G&G Over the side element burt out AGAIN

[Grainer]

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/products/category/QDBAOCJF%20accessories/7ELEMENT%20IMM2400
Element Hand Held Immersion 2400 Watt
Anyone else had issues with these? they are $139 so I was expecting quality !! but no..

I have now had 2 that have burnt out at the top with smoke pouring out as it short circuited.. G&G replaced the first but It has just happened again!!! No water or anything got in the rubber fittings..It happened as I was using it to stir the water !!

Bit peaved off.. as my 2400 watt pot element is struggling and I got 50L of Vienna Larger trying to boil !! I think I am going to lose it all as I can't quickly go and buy an element ;(

 

[Camo6]

Damn. It's times like these I see the merit of gas fired kettles. Can't help you mate as I don't own one but if G&G won't replace it I priced one through Stoke's in Ringwood (just off eastlink) a year or two ago and the helpful bloke said he'd do it for well under $100. They have a good reputation too.
Worst case scenario could you turn it into a Berliner Weisse? Or even a Vienna Lesser (sorry cheap dig).
I just managed to finish a back to back brewday on thursday when the controller started buzzing and died. Luckily it was just a cheap ebay relay at fault and a trip to Middys and I could brew again on friday.
Hope you can save the batch mate.

 

[Grainer]

Warmbeer saved me ... phew.. he is a LEGEND got it boiling.. it was sitting at 95 degc for about 30mins

 

[doon]

Good thing warmbeer lived up to more then his name

 

[growler]

Elec may be cheaper in a beancount.... but,

I have only used gas for BIAB over the last 4 years.

Sure you need 2 bottles incase one runs out but.... my Rambo burner in a home made wheel frame gets me to strike temp (60 lt) in 20 min,.... mash out from 65 to 78 in 10 min( slowly with stirring to save the bag...).... and boil in onother 15min.

I do have 20 amps in the shed ... so I'm working towards a Herms eventually......

However I get 5, 50lt brews from a 8.5kg gas cylinder ($26 refill from the big green shed)... so I'm quite happy.

TIP.. Put your 8.5 in a water bath to stop freezing as the gas gets low.....

cheers G.

 

[lickapop]

Lol at the gas guys coming out of the woodwork.

How much of the element did you have exposed to air aka not in the liquid? You said you used it to stir..
Ime it doesn't take very long for an exposed element to burn out.

 

[QldKev]

Warmbeer saved me ... phew.. he is a LEGEND got it boiling.. it was sitting at 95 degc for about 30mins

Good thing warmbeer lived up to more then his name

Is he now known as hotbeer :super:

 

[Forever Wort]

I have also purchased items from G&G only to have them break the first time I used them. Nothing as expensive as that though!

 

[lickapop]

In all fairness that element is sold in a lot of brewshops. Got nothing to do with GnG

 

[brad81]

TIP.. Put your 8.5 in a water bath to stop freezing as the gas gets low.....

I did not know that. Thanks, will give it a go next batch I reckon.

 

[QldKev]

In all fairness that element is sold in a lot of brewshops. Got nothing to do with GnG

Good point, what brand is the element

 

[Wolfman]

I have had one go on me. Was in my BIAB days when step mashing using the element to heat/stir the mash. I found the rubber connector not the best. I guess the stress being put on it when stirring eventually it is going to fault. I got another one that now sits in the HERMS pot and have not had a problem with it.

Give em a call to see if they will exchange again?

If they do make a loop in the cord at the top of the element, use some 100 mile an hour tape, and tape it so as theres not as much stress being put on the rub connector.

 

[jimi]

I've one that looks the exact same and it's about 10yrs old, very handy piece of kit. Apart from the previously mentioned point about keeping them submerged in enough liquid, I've been told not to rush their temperature change eg once they got things to a boil, don't just turn them off and pull them out of the liquid / wert whatever. Instead give them time to cool before taking them out.

 

[fletcher]

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/products/category/QDBAOCJF%20accessories/7ELEMENT%20IMM2400
Element Hand Held Immersion 2400 Watt
Anyone else had issues with these? they are $139 so I was expecting quality !! but no..

I have now had 2 that have burnt out at the top with smoke pouring out as it short circuited.. G&G replaced the first but It has just happened again!!! No water or anything got in the rubber fittings..It happened as I was using it to stir the water !!

Bit peaved off.. as my 2400 watt pot element is struggling and I got 50L of Vienna Larger trying to boil !! I think I am going to lose it all as I can't quickly go and buy an element ;(

i know it sucks mate, and i don't mean to be picky, but i wouldn't recommend using it to stir water/wort, or literally anything other than heating. technically you're using it as a spoon and potentially putting excess pressure on it which isn't what it's intended for.

 

[Florian]

I was waiting for warmbeer to chime in to explain how exactly he helped out until I remembered that he can't

 

[thylacine]

i know it sucks mate, and i don't mean to be picky, but i wouldn't recommend using it to stir water/wort, or literally anything other than heating. technically you're using it as a spoon and potentially putting excess pressure on it which isn't what it's intended for.

Too right, when I reinsert my 2400 OTS element to raise temps to mashout I leave it motionless. Of course I frequently burn/scorch the grains that settle on/around the stationary element! Gives me an element of 'what will the house recipe taste like this time'.

 

[fletcher]

Too right, when I reinsert my 2400 OTS element to raise temps to mashout I leave it motionless. Of course I frequently burn/scorch the grains that settle on/around the stationary element! Gives me an element of 'what will the house recipe taste like this time'.

i've actually seen pics somewhere (perhaps another forum) with those OTS elements inserted into a hop spider, or something that looks very similar to it. that way, it's vertical and motionless, yet raised just enough above the grain to hopefully not touch/scorch it. no idea if it worked though. even two parallel bars of some sort with it resting between might work. would have to be careful of the electric current etc etc and safety first.

 

[manticle]

I step mash and stir the mash with mine. Probably not what it's designed for but works well for my purpose.
Need to keep them submerged and treat them gently.

 

[billygoat]

I've used two of the OTS elements from G&G in my kettle for 4 years, until recently replacing them with fixed elements. Worked perfectly and still do.
At flameout I would take them out of the kettle and put them in a bucket of water. So much for having to cool them slowly as someone above posted. Have never had a problem with them, but also, have never had them switched on when not immersed in liquid.

 

[Grainer]

ALWAYS full submerged.. it is the electric's inside the rubber housing that caught on fire/smoked (while fully submerged).. not the element popping or anything.. I think pressure from handling the rubber housing may have meant the wires inside touched or something..either way it looks like bad design flaws that contributed to the electrical failure..