had 5 gallons, it probably would have taken 18 minutes.

I'm no electrician--and didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night--but I wonder if your line out to the element is only drawing power from one side and is acting as 120-volts, not 240-volts. In other words, the ground is acting as neutral?

That might possible be the case if the wires were not correctly wired to the outlet or if your power cord is miswired?

All I've got. If any of the above is exposing more of my ignorance that I'd like, please correct.

 

[mike neff]

Fixed. I had neutral and hot reveresed on the imput to the panel. 5 gallons to boil in 25 min. That’s more like it. Thanks for the help cheers