4500W vs. 5500W Boil Time Comparisons

awoitte · Joined: 19 Jul 2018 Posts: 4

My current main electrical panel will only allow a 50 amp sub panel to be placed in my brew space. After looking over the power requirements for the 50amp back to back control panel, my electrician has recommended that I go with (2) 4500w heating elements as (2) 5500w is using just about all the power available and may trip the breaker while in use.

From my understanding, my two options are:

1) Go with (2) 4500W elements and have slower heating times for my boil/HLT, while having back to back batch capability immediately.

2) Go with (2) 5500W elements and have faster heating times, but only use 1 element at a time (either HLT for mash re-circ, or for boiling wort) until I'm able to upgrade my main panel, allowing me to bump my sub-panel up to 70 or 100 amps.

I like the idea of being able to do back to back batches, but I don't see myself doing it as much as doing single, larger batches.

My main concern is how much longer it will take to heat up liquid with a 4500w element. Can anyone provide the time difference for 4500w & 5500w elements for getting 10 and 15 gallon liquids (water/wort) up to mashing and boiling temps?

**kal** · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 1:13 am Post subject:

Hi!

I'm not sure why your electrician would be concerned with using two 5500W elements (plus pumps) using either of our 50A panels as we have thousands around the world using this design on a 50A GFI breaker. That is the intended use and allows for a few amps of headroom even with both pumps running.

Our 5500W heating elements will raise the temperature of 1 gallon of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit in approximately 1.6 seconds. A 4500W has 18% less power so it will take approximately 18% longer.

Kal

JMD887 · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:40 pm Post subject:

Would you have room to run a 60amp GFI breaker set up? To Kal's point- would give more headroom.

awoitte · Joined: 19 Jul 2018 Posts: 4