3600 Watt Handheld Elements

[leiothrix]

On the outside it looks reasonably modern due to the flashy lights from a pre-built PID. The inside I suppose could be described as neo-steampunk or something. Not enough brass, glass or, err, steam though.

For me at least it was much less effort to do it this way. Some would have preferred programming and debugging the micro. I'd be ok doing the PWM part with a micro, but the PID, esp with menu's, etc, I really couldn't be bothered spending the time on it.

Rob.

 

[lastdrinks]

Thanks for all the responses. I went ahead today and purchased the 92l stockpot from G&G and they are drilling a hole for a weldless big bore 1/2" S/S tap and picked up two nickel-alloy 2400watt immersion elements. G&G have a better price than both Grimwood and Tobins so if you are in the market for one get in quick as after this bsundayatch goes they are going up. Grimwood would make me a 3600watt immersion element but it would cost me $600 (rough quote). Very excited, double batch on Sunday, after recovering from my fairwell friday night drinks.

Notice of stupid question: does modulating the power the element cause any ware issues? Or is that actually how some elec elements get run when not at full speed?

 

[leiothrix]

For a heating element I don't know of to many issues.

The cycle time on my controller is something like 2 or 3 seconds. I chose that to not overwork the SSR (not really sure if it is an issue or not), and not too long that it causes boil problems. Switching faster makes the SSR hotter, but with the fan on my heatsink it doesn't get above ambient.

Being almost a purely resistive load I don't think you can have too many problems. If using a relay to switch you might cause a whole bunch of interference to radios/TVs, but with an SSR there isn't really a problem.

Rob.

 

[roller997]

Modulating power on an element which is essentially a resistive conductor that heats up will be better for it than running it at full power so if anything you will do it a favour by using power modulation.

Look at it this way - By not having power 100% of the time, the element is not likely to get as hot as it would at full power, hence it would be less likely to wear out as quickly.

I would investigate fixed stainless elements to avoid the dangling of the immersion elements above the liquid. As other posters suggested the challenge is that on one hand you should avoid full submersion of the element and its cable which could cause electrecution, while at the other hand you have to keep a minimum of the element submerged.
As the wort evaporates, you will have to lower the immersion element to avoid it burning out.
Fixed elements at the bottom of your kettle let you turn it on as soon as the elements are covered with liquid to give you a head start with the heating and you don't have to worry about their position as wort evaporates. The downside is that you need 2 (or possibly 3) additional holes in your pot.

Cheers

Roller

 

[Thirsty Boy]

i agree with TB and raven's comments about using the elements in the kettle. esp about the ceramic coated elemtns. this will probably start anothewr war about whether elements scorch the wort.

I personally like being able to control my boil (i use gas), so unless you have the elemtns wired up to a controller of some sort i think you might struggle to do so.

maybe TB and/or Raven can give you some info on how they vary the boil using elements.

Admittedly, I have very little control on a brew to brew basis. But, I don't really need it. I have standardized my brewing to the point where I just get the same every time, so I got my control by tailoring my kettle set-up to my heat source when I was designing my system.

My pre-boil volume is 30L every time. I did a fair bit of testing to tweak my kettle arrangement (altering effective surface areas) to make sure that in my kettle, with a 2400W element, my boil would be sufficient in terms of both % boil off and boil vigor. I am in the medium/low range for both. Given the limitation I have (can only run 10A in my brewery) I can reduce boil vigor, but not really increase it on brew day. Don't need to - 30L start volume, 25L finish volume, 90min boil... Every single time. As Spills pointed out, the elements mean that breeze, ambient temp, gas pressure, where I happened to leave the knob set after last brew - All of those don't effect the amount of energy that gets shoved into the boil, so my kettle performance is very much more predictable than it was when I was using gas.

If I was still varying the volume I brewed frequently... I suspect I would want some sort of variable control though. But for me these days it's standard 25L batches with an infrequent double batch if I fall behind on volumes... Smaller experimental stuff gets brewed BIAB on the stovetop.

TB

 

[brettprevans]

Thanks for all the responses. I went ahead today and purchased the 92l stockpot from G&G and they are drilling a hole for a weldless big bore 1/2" S/S tap and picked up two nickel-alloy 2400watt immersion elements. G&G have a better price than both Grimwood and Tobins so if you are in the market for one get in quick as after this bsundayatch goes they are going up. Grimwood would make me a 3600watt immersion element but it would cost me $600 (rough quote). Very excited, double batch on Sunday, after recovering from my fairwell friday night drinks.

Notice of stupid question: does modulating the power the element cause any ware issues? Or is that actually how some elec elements get run when not at full speed?

you should have called stokes electrical like i suggested. they would have done it much cheaper. but glad youve got your gear and are on the way.

 

[raven19]

imaybe TB and/or Raven can give you some info on how they vary the boil using elements.

At the moment it is a basic system for me too. Either one element is on or both are on. I do have my PID now in my RIMS setup, so I could cycle the kettle elements on/off - but with a big batch it is easier to just remove my camping mat insultation or turn one element off totally once up to the boil if it is needed.

 

[raven19]

Notice of stupid question: does modulating the power the element cause any ware issues? Or is that actually how some elec elements get run when not at full speed?

If using a PID - then it is simply turning the power on and off to the unit at varying intervals.

My understanding is that this wont hurt the elements - and an SSR takes the switching on and off 'loads' and 'wear'.

(For more theory from jjeffrey (and others) on PID's and SSR's, I have some info in the opening posts of my RIMS build - linky in my sig).

Other systems I cant comment on as have had no exposure to them.

 

[lastdrinks]

i missed the reference to stokes but thanks

you should have called stokes electrical like i suggested. they would have done it much cheaper. but glad youve got your gear and are on the way.