Kettle - Gas To Electric

[Back Yard Brewer]

Can any forum user point me in the right direction. I want to fit my 50ltr beer keg with an element and do away with the bloody gas burner. Does anyone know of past posts discussing this, or the best/easiest way to do it? Was wondering wether it is possible to use an element out of an urn or similar ? Would it be suitable? So many questions and no answers

BYB

 

[Screwtop]

Can any forum user point me in the right direction. I want to fit my 50ltr beer keg with an element and do away with the bloody gas burner. Does anyone know of past posts discussing this, or the best/easiest way to do it? Was wondering wether it is possible to use an element out of an urn or similar ? Would it be suitable? So many questions and no answers

BYB

BYB, what are you using for a kettle, can't remember (for some reason).

Screwy

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

BYB, what are you using for a kettle, can't remember (for some reason).

Screwy

Maybe that "Old Timers" disease
Seriously though, I am spending time and money at the moment and I want to get my kettle right. I have been designing a single tier system (something like Jye has) using a march pump. I previously used an old gas copper but now have turned to 50ltr beer kegs for my new system (empty one's) Basically I just want to
p##s off the reliance on gas. Not the best photo but you should get the idea.

BYB

 

[justsomeguy]

Hey BYB,

I went from gas to electric and haven't looked back at all. Much nicer to use I reckon. No more bloody trips to the servo for a refill or any of that crap.

Have a look here to see what my brew system looked like. I'd done some changes since those pics but you should get the basic idea. I've since pulled the whole thing down as we're moving to WA and the brew rig can't go. The kettles are all going, just not the stand.

I'd be interested in hearing from folks over west as to the best brew places over there. I've been kinda spoilt by Grain and Grape here in Melbourne.

Just pm me if you've got any q's about the electric system.

Regards,

gary

 

[Justin]

Hi BYB.

Yep, lots of people have used electric elements to power their kettles. There are a few options.

Some are using hand held immersion elements that run about $70 upwards. They are 2400W and will boil 30 litres, I assume more though I haven't personally tried it. Easy to fit to your kettle, just plonk it in over the side. Very hand too cause you can move the element from your HLT to Mash tun to Kettle as need. I use mine to bump up mash temps as needed, just keep stirring and turn it off before you pull it out of the liquid.

Others have used the elements salvaged out of electric bench top kettles. I have these in my HLT, one 2200W and one 1800W. They will boil 45L no problems, but to run both at once you need to be plugged into two independent circuits in your house or have a 20amp circuit to use. I suspect the 2200W would boil 45L on it's own but once again I haven't tried that specific task without a lid on it. I drilled a hole and then filed it out to size to fit the element, then use the plastic backing nut and some silicone to seal and secure.

Another option is to get the elements used in hot water services/cylinders, you can get bolt or or threaded elements. If you have the means you can fabricate a way to attach them into the side of the kettle. Some have done it here. Do a search.

2400W should be sufficient. Have fun. Plenty of info if you do a search, knock yourself out.

Cheers, Justin

 

[user 1153]

I use 2 $11 kettle elements (kettles bought for $11 from Woolworths).

Just drill the holes to match the size of the rubber/silicon washer on the kettle and you area all set. Just screw the elements back into the kettle and you are away.

Works brilliantly.

 

[poppa joe]

Google ..."cd's old electric wort boiler"......
Tell you all you want know...
PJ

 

[Screwtop]

Have a look at the link in justsomeguy spost that will help. Wouldn't use weldless myself and have used kettle elements in the past for HLT. Asking a bit much from the duty cycle IMO from kettle elements, still use one in another vessel and have problems with the base and cord heating up if used for long periods.

Get yourself a couple of hot water elements with screw bases as suggested in justsomeguys link, good idea having two to regulate the boil and to save time reaching the boil. First things first, get the elements, then grab a couple of SS tank sockets in a thread to suit. The reason for doing things this way is because it will depend on what your electrical wholesaler has in stock and what you may be able to get cheap. I was able to get elements with 1 inch BSP thread for $30 (old stock). Once you have the elements buy the tank sockets in the same thread and weld them into your kettle so that they are flush on the inside. Weld a mounting plate on the outer end for an electrical junction box to be screwed onto to cover the connections. Screw the element in, connect up a cord and plug, put the cover on, all done. Piss easy, get in the shed with some PF playing, be done in no time.

Screwy

 

[ArnieW]

If you have 50l kettle, I'd suggest you go for 3600W. You might raise a boil with 2400W, but it will be slow and seem under-powered, especially after gas. My 50l kettle has a 3600W element which gets me to the boil in reasonable time, and then I throttle it back to about 60% power to maintain a nice rolling boil.

