Camco element coating fail

[takai]

Long story short, decided to replace the 3000w eBay element that was only intended as a stopgap, with one of the Camco elements i had originally purchased for the Fauxfather but took their sweet time in postage.

Cleaned the system again with a 12hr soak in Starsan, and after the drain it looks like this:

Are these failures common? I was under the impression from the plethora of Electric Brewery systems that the Camco LWD and ULWD elements were the ducks... not the fails.

 

[MastersBrewery]

ouch dude!!! Unfortunately all plated elements will eventually do this. Brewhardware.com do an all stainless Camco rip off but in 5500 and 4500w from memory in all stainless. You can get good quality stainless elements but it's a bit of a search PM Lael he has some u-bent-it options also.


MB

 

[takai]

Yeah, the Fauxfather is setup for a 32mm weldless element. But more annoyed that something sold as "Stainless Steel 304 element" really is just a tiny coating ontop of copper or brass.

 

[user 35653]

Brewhardware.com do an all stainless Camco rip off but in 5500 and 4500w from memory in all stainless.


MB

I can't be 100% sure of what Brewhardware have but there a few that look very similar to the Camco models listed below:


02929 - 4500W 240V Lime Life Foldback, SS Bush
02935 - 5500W 240V Lime Life Foldback, SS Bush
02955 - 4500W 240V Lime Life Ripple Foldback SS Bush
02965 - 5500W 240V Lime Life Ripple Foldback SS Bush


I was in discussions with Camco a few months ago regarding the above and tried to place an order to which they directed me to the below suppliers:

USA:
NTP Distribution
Plumbing Supply Group
WIT & Co

Canada:
Everwood Ave Brew Shop
Ontario Beer Kegs
Spike Innovations (aka. theelectricbrewery.com)

 

[MastersBrewery]

I believe the stand out for the brewhardware element was that the base was also stainless, from what I've read elsewhere some from other suppliers were not.

MB

ED: and brewhardware will ship direct

 

[stilvia]

When I was looking at getting my Camco elements, I thought it was the base that is stainless not the element itself.

 

[takai]

The element on all of them is supposed to be stainless. But the base differs from model to model. In this case the 'stainless' is just a thin coating on a copper/brass element.

 

[takai]

I can't be 100% sure of what Brewhardware have but there a few that look very similar to the Camco models listed below:


02929 - 4500W 240V Lime Life Foldback, SS Bush
02935 - 5500W 240V Lime Life Foldback, SS Bush
02955 - 4500W 240V Lime Life Ripple Foldback SS Bush
02965 - 5500W 240V Lime Life Ripple Foldback SS Bush


I was in discussions with Camco a few months ago regarding the above and tried to place an order to which they directed me to the below suppliers:

USA:
NTP Distribution
Plumbing Supply Group
WIT & Co

Canada:
Everwood Ave Brew Shop
Ontario Beer Kegs
Spike Innovations (aka. theelectricbrewery.com)

They currently only list the 5500w and 2000w units: https://www.brewhardware.com/category_s/1902.htm

Considering grabbing a KegKing one to tide me over until a replacement element arrives from the US...

 

[stilvia]

Just found this:


Camco 02583 4500W 240V Screw in Water Heater Element
Screw-In Foldback, 4500 Watt, 240 Volt, 13" Min. Tank Diam.
Made of copper tubing with magnesium oxide and nickel plating. UL listed for the USA and Canada. 1 year limited warranty. Low watt density. Includes Gasket.

 

[MastersBrewery]

If 2400 or 3600w will do I'd spend the money now buy right buy once- five star element They're popular for good reason but not exactly cheap (short term).

 

[nosco]

Ive had a 5500 camco ripple element for about 2 years. Never had anything like that but ive only used sodium perc. The thread is rusted a bit too much to use in my old pot but will hopefully work with the housing i got for my new pot. I got the all stainless one from brewhardware. No probs but ive only used it twice in my old pot and agian only perc. I did have some scorching on its first brew which ive never had before. None on the second brew.

 

[takai]

Just found this:

Camco 02583 4500W 240V Screw in Water Heater Element
Screw-In Foldback, 4500 Watt, 240 Volt, 13" Min. Tank Diam.
Made of copper tubing with magnesium oxide and nickel plating. UL listed for the USA and Canada. 1 year limited warranty. Low watt density. Includes Gasket.

Yeah, so i have seen more recently. Was sold to me as an SS element. :S

If 2400 or 3600w will do I'd spend the money now buy right buy once- five star element They're popular for good reason but not exactly cheap (short term).

The thing that scares me about the 5star is the cleaning. Having a double overlapping element makes for more difficult cleaning options.

 

[crowmanz]

The thing that scares me about the 5star is the cleaning. Having a double overlapping element makes for more difficult cleaning options.

But the one linked is the stick type element?

 

[MastersBrewery]

The thing that scares me about the 5star is the cleaning. Having a double overlapping element makes for more difficult cleaning options.

The element I linked is the same form as the KK but without the horrific history of failures and in high wattage.

ED: I note they are currently out of stock on both models so might pay to get in touch with the seller and find out when they'll be restocking

 

[Mardoo]

As the folks at 5star told me, they frequently sell out before things even get listed, so email them with what you want and a phone number and they'll contact you when new stock comes in.

 

[takai]

Ah, my fault. Was on the phone and thought you meant this one: http://www.5stardistilling.net/3600w-heating-element/ which im a bit squiffy about with the convolutions and that ?brass? base.

Also not so keen on the stick elements due to the pigtails and lack of ground. Pigtails means more connections to carbon up and having to fit into the small BrewHardware element enclosure.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Ah, my fault. Was on the phone and thought you meant this one: http://www.5stardistilling.net/3600w-heating-element/ which im a bit squiffy about with the convolutions and that ?brass? base.

Also not so keen on the stick elements due to the pigtails and lack of ground. Pigtails means more connections to carbon up and having to fit into the small BrewHardware element enclosure.

The ground is part of the enclosure, ie. there is a lug nut for the purpose of earth inside the housing

ED: this is no different to any other element installation,the earth is always seperate. The kk one obviously is pre wired but that is where issues have arisen previously

 

[sp0rk]

Brass used in element bosses tends to be lead free, the ones we used at Thermal Electric were afaik
Cleaning the element should be fairly easy, soak in PBW then a scrubby sponge shoved through the gaps should get any stuck on grime

 

[MastersBrewery]

Just to be more specific the active and neutral connect to a filament that creates heat(live circuit) this is enclosed in a sheath, the earth should have a clean path to to the outer sheath,pot and any other conductive material that has/may have a conductive path to the element, so if the live circuit should short it will go to earth and trip your rcd . So lets say you installed a KK element with a silicone washer both sides of your install hole(don't do this it is bad!!!) this effectively has isolated the pot and any conductive attachments from earth, so should a short take place in the element the pot could be come live. That is why there is always metal to metal contact on element enclosures/ installations to the pot for earth.

ED clarity; I hope anyway!

 

[takai]

The ground is part of the enclosure, ie. there is a lug nut for the purpose of earth inside the housing

ED: this is no different to any other element installation,the earth is always seperate. The kk one obviously is pre wired but that is where issues have arisen previously

But im not buying their enclosure. I am only purchasing an element. Which leaves me with a pigtail that has to be coiled up with a connector inside the existing BrewHardware element enclosure.