I Hate My Crown Urn Sometimes.

[insane_rosenberg]

First brew in 6 months.

Normal gravity Schwartzbier. Figure I'll reconnect the boil dry switch because Ross says it's a bad idea to bypass it. Makes sense too. Crown must have a reason for using it.

Finish sacch. rest at 67. Element on to mash out. *Click* element off. *Click* on *Click* off...

#%&@ this!

Drain the schwartz. Do the mod. Fill it all back up again. SWMBO is pissed off because we can't go out for dinner.

What a first day back on the wagon. Thanks Crown urn!

 

[Truman42]

First brew in 6 months.

Normal gravity Schwartzbier. Figure I'll reconnect the boil dry switch because Ross says it's a bad idea to bypass it. Makes sense too. Crown must have a reason for using it.

Finish sacch. rest at 67. Element on to mash out. *Click* element off. *Click* on *Click* off...

#%&@ this!

Drain the schwartz. Do the mod. Fill it all back up again. SWMBO is pissed off because we can't go out for dinner.

What a first day back on the wagon. Thanks Crown urn!

All that and you had one less hour of the day to do it in.

 

[Ross]

Shane,

Is the centre part of your urn bright or is it stained? If you've got beer stone build up on the element cover you'll get exactly the issues you've encountered.
Also, were you raising temp with the bag in? If you were, then you'll get the same issues again.

cheers Ross

 

[seamad]

I get similiar problems with mine especially with high wheat/rye. It's the main reason I'm working on a braumaster type setup to hopefully reduce the crud which coats the element and kicks off the switch.
Don't bypass as I burnt one element out doing so.
I find that at mash out if I give the element a really good rub with spoon etc then the boil goes fine with most brews. With the crud producing ones may need to do this couple of times during the boil.
For the rye ( 60% ) I attached a new sponge scourer to my paint masher and had to have a go at the element every 15 minutes.
Did a S&W galaxy last week ( 40 % wheat) and 5 seconds before the end of a 70 minute boil it cut out. Rather it cuts out than burns out, and hopefully with the new setup the crud problem will be sorted.

cheers
Sean

 

[Bribie G]

Anyone who would like to see the Crown EXPOSED element in action, it will be hammering away at the Systems War day at CraftBrewer (Bacchus) on Saturday, dough in probably around 10 so urn back on around 11.15.

Edit: mine has cut out and died a couple of time right towards the end of a 90 min boil - I have an over the side element as a backup but I'll try the element scrub next time.

 

[insane_rosenberg]

The Schwarz is happily cubed so now I can have a more objective look at the issue.

Is the centre part of your urn bright or is it stained? If you've got beer stone build up on the element cover you'll get exactly the issues you've encountered.
Also, were you raising temp with the bag in? If you were, then you'll get the same issues again.

Thanks for the feedback Ross. I am definitely seeing the black beer stone at the moment (and prior to yesterday's brew). What is the best method for cleaning this off? My early option was the stainless steel scourer, so I'm planning to put this back into action tonight.

And yeah, I did have the bag in, but up on a cake rack (approx 2.5cm). Do you know if a clean element is still likely to click out with this liquid space?

I attached a new sponge scourer to my paint masher

Sounde like a good idea seamad. And Bribie G, I have an over-the-side on my Christmas list so I can do the high gravity boils and get between the temp steps quicker!

 

[MarkBastard]

I find to get beer stone off the element cover nothing beats a PBW mixture and turn the element on while the PBW/Water is in there. It'll boil straight off.

 

[seamad]

PBW is good but me being a tightarse I use Electric brand washing soda, about $4 /kg. Put some hot water in urn to just cover element and pour some in, put lid on and leave 24 hours, if really badly burnt may need to do twice or use PBW

 

[MarkBastard]

I find a hot water / napisan mix works well enough to clean the urn (ie just leaving it in to soak). However the cover of the element gets a sort of 'baked on' film that can only easily be removed by having the urn turned on with clearn in it I find. You can also scrub with a scourer sponge but even that isn't a guarantee.

 

[insane_rosenberg]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

The PBW seems like the go. I also stumbled across this article of cleaning methods for stainless steel.

I might give the diluted ammonia soak a try until I place my next order at CraftBrewer and get some PBW.

 

[Spork]

Speaking of Crown Urns:
Noticed some crud in my tap today after cubing my wort, so figured I'd boil some plain water and flush it out.
Got several bits of d-sazz flowers out (from 2 brews ago!) and it drains much better now and looks nice and clean.
While it was boiling, with the lid on, I noticed the water in the sight gauge going up and down. In a blond moment I thought "Gee, did I rock the urn?"? In an even blonder moment I lifted the lid up to look.
I now have a nice steam burn on the back of my middle and ring fingers on my right hand for my efforts.
Last time I do a whole brew day without a drink...

 

[MarkBastard]

Why were you boiling with the lid on?

Regarding the tap, yeah it can get some crap clogged in it. The good thing is that a piece of silicone covers up most of the bits that dirt would collect in. It still needs a clean every now and then though. I unscrew the tap leaver, take out the silicone and then you can see through the tap from top to bottom and clean it out. Also a good idea to clean sideways from inside to outside the urn as well.

 

[Spork]

Why were you boiling with the lid on?
snip...

I had cubed my wort, I was just boiling plain water to rinse with.
First time I have boiled anything in the urn with the lid on and the "ferocity" of the boil caught me by surprise. I guess 110c really is a full boil +10%...

 

[djneli]

I have used an exposed element Birco for about 100 brews now as the kettle and the best cleaner I have come across to keep the element nice is to make sure it gets a hit of PBW at the end of each brew day (which could be up to three brews) and then about once every 10 brews I spray the inside with good old Selly's BBQ cleaner spray foam - that stuff is hard core and keeps the inside of my urn (almost) show room condition (not really). So far I haven't ever had the element kick out at all even with 100% wheat brews.