when you put in the element just make sure it is high enough for the nut to fit on. i used the same basic assembly as the electric brewery website in terms of o ring and ss nut. however i did not use the large gang box as it is bulky. i used an all weather extension which is smaller and open on both sides so it was easier to tighten the element and to wire.
The first picture is the extension box, the second is the final assembly, the third shows the cover plate that goes against the kettle. then the outside is another cover plate with no hole in it. note the power cord is not oppressively long. it makes it easy to pick up kettle and rinse out, etc. i wish i would have made it a little longer by about 6 inches. also note that there is no fancy electronic controls i just plug it in and check temp manually.
I don’t have an electric brewing system so I won’t try to act like I know anything about actually using one.
That said… Have you considered installing a switch in the cord so you don’t have to plug/unplug to control it? A medium duty switch seems like a good addition to what looks like a nice setup.
i did but decided against it for a few reasons. my power bar has a switch on it that i can turn on and off. second, when i brew on my deck it is plugged into a timer for my deck lights that i can control on and off with a remote switch. so it really wasn’t worth the effort (though trivial) and would have made it one more thing to keep from getting wet etc when i am cleaning.
I should add, my issue is not overloading the circuit but about feeling confident the GFI will work (i.e. detect that current is flowing along an unintended path… like my body).
I have high confidence in my GFI’s. My old system just used a normal 120v GFI that I wired into a heavy-duty extension cord and enclosed in a junction box. It still works fine, but I’ve upgraded my whole system to operate at 240v. The photo shows my old GFI beside my new unit (a 50a Spa GFI). They will protect you. Of course, make sure that all your equipment is properly grounded. The Vari-Speed thing is the exhaust fan controller.
I used to run on natural gas. Since I have moved I ONLY have electric service. I went with 5500W elements in my kettle and HLT. I installed a 50A GFI breaker to service the heating elements. I enclosed the elements with an aluminum project box I bought of DigiKey. Very compact and tidy IMO.
