Snaxx Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Northeast Michigan, LP Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: KitchenAid A9 Drip: Technivorm Moccamaster Roaster: I Roast2
Posted Fri Dec 21, 2012, 6:12pm Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
Hi Jerry,
Good thoughts in your post with checking for differences in the phase to neutral volts right at the panel. A loose connection or a bit of corrosion in any terminations in the panel could cause some of these issues, so having it checked out by a qualified person might be something to start with, though I doubt that the receptacle circuit in the garage is rated for 20 amp duty since there is such a difference between static voltage, and loaded with the roaster.
JKalpin Said:
As a start, you might remove the front panel of your fuse-box and measure the phase-to-neutral voltages. (...Or, find a friend with a multimeter who is comfortable doing so.) What you would find in the fuse-box is 3 wires coming in which might come off a municipal 208-Y-120 transformer. So phase-to-phase might be 208V (for your stove and clothes-dryer) and phase-to neutral might be 120V (for your lighting and plug-in receptacles).
What you're referring to with a 208v-Y, doesn't exist for common residential occupancies, that's only found in 3 phase installations for commercial and industrial purposes. Residential services will have two phase wires coming in with 230-240v across the two phases and 115-120v from either phase to neutral.
Rob989_69 Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2012 Posts: 41 Location: Rochester Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sat Dec 22, 2012, 5:42am Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
Thanks guys. I got everything to install the circuit. That I'm comfortable doing myself. However, I've decided I need an electrician. After looking at the box and the line in to it there is a good amount of corrosion in both areas. My basement leaks like nothing else and I know that has caused this. The circuit will get me by for now and I'm confident once I get everything else taken care of I'll have no problems whatsoever.
I did notice, while I was looking at the box last night, one side has a lot more fuses than the other. Now I don't think that's a "problem" but I do think it would be wise on my part to install the circuit onto the side that has less. Am I correct in thinking that?
Snaxx Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Northeast Michigan, LP Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: KitchenAid A9 Drip: Technivorm Moccamaster Roaster: I Roast2
Posted Sat Dec 22, 2012, 8:03am Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
Rob989_69 Said:
After looking at the box and the line in to it there is a good amount of corrosion in both areas.
I did notice, while I was looking at the box last night, one side has a lot more fuses than the other. Now I don't think that's a "problem" but I do think it would be wise on my part to install the circuit onto the side that has less. Am I correct in thinking that?
Corrosion, if it's gotten into the terminations, either the main line, or on a breaker, could be a major concern causing the original low voltage problem, so that needs an inspection by someone qualified, just to keep you safe.
As to the number of breakers on one side of the panel or the other, that's unimportant, since the split phases alternate between A and B. If you look at where the breakers plug onto the bus, phase A can feed a left and right breaker at the top slot , and phase B can feed a left and right breaker at second slot down, and so on down the panel. Your added breaker for a new 120 volt circuit could go on either A or B. If this was a 240 volt circuit for a stove or dryer or whatever, the breaker would be a 2 pole breaker and it would be fed by phase A and B.
There could be an issue if your panel is unbalanced. If you have a lot of load on one phase and little on the other, then that could be an issue as to whether you would use phase A or B. Likely, that won't be anything of concern in most homes unless you have a lot of heavy loads like little space heaters that draw lots of power plugged in to offset chilly rooms and they just happen to all be on the same line Phase.
Rob989_69 Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2012 Posts: 41 Location: Rochester Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sat Dec 22, 2012, 4:30pm Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
Just wanted to report back. I installed a dedicated circuit, only 1 duplex receptacle directly to the box.
Initial reading is 117, drops to 113 under load which appears to be within the accepted tolerance. I ran a 1/4 lb setting and temp ran up to 388 in 10 minutes. Not sure what the normal ambient temp is inside during a roast but that's 25 degrees higher than the highest reading I got during a full lb roast on P1.
Long story short, much better, not great, but much better and I certainly think I'll be able to pull some good roasts out of this.
If anyone can get a reading of their ambient temp on a 10 minute P1 run I'd be interested to know. To get mine I used a meat thermometer which I placed on the bracket for the drum. I situated it such that it was not touching the side or any other metal and was level with the back of the drum.
As to the box, I've already been told the main needs replaced. And the box is in rough shape and needs to be replaced as well. i've been putting it off because I needed to finish other projects but it's time. I'll start the search for an electrician after the new year.
Posted Sat Dec 22, 2012, 9:00pm Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
The only consistent test I can think of for a Behmor is to pick P1 1Lb and then check the time to the first time the element cycles off. If you listen carefully you can hear the relay click and the drum speed up slightly and then soon after the elements dim. That number should tell you the relative difference between outlets and time of day.
Posted Sun Dec 23, 2012, 9:12am Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
My roasts are 10 oz. set for 1 lb. After roasting, I net out 1/2 lb (which suits my usage). But also, I get (roughly) 3 roasts from a 2 lb sample pack from Sweet Maria's. But also, when I roast 10 oz set at 1 lb I don't have to preheat and I always complete the roast with 2 or 3 minutes before the Behmor would automatically go-to-cool. I never have to add additional time ++'s, even when I start out below my normal voltage, say 118 instead of 120. I have been roasting Monkey-Blend (P3) one full minute into the 2CR ...and still have time left over.
I suggest you do a few 10 oz roasts and report back on your low-voltage experience. You might be just fine.
obmcoffee Senior Member Joined: 24 Dec 2012 Posts: 2 Location: Indiana Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Dec 24, 2012, 12:41pm Subject: Re: Help me with my Behmor. PLEASE!
I have just successfully roasted a batch of Kenya Kia-Ora Estate AA Organic (obtained through ). I found this article helpful in the roasting process: I also roasted the Mexico Altura Chiapas El Triunfo Organic... about 12 oz. and used the 1lb. P3, B settings. Keeping an eye on it, you can always add or subtract time on desired roast level. I just thought I would throw in my experience with those two specific origins.
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