Keggle Heating Element

[Lakey]

:icon_chickcheers: Hello fellow brewers. I am trying to get AG gear up and running for cheap an was thinking of putting a 2200W heating element from the craftbrewer on my 50L keggle as it is cheaper than buying a burner. Just wondering if any one else uses the same system and has any feedback they could give me on how it performs. Also if anyone uses the bucket in a bucket system for a mash tun could they tell me how that goes. Cheers Lakey. :beerbang:

This post has been edited by Lakey: Today, 06:25 PM

 

[real_beer]

:icon_chickcheers: Hello fellow brewers. I am trying to get AG gear up and running for cheap an was thinking of putting a 2200W heating element from the craftbrewer on my 50L keggle as it is cheaper than buying a burner. Just wondering if any one else uses the same system and has any feedback they could give me on how it performs. Also if anyone uses the bucket in a bucket system for a mash tun could they tell me how that goes. Cheers Lakey. :beerbang:

This post has been edited by Lakey: Today, 06:25 PM

Hi Lakey,

I've been setting up my gear to try BIAB with a 50lt keg & one of these elements from CraftBrewer.
My keg is insulated with a camping mat. During a calibration test the other day it took 54 mins to bring 40 litres of 21 C water to 67 C & another 48 mins to bring it up to the boil with a lid on. I think the air temperature was about 22 to 25 C at the time.
After boiling for 1 hour with the lid off & allowing it to cool down, I had an evaporation rate of 4 litres an hour. This 10% is a very good evaporation rate for boil-off & if you are going to do single batches you will probable only need 31 to 33 litres of water if you use the BIAB method, so the heating times will be less.

Overall I think I'm going to be very pleased with this element for what I want, & would also like to point out that fitting them is as safe & easy as it can get.

This calculator seems to agree with my test: http://www.phpdoc.info/brew/boilcalc.html

Cheers

 

[Lakey]

Cheers real beer that has really helped me make my mind up about getting one. just needed reassurance.

 

[Pennywise]

If it's this one you're talking about, can you tell me if it's just a normal kettle plug or not?

 

[QldKev]

If it's this one you're talking about, can you tell me if it's just a normal kettle plug or not?

Would that be the same as a PC cable?

QldKev

 

[Siborg]

If it's this one you're talking about, can you tell me if it's just a normal kettle plug or not?

It's a normal kettle plug.

I have two of them I'm going to chuck in my 98L pot once I get around to drilling the holes.

 

[Pennywise]

Would that be the same as a PC cable?

QldKev

Yep, pretty sure the power cable is same on a computer

It's a normal kettle plug.

I have two of them I'm going to chuck in my 98L pot once I get around to drilling the holes.

Awesome, I know they only charge 8 bucks for it but I have access to them for nothing so...
I plan to use this to heat my sparge water for now, but will hopefully become part of a HERMS, in the pretty distant future anyway.

Cheers

 

[QldKev]

Yep, pretty sure the power cable is same on a computer



Awesome, I know they only charge 8 bucks for it but I have access to them for nothing so...
I plan to use this to heat my sparge water for now, but will hopefully become part of a HERMS, in the pretty distant future anyway.

Cheers

Cool, been thinking about getting one for playing with, but I have access to the pc cables; saves $8


QldKev

 

[lespaul]

It's a normal kettle plug.

I have two of them I'm going to chuck in my 98L pot once I get around to drilling the holes.

Hey Siborg, thinking about doing the same thing for my 50lt keggle (the gas price is killing me on the mongolian burner). Just wondering how you were going to set them (above or like 90 degrees from each other)?

Cheers

 

[Acasta]

2 2200W elements can be arranged like so:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=777906

 

[seemax]

I've got one in my 80L pot and it wont do a rolling boil of 28L.

Think I might just get a 2nd one like the above post and use one of those cheap simmerstats to control the output.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Cooktop-Element-Sim...29#ht_807wt_905

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I seriously reccomend over the side immersion elements in preference to installed elements.

Yes, they are more expensive, but they are a bit gruntier and they give you a level of flexibility that fixed elements just cant. ANY vessel becomes a heating vessel, and when you take them out... Your heating vessel reverts back to any vessel.

No holes, no seals, no power cords to buy, nothing but commercially made convenience....

Naopy bucket, 20L bucket, keggle, mash heating, BIAB, normal boiing, assiting gas kettles..... All flexibility, no disadvantage other than initial cost.

And if you are using them to replace gas... The difference is maybe 10 brews worth of gas tops.... You still come out a winner at the end of the day.

 

[Cannibal Smurf]

2 2200W elements can be arranged like so:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=777906

Got mine set up like that and works fine for 45L boil

I've got one in my 80L pot and it wont do a rolling boil of 28L.

Think I might just get a 2nd one like the above post and use one of those cheap simmerstats to control the output.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Cooktop-Element-Sim...29#ht_807wt_905

Mine would barely do a rolling boil in a 50L keggle and took forever to get there, so I purchased and installed a second one and have no problems now.

And yes, a normal PC power lead works fine.

 

[Wolfy]

I seriously reccomend over the side immersion elements in preference to installed elements.

Any particular brand/make/model/vendor you'd suggest?
I've heard that some (maybe cheap ones) can leave a nasty rubber-type taste since the cord and fittings are also immersed in the boiling water/wort.

 

[Acasta]

This is something i've been considering, having the over-the-side + Immersion for bringing the wort to boil, then take out the immersion and let the 2200W keep it going (hopefully)
Does anyone have experience trying this sort of thing?

 

[QldKev]

I think 3600w for a single and at least 4800w for a double are what I would look at for a decent boil

QldKev

 

[keifer33]

I use an ots 2400w element and boils 30lt no probs. Mine is a grimwood. PC08B000S. Beerbelly have something similar.

The cheapies have cords/plastic that is immersed but the quality ones have an adjustable hook and the parts immersed are all metal.

 

[Acasta]

I use an ots 2400w element and boils 30lt no probs. Mine is a grimwood. PC08B000S. Beerbelly have something similar.

The cheapies have cords/plastic that is immersed but the quality ones have an adjustable hook and the parts immersed are all metal.

So you just hang this in touching the side? How long does it take to get to boil how many L of water?

 

[keifer33]

So you just hang this in touching the side? How long does it take to get to boil how many L of water?

Yeah they just hang on the side. Here is a pic of it from the manufactures website



As far as the boil time I cant remember exactly how long it takes as I only got to use it for a few brews before my pot showed signs of cheap manufacturing and leaked like a sieve. I have ordered a new super dupper pot so will be able to test in a few weeks time once it arrives and report back.

 

[lespaul]

Keen to hear your recommendation TB. Had any problems with singing the BIAB bag?