Need Help With Hlt Element

[Keifer]

On my last brew day, i left the element switched on while there was not enough water to completely cover it, about 1/3rd exposed to air for about 5 minutes.

Today i half filled my HLT with water and white vinegar to clean the element and other bits n pieces. It ran fine at 90c for about 30 mins. I emptied the water, flushed and refilled half way. Set the temp controller to 74c for strike temp but as soon as i turn it on it trips the safety switch inside the house.

If i leave the element unplugged but the temp controller in it's fine. There's no melted wires anywhere and no no probs visually.

How can i go about testing the element with a multimeter? although it's not really looking good and will probably end up buying a new one

Cheers,
Keith

 

[warrenlw63]

Keifer

That happened to one of mine once. After much running to the front of the house to switch the meter box back on, swearing and head-scratching I discovered that some water had gotten inside the plastic housing for the element (black bit on outside) when I hosed down my HLT. I just unscrewed the housing, ran a hairdryer over the wires and electric bits to dry it all. Put it all back together and it was fine from then.

Hope this helps.

Warren -

 

[Keifer]

Yeah i took it apart and blew it with compressed air. I'll give it another go to fully dry it out. Thanks warren.

 

[warrenlw63]

May also pay to try the three slots inside the lead (could be moisture). Or even using a new lead for that matter.

The element itself shouldn't have suffered from being exposed from lack of liquid. Also done that a couple of times myself too. <_<

I've found that 2 elements on my HLT to be most useful. I don't use them both at once these days because they're 2400 watts each and will trip the circuit. OTOH comes in handy being able to alternate them in case one plays funny buggers during your brew day.

Warren -

 

[head]

Apart from Pilfering an element from an old kettle, where have you guys found a good place to buy new elements? Thought I would ask here before I started ringing around.

Cheers,
Head

 

[Keifer]

I got mine from Grain and Grape for about ~$75 (can't remember exactly). Not sure where else to get one from.

I got a new lead just now and it still don't work

I might take it round to my uncle's place on the weekend, he's tops with electrical stuff. Make sure it's really dead before getting a new one.

 

[Screwtop]

Keifer, you'll need to get an electrician to megga it, multimeter wont generate the required voltage to test for insulation breakdown in the element.

Cheers, good luck.

 

[KillerRx4]

Have a feel of the element. See if you can feel a bubble or a blowout anywhere.

 

[Keifer]

Ahh thanks screwtop, i didn't know that. rx4, it feels roughed up where air got to it and there is one spot that has bubbled out slightly.

 

[Lukes]

Apart from Pilfering an element from an old kettle, where have you guys found a good place to buy new elements? Thought I would ask here before I started ringing around.

Cheers,
Head

Dave from this forum put me on to Stokes in Ringwood, Vic

It was only about 30 bucks.

Stokes

- Luke

 

[newguy]

Apart from Pilfering an element from an old kettle, where have you guys found a good place to buy new elements? Thought I would ask here before I started ringing around.

I'm very sorry if there are no Home Depot outlets down under, but try home improvement/hardware/building supply stores. I got mine at Home Depot. Go to the plumbing section and they should have an assortment of electric water heater replacement elements. They're what I use, are cheap, and are meant for heating large quantities of water.

 

[redbeard]

I just bought a $10-$15 jug from k-martie and stripped the element out of it. depends on if this is what u use, or something more serious, like a hot water one.

cheers

 

[sqyre]

Apart from Pilfering an element from an old kettle, where have you guys found a good place to buy new elements? Thought I would ask here before I started ringing around.

Cheers,
Head

Not sure where you are Head, but i picked up a hot water screw in type element from Helios Brisbane on monday. Website Here

They were very helpfull and even supplied me with the gear for temp control.

I got a 3600watt twin element (thats 15amps) plus the control gear (kit) for $170.

They did have 1500 watters for $70 without the control but you would probably find it cheaper buying a Still element from a Home brew shop.



Sqyre

 

[Tony]

mate.......... if its bubbled, even a bit and its tripping the breaker, get a new one.

exposing them to air does it all the time.

I am a sparkie and i see it a bit.

To test the resistance, Ohms law says that R = V squared / P

therefore the elements resistance is 240 squared / 2400 (assuming it is a 2400W wlwnent

That makes it 24 ohms. this is what you should get betweem the 2 power terminals on the element with a multimeter on ohms setting.

Dont froget to turn off the power

here is a page that will work it out for you

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp

I am thinking of installing a level probe conected to a multitrode. It looks at the level of water in the tank and would switch off the element as it gets to a level that will cause problems.

I have an isolator on the side that i switch off when im pumping from the HLT but sometimes i forget.

Mine is a 3600W hot water system element.

cheers

 

[Keifer]

I am thinking of installing a level probe conected to a multitrode. It looks at the level of water in the tank and would switch off the element as it gets to a level that will cause problems.

That's what i want to do, some way to swtich off at the right time automatically. How much you rekon for setting that up tony?

 

[sqyre]

That's what i want to do, some way to swtich off at the right time automatically. How much you rekon for setting that up tony?

I was looking at going down the same track with the HLT im building at the moment.
Although i was going to use one of these with a relay.
(If the link doesnt work, google "RS components" and search inside for "pps horizontal float")
Horizontal float switch, mounted in the side of HLT just above the element they are rated 0-100 degrees.

That should work ok ... Tony???
Sqyre..

 

[Wortgames]

I use a 2400W spiral urn-type element in the bottom of the HLT like this:



At the time I just figured it would be the easiest to fit, requiring just 2 smallish holes in the flattish base of the thing, rather than a large one in the curved side (the element is 'springy' enough that it doesn't even matter if the holes aren't perfectly aligned).

Since then I've realised that it has another advantage - it means the element is close to the bottom of the HLT and below the level of the outlet, so I don't have any problems with a volume of cold water sitting below the element, which you might get with a side-mounted kettle element, and I also can't expose the element inadvertently (although obviously it could still boil dry, but this would take a while).

I had to put some rubber feet on the base of the HLT to clear the protruding element terminals, but this was easy as the HLT was somewhat keg-shaped and already had 4 holes. It also gave me somewhere easy to connect the earth to.

I think I paid about $20 for the element from a grimey back-street 'element shop' