Keg King Elements

[denemc]

I ordered a couple of the weldless elements with the housing/guard from 5 Star... the only problem now is how do the housings get assembled! There'[s no instructions and I'm a gumby when it comes to this sort of thing!

 

[pedleyr]

Is the element housing in the 5 star elements earthed or is a separate earth needed for the kettle?

My KK element hasn't died yet but one of my kids was touching my kettle on the weekend while it was on, little bastard opened up the shed door without me knowing, which made me realise that I can't **** around with it any more, need better processes across the board. Top of the list is binning the KK element. Also a lock on the door if I'm leaving it unattended.

 

[QldKev]

Is the element housing in the 5 star elements earthed or is a separate earth needed for the kettle?

My KK element hasn't died yet but one of my kids was touching my kettle on the weekend while it was on, little bastard opened up the shed door without me knowing, which made me realise that I can't **** around with it any more, need better processes across the board. Top of the list is binning the KK element. Also a lock on the door if I'm leaving it unattended.

I've got the weldless element and guard kits, it has an earth point on the guard. I'm not sure on the other ones.

 

[pedleyr]

Cheers Kev that's exactly what I was after.

 

[denemc]

Got my new 5 Star Elements in and going. They are fantastic, although I've only done a wet test and haven't done and actual brew yet. They seem to be a quality piece of equipment - I got them wired professionally and the electrician said they were good. I love the element guards, they were easy to assemble, I could have wired them myself, and they just slot in where the keg king ones were. Here's a short video of when I first fired them up.

http://youtu.be/hl7tVSU5mIs

They certainly beat the pants of the Keg King ones, you can feel the extra heat, the boil is ferocious and the time to boil is considerably better.

 

[Kingy]

I've just installed one in one of my pots and in my herms heat exchanger. Nice bit of gear that's for sure.
How much you boiling with 2 elements?

 

[denemc]

I've got a 70 litre pot and will be doing double batches. The 2 x Keg King handled it easily so the extra power will be a bonus.

 

[HardEight]

My keg king element blew a blue flame out the side of my pot on Sunday after about 4 boil ups with it over about 6months, mainly just for cleaning things.
While I was happy with the unit,fit and boil time. It was my only keg king product purchase ever and I will never purchase another product from them again. Dead set rediculous and dangerous. I was about 1foot away from the 1-2foot blue flame/spark that sounded like a small fire cracker, scared the **** outta me.

Wow this just happened to me too. I have only used mine to hold temps in the HLT, never past 78deg, for a handful of brews.
Lucky I was wearing the brown undies and the element was behind the vessel and not facing me when it blew!
I don't think I will be replacing it with another KK one.

 

[SimoB]

When I went in there last week they were going through another design phase. This must be like the third time... Im not sure they have them in stock now or not though

 

[barls]

just a though has anyone reported them to fair trading for supplying a known faulty product which more than likely doesnt meet the standards and more than likely will injure someone at some stage.

 

[Simpsoid]

Can anyone with the 5 star element with the guard post a pic of inside it? I'd like to see how the earthing is connected. Thanks.

 

[denemc]

Mine's all secured into my pot so I don't really want to take it to bits, but it's basically like a little lug or screw that you screw down on the inside.. I showed an electrician and he said it was good.

I'm really happy with both the elements and guards. They were easy to assemble and even an idiot like me can do it. They look great, and the boil from the elements is incredible. They are light years better than the Keg King ones and would buy them again if I needed more.

 

[denemc]

Actually, if you look at these they are really similar.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Heating-Element-Adapter-Stainless-Steel-1-5-Tri-Clover-X-1-NPS-RIMS-Tube/1564035671.html

 

[denemc]

A quick video of my boil. I am very happy! 2 x 5 Star weldless elements with their fancy element covers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t6Qs8dFf1M

 

[HardEight]

Craftbrewer have the 'new' KK elements in stock.
Looks just like the last version but with a molded rubber seal over the cable outlet.

Have replaced it with the last KK one of mine that blew up.
Will be testing the 'new' version tomorrow (fingers crossed).

 

[sp0rk]

I'd say they're actually sealing them now, instead of just covering them
My opinion is that they've never actually been sealed properly, atomospheric moisture has been ingressing and you get a short/earth leakage

 

[denemc]

Every new model they claim to have fixed it and every new model does the blue flame trick. I'm staying away no matter what they say now!

 

[fraser_john]

Cripes, brewing this w/e with mine and it will be the sixth time I've used it. I noted last time I brewed that the electrical cord as it exited the "seal" of the element looked soft and dodgy........

Might be time to upgrade to a different element.... is anyone using this Craftbrewer one?

 

[QldKev]

Cripes, brewing this w/e with mine and it will be the sixth time I've used it. I noted last time I brewed that the electrical cord as it exited the "seal" of the element looked soft and dodgy........

Might be time to upgrade to a different element.... is anyone using this Craftbrewer one?

