My toaster roaster motor bit the dust and I started back on the popper roasting. I had been thinking for a while that I wanted to build a drum roaster. After deciding that I didn't want to learn metal fabrication and welding from scratch, I decided to go with an air roaster.
I spent a lot of time thinking and some more reading (here and elsewhere). I've decided to go a bit big and stick with an electric heating system. So here's where I'm going (feel free to tell me I'm an idiot):
Goal: roast at least 2lbs at a time and be able to control the profile
Heat source: tube shaped dryer element ~5500W @ 240V (plan to control with an infinite switch to start and then switch to PID on ET)
Blower: Old (circa 1960?) kirby vacuum motor (not sure how to control, I have a old blender base... I thought that might work)
Roasting chamber: stainless canister 7"x12" (about the same size as the dryer element)
I think the idea is pretty simple but maybe people here can identify things I haven't thought of. I want to enclose the blower to cut the noise a bit; insulate the dryer element (obviously); and run it inside (vented to outside).
Fortuitously, there is an out of service vent very close to my breaker panel (cuts down on the wiring... 8/3 is expensive). Whole thing will be wired on a 30A breaker. I don't plan on running this at max since the element should be way overkill for 2lbs.
How many watts can a single 240 Volt X 15 amp circuit take in the US
In Australia its 2400 watts
Your 5500watts sounds a little high for what your wiring circuit can take
KK
Edited by Koffee Kosmo on 07/16/2010 00:51
koffeekosmo.com.auI home roast and I like it
Bezzera BZ40:BNZ MD74 Grinder: 7 Box hand grinders: Pullman Tamper Convex: (KKTO) Turbo Oven Home Roaster: CONA Glass Rod Syphon: Pyrex Brewer:
maybe I'm misunderstanding your question KK but I'm wiring a 240V 30A outlet for this purpose (VxA=W), a pretty standard circuit for dryers. The breaker should trip after ~7200W. Since the Kirby can only draw ~4A at 120V and I'm not planning on running the element at 100%, I should have a reasonable headspace on the circuit.
That sounds like you will be OK
I was only thinking of safety and did not want you to burn the house down
As I mentioned above I am from Australia
Our standard home cables are 20 amp but they are calcified as 15 amp
A single circuit of combined outlets will take 2400 watts
I have a commercial coffee machine that had to be wired in on a single purpose or dedicated power-point dew to the high wattage
KK
koffeekosmo.com.auI home roast and I like it
Bezzera BZ40:BNZ MD74 Grinder: 7 Box hand grinders: Pullman Tamper Convex: (KKTO) Turbo Oven Home Roaster: CONA Glass Rod Syphon: Pyrex Brewer:
for me it's the 200 foot of fence I just lost; old fence but still must "fix it" to keep out the cows!! well maybe I will simply lat the cows eat the weeds sure save me time in the long
Been away a bit -- just read the last 3 pages of the Datalogger thread. wow. You all amaze me -- this forum is the most productive and creative crowdsourcing I've seen... at just 1,234 strong. :T
