Advice On Going Electric.

[randyrob]

Hey Hanzie,

thanks for the piccy. the element definately has a decent amount of surface area so i'm guessing thats not the prob.

i've been using my electric hlt/kettle for the last 5 brews and haven't had any problems how the beers have been comming out

infact they are probably coming out better because the wort isn't at the mercy of me, my high pressure regulator & nasa burner

i'm used to really cranking it up and i get alot of melanoidiny malty caramalised kind of flavours in my beers i use the gas for.

the electric kettle i use has a much gentler boil going on.

Rob.

 

[enoch]

I used to brew in a bucket of death (BOD) with two 2400W jug elements in it. They used to get a bit crusty and need a scrub but never scorched with any burnt flavours.
Pardon the question but the elements haven't been run exposed at anytime or have any mash debris caught between the coils? Turning them on with just the first runnings was something I tried to avoid too.

 

[hanzie]

hi enoch

Pretty sure there was no mash derbis in there and its never been dry its still nice and shin. I scrub the element clean every time i use it. Its a pretty strange taste like plastic. If it was the sugar burning I would expect it to tast like caramal. I will look at my sanitation again and maybe better rinsing after chemicals.

Its good to know its not the element. thanks guys

Hanzie

 

[hanzie]

Hi Scot

Sorry to hijack your thread, to awnser your qestion here is how went about mounting my element in my Ali kettle. If yours are stainless this might not help.

My 3000w element boils a 22l batch quite hard. If I leave the lid off I get a good roling boil. If I am doing a double batch I close the lid about 80% and that gives me a boil im happy with. At the moment thats the only control I have but my next spare $62.00 is going towards a 20A dimmer/Variable Voltage Output device. TCSSRR2540 at bottom of page

I had bits of 10mm plate welded onto my Ali pot to mount my tap and element. Then I drilled a 63mm hole in one with a holesaw and taped some holes for my element. One of the front have been tapped to 1/2' for my tap.



The one in the back got the big hole and the element. I drilled and taped 4 6mm holes for mounting screws and cut a hole in a enclosure to cover it all.







One more thing when selecting an element make sure your outlet can handle the current. 2400w=10A 3000w=12A 3800W=15ishA 4800W=20A

Hope that helps

Hanzie

 

[Carbonator]

my next spare $62.00 is going towards a 20A dimmer/Variable Voltage Output device. TCSSRR2540 at bottom of page

I have a similar Power controller that can handle 40 Amp (9600 Kw) available for $50 if anyone is interested plus actual postage. It is not a cheap Chinese one either.

Consideration to mounting the power dimmer is required, as they need a heat sink when operating loads over 6 amps (1500W) or they start to de-rate (reduce output).

Here is a couple of ideas;




This subject has been discussed before and I don't want to get into any more debates about set and forget, as it's obvious they are something that has to be monitored adjusted as you go!

Anyone interested, send a PM, they work great when correctly used.

 

[Batz]

Hi

By burnt I mean a burnt aftertaste in the beer after its been chilled and carbed. Smells burnt and taste like a good beer when you first taste it then a horrible bunt/scourched taste come through. Not like burnt toast thats kinda bready but like burnt plastic.

All my first beers were around 1040-45 then the last 2 was fairly big around 1065. After the first one come out I completely stripped my kettle and cleaned every fitting, thread and taps meticulously in case I had an infection. But that didnt fix it.
I suspect the element is too hot. So last weekend I brewed a pale ale on a 3 ring burner in the same pot and it seams ok.

Any ideas

Do you use temperature controlled brewing?
The only reason I ask is could this be yeast bite? Sounds a little like it.Leave the wort on the cake a little to long when a little too warm.

Batz

 

[hanzie]

Yes I use temp control and both came of the cake within 6 days. Im fairly confident with my fermentation im begining to suspect my kettle with nasties hiding in the threads.

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Yes I use temp control and both came of the cake within 6 days. Im fairly confident with my fermentation im begining to suspect my kettle with nasties hiding in the threads.

I as yet have not had that burnt taste that you speak of. Even after around 15 Ag's. I do get a little build up of crud on the ellements but that normally wipes off. As for nasties IMHO because you get your wort boiling one would think they would be killed off??

BYB

 

[Millet Man]

I have a pot with 3000w hot water element. My first 4 batches was fine but I just burnt 2 in a row. I had to tip them down the drain. How can I avoid burning my wort? Is anyone else having the same problem?

Hanzie,

Only ever had a problem with scorching in the kettle with either dirty wort (eg: cloudy, grain particles) or highly viscous wort (what you would get from a high proportion of rye, or buckwheat in my case). In those cases it came through as a "burnt food" flavour.

Just wondering though if your "burnt plastic" flavour may be a fermentation by-product like a medicinal / bandaid flavour?

Cheers, Andrew

 

[hanzie]

Yeah thats what it taste like burnt bandaids.

 

[hanzie]

Hi

I think I have isolated my "burnt" taste. Its more like medicinal than burnt. Anyway when I ordered the grain for the first "burnt" batch I got a new cleaner aswell - Clorinated trisodium phosphate. Well I think I haven't been rinsing properly and this stuff must be stronger than I think.

I have everything I own soaking in napysan as we speak and I just have to see how I go.

Hanzie