Hot Water Urn

[bradsbrew]

Hi I have been given a stainless birko 30 litre hot water urn. The element is apparently stuffed so I would like some advice.
I have some ideas for it.
1. I was thinking to take the bottom plate off remove all the electrics and use it as a kettle. But i dont know if it would take gas heating.
2. Replace the element and use it for a HLT.
3. Replace the element and use it for a kettle? Can you do this?

Any thoughts.
Thanks Brad

 

[schooey]

The trouble you face with 1 and 3 are scorching the wort with a hot surface. If the base is to thin and the burner you use is too 'big arse', the base will heat excessively and not be able to dissipate the heat evenly and will result in scorching and unwanted flavours. I've never tried an element in a kettle so can't really comment. I know there are proponents for its use/non-use and maybe some of those would be more qualified to answer

For number two, I'd be surprised if you couldn't get an aftermarket element to fit it. Give someone like Stokes a go, or a hot water or appliance repairer in your area. It shouldnt cost you any more than about $50, making it a cheap brand new urn if you picked it up for nicks

 

[ausdb]

Considering all of the money you are saving by re using your bottle caps, you should have enough saved up by now to spring for a replacement element

An urn works well as both a hot liquor tank and a kettle and a 30L is a nice size but maybe slightly small for 23L finsihed batch size but just perfect for keg size batches. The only problem with using an urn as a kettle is that you will not be able to control your evaporation rate very well so may find you tend to boil a bit too much. I have used a 20l and 40l urn in the past as both kettles and HLT's and apart from the heat control (a thermostat on the urn does not work if you are trying to maintain a rolling boil) I have not had any issues with scorching. So buy a new element, rig up a screen and pickup tube if you are going to use it as a kettle and go for it.

 

[frogman]

Contact Birko re a new element.
I scored a damaged one from work and rang to find out about a new sight tube.
$16.50 from any Tradling Plumbing store.

Even gave me the part number.

Just need to pull my finger out and get to Tradelink.

FROGMAN.....

 

[Cocko]

Considering all of the money you are saving by re using your bottle caps, you should have enough saved up by now to spring for a replacement element

LOL


h34r:

 

[pbrosnan]

The trouble you face with 1 and 3 are scorching the wort with a hot surface. If the base is to thin and the burner you use is too 'big arse', the base will heat excessively and not be able to dissipate the heat evenly and will result in scorching and unwanted flavours. I've never tried an element in a kettle so can't really comment. I know there are proponents for its use/non-use and maybe some of those would be more qualified to answer

For number two, I'd be surprised if you couldn't get an aftermarket element to fit it. Give someone like Stokes a go, or a hot water or appliance repairer in your area. It shouldnt cost you any more than about $50, making it a cheap brand new urn if you picked it up for nicks

Don't know about 1 but 3 is perfectly OK. There is no way you'll "scorch" the wort unless you let the wort reduce to the consistency of syrup. I have used a 2.4k 30L urn as a kettle for years and never had a problem because it just isn't possible. Now if you wanted to use it as a mash tun, well that's a different story.

 

[Hubby]

If replacing the element ... here's a couple of places to try: BoilEx ... or ... J G Thomas (see Parts List - Urns ) ... hope that helps

 

[bradsbrew]

Considering all of the money you are saving by re using your bottle caps, you should have enough saved up by now to spring for a replacement element

Let it be known that I have never had any relationship with reuseing caps. I did not recap .

Maybe you could have replied that caps are too expensive and I should invest in a keg system. And I could have passed this info onto the minister of finince if you get my drift.

Cheers for all the info on the urn though. When you say screen and pick up tube you mean a filter for the tap yeah. I think with the info given from everyone I will re-wire check that it isnt the thermostat or reset switch then get a new element if needed.
Hubby the parts list link also helped as well.
Cheers Brad

 

[ausdb]

Let it be known that I have never had any relationship with reuseing caps. I did not recap .

Maybe you could have replied that caps are too expensive and I should invest in a keg system. And I could have passed this info onto the minister of finince if you get my drift.

Sorry but you had to expect some sort of stick for asking a question like that! My good mate Chillamcgilla has an avatar of Tab (tight ar$e brewer) but considering re-using caps takes it to a higher level again
Anyway have fun with your urn and if possible find a sparky mate to check it out for you. The last urn I acquired that was "dead" and had had the cord chopped off it when tested for faults had nothing wrong with it The bit about a pickup tube is to try and get the urn to drain to the bottom as most urns will not drain down lower than the height of the element to stop it from burning out if it gets left on inadvertently. Which means that there will be about 4-5l of deadspace in the bottom if you are using it as a kettle which then means a lot of wasted wort.