 

[Fents]

Where is the line where electric becomes useless when boling? Can an element boil 100+ litres of wort? just wondering as i'd cosider going electric if it could be done.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Where is the line where electric becomes useless when boling? Can an element boil 100+ litres of wort? just wondering as i'd cosider going electric if it could be done.

If the element is big enough...

I think the limiting factor would be the thickness of the electrical circuits you have at your disposal.

If you get a good enough 23litre batch boil out of a 2400W heater - using rough physics - you would need 10kW for 100litres (I'd want 50% more to Hurry The Boil Up). That's only two 20-amp circuits, or a specially-installed one, plus an upgrade of your feed off the street and several visits from people thinking you *must* be growing plants with all that draw...

 

[Fents]

Of course, i could entertain that idea and show them my hydro hop setup :blink:

So looks like its gas for 100ltres then.

 

[AUHEAMIC]

Where is the line where electric becomes useless when boling? Can an element boil 100+ litres of wort? just wondering as i'd cosider going electric if it could be done.

Fents

Next time your at Daves shop ask him about the jacketed Stokes elements. He did some research on them to use in his 205 litre kettle. The jacketed elements remove the risk of scorching the wort but they are a bit on the expensive side.

Peels

 

[Fents]

will do sir peels. cheers mate. beers soon?

 

[Screwtop]

Some commercial operations use electricially heated kettles, I know of one of about 900L capacity.

 

[roger mellie]

If you have 50l kettle, I'd suggest you go for 3600W. You might raise a boil with 2400W, but it will be slow and seem under-powered, especially after gas. My 50l kettle has a 3600W element which gets me to the boil in reasonable time, and then I throttle it back to about 60% power to maintain a nice rolling boil.

How are you 'Throttling Back' Arnie - are you using an SSR? That would be a bit of a step up from a kettle with an element and a thermostat.

RM

 

[willanth]

I at one point tried to use my 2400W element I got from G&G to boil up a batch. I didn't really get anywhere. I got up to about 96c, but it only managed to break 100 with some help. I am sure that I wasn't using enough element for the job, but I was just messing around. That was about 85 liters or so.

I use electric for HLT and mash, high pressure LPG for the kettle. I like LPG for the kettle, I don't have to open it all the way up to maintain a good rolling boil for 100 liter loads.

Cheers,
Will

 

[justsomeguy]

Have a look at the link in justsomeguy spost that will help. Wouldn't use weldless myself and have used kettle elements in the past for HLT. Asking a bit much from the duty cycle IMO from kettle elements, still use one in another vessel and have problems with the base and cord heating up if used for long periods.

Yep. I'd go the welded option too. My current setup is weldless though when I do the upgrades after the house move I'll be having stainless sockets welded in as Screwy has indicated.

You can go weldless but it is a bit of a hassle.

gary

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Yep. I'd go the welded option too. My current setup is weldless though when I do the upgrades after the house move I'll be having stainless sockets welded in as Screwy has indicated.

You can go weldless but it is a bit of a hassle.

gary

The following may be needed to be read in two sittings but I suppose thats what a forum is for

Nup will go the socket getting it welded is'nt a problem. Went down to the local Laurance & Hansen today, a 1.8kw/200mm was $65 and the 2.4kw/255mm was $75. Both were 1 1/4" BSP thread. There were a few different types of finish, the type I am looking at are corrosion resistant. The quantity I will want to boil could be up to 45 ltrs but mostly around the 30ltr mark. This leaves me with the next problem do I go the 2.4 & the 1.8 or could I get away with the 2.4. Just to mention there is available a 3kw which on its own I think would be an overkill. I may just get two sockets welded in and use one with the 2.4kw to start with. I do have a 2.4kw emmersion heater but it may not be long enough for the keg.What do you use to cover the exposed wires on the back of the elememt? The keg would get pretty bloody hot so what have you used to cover the back of the element with. Plastic may melt :unsure:

BYB

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

I at one point tried to use my 2400W element I got from G&G to boil up a batch. I didn't really get anywhere. I got up to about 96c, but it only managed to break 100 with some help. I am sure that I wasn't using enough element for the job, but I was just messing around. That was about 85 liters or so.

I use electric for HLT and mash, high pressure LPG for the kettle. I like LPG for the kettle, I don't have to open it all the way up to maintain a good rolling boil for 100 liter loads.

Cheers,
Will

FFS thats a lot of beer in one hit. Has the liquor licensing commision contacted you yet

BYB