I use one in another hobby and never had a drama with it. I'm not sure if the heat density would make it a bit hot for the lower mash temps.

 

[fraser_john]

I use one in another hobby and never had a drama with it. I'm not sure if the heat density would make it a bit hot for the lower mash temps.

Thanks, it will just be in the kettle, so could be a better choice than the KK ones. Wish I had of seen this thread before buying it.....

 

[Kingy]

I've had the 5star elements now. They are going to last a long time. Sturdy, beautiful and solid. I polish the housing all the time lol. Peace of mind when using,blah blah blah. I will never buy a keg king product again. Farkin barstards

 

[QldKev]

Just an update on my Keg Krap elements.

So the story goes
I'm not sure about true versions of these elements because we have been told many times about "the new version which fixes the issues"
We all know the initial version of the elements failed (initial ones had no cable sticking out)...
Keg King promised they had fixed the issues in their next version. I purchased 2 elements for my HLT.
One failed pretty early on with the "blue flame and ball of smoke", I got a replacement.
The replacement rusted; hence the start of this thread. At my expense I cleaned up the rust from the tooling. The element got put into use.
So I had 2 of these elements running on my HLT.

Another version was released which again "the new version which fixes the issues"
I, like a sucker, purchased 2 more for another project.
Both failed (at different times) with the "blue flame and ball of smoke"
After such a hassle with the last effort for a claim I did not claim these.

Back to the HLT, this morning I had my HLT on a timer. my bedroom is on the other side of the wall from the carport where I brew. I woke to another bang.
Although it is most likely still within the 3 year warrenty period, I don't think I will worry about a claim.
So out of 4 elements I have paid for, (5 used including the initial replacement) only 1 is left. Time to find new elements for the HLT.

I guess the main reason for this update I have posted is for anyone who is using these and says "it's been in use for a while, it will be ok" please don't become complacent with these elements.

 

[fraser_john]

Thanks for the update QldKev, I have had mine for a while and I have thought it must be ok........so, not being complacent, I am waiting on the 5stardistilling ones to come back in stock.....

 

[Truman42]

I have a fivestar element and its never let me down. They didnt have weldless at the time I ordered so I brought their threaded element and silver soldered a socket to the side of my boiler. Then used a die cast box to cover the wiring.

 

[Camo6]

Everytime I see a new post in this thread I touch wood. I've been extremely lucky so far but really should invest in a backup for the inevitable.
Pretty sure I read the fivestar weldless will fit the same hole, yeah?

 

[sp0rk]

Everytime I see a new post in this thread I touch wood. I've been extremely lucky so far but really should invest in a backup for the inevitable.
Pretty sure I read the fivestar weldless will fit the same hole, yeah?

Yep, they designed them as a replacement for faulty KK elements :lol:

 

[The Gas Man]

I've gone through all four of my keg king elements that I bought in the last year. Never again.

Sure you can't beat the keg king stuff for price, but I've had problems with just about every bit of keg king gear I have bought (not just the elements).

Can't wait for my new 5 star elements to turn up.

Had to go old school and use gas for my last couple of brews.

 

[QldKev]

Glad I had my over the side element this morning, it allowed me to continue.

Keg King stuff works out pretty expensive when it keeps failing. Personally I'm never buying anything from them again.

The 5star ones are great, I have a couple in a boiler and have never let me down. I'm debating in this case where ever or not to use them, I need to run the elements via extension cords and the plugs get quite hot running them. So I'm trying to get all my elements back to around 2,000w to allow a buffer. Although normally in a HLT any element heat density is ok, I'm trying to get low / ultra low density ones as I use the HLT for other duties. No one does an ultra low / low density 2,000w element that I can find.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I'm debating in this case where ever or not to use them, I need to run the elements via extension cords and the plugs get quite hot running them. So I'm trying to get all my elements back to around 2,000w to allow a buffer. Although normally in a HLT any element heat density is ok, I'm trying to get low / ultra low density ones as I use the HLT for other duties. No one does an ultra low / low density 2,000w element that I can find.

Know where your coming from there Kev, I got around this by using the extra heavy duty leads from the big green shed, they run 1.5 or 1.6 wire. I use these on my Brauclone, one runs the controller, pump and 2400w element, and the other just another 2400w element, neither have heated in the slightest.

Mike

 

[QldKev]

Know where your coming from there Kev, I got around this by using the extra heavy duty leads from the big green shed, they run 1.5 or 1.6 wire. I use these on my Brauclone, one runs the controller, pump and 2400w element, and the other just another 2400w element, neither have heated in the slightest.

Mike

I'm already using the trades 1.5mm wire extension cords, the cord stays cool, the main issue I'm finding is the 10amp plugs. I'll get a pic later to show you what I mean. I'm thinking of cutting the plug off it and using a 15amp plug, then I can change the element to suit and hopefully keep the plug cooler.