by Heef71 » Sat Oct 03, 2015 12:47 pm
@Rowey,
Hey Mate, Thats an excellent tank. I reckon horizontal would be the way to go. As 1 2many mentioned by the time you put your bubbler on top its gonna be way to tall to access which can be a pain in the ass. I gotta keep a step ladder next to mine when im using it. Another point is you may get a larger amount of steam coming off if used horizontally rather than vertical as the wash surface area will be twice the area. Plus it'll be a lot more stable.
As for using elements you first need to see what your capability is. All house power points (240V) are limited to 10Amp circuits or 2400 Watts max power.
10A X 240V = 2400W. This is why I run 2 x 2400W elements thru 2 different circuits, 1 runs flat out while the other is thru a power controller. For simplicity I would go with 2 x 2400 W elements. You could go 2 x 3600 W elements, this would get you to boil faster BUT you would then need a sparky to upgrade your wiring to 15 Amps at each power point that your gonna use. An easy way to tell a 15A power point or plug is it has a larger earth. If your gonna to use your mates workshop to run it in you'll be right.
With the boiler in a horizontal position I'd have 2 elements spaced at 1/3rd and 2/3rds the length of the boiler, or...wait, that might be too close in the middle, maybe at 1/4 and 3/4 the length. In either situation you will need 2 x power controllers or one power controller to controller both evenly. Once you get used to your new bubbler you'll figure out what power contoller setting is the sweet spot to run at after boil.
Another note worth mentioning, I recommend using a heavy duty electrical cable when wiring up the elements and controller. Its usually colored orange. At 2400W flat out a normal cable or extension lead can get quite hot. Better to be save than sorry. And always use a licensed sparky to do your electrical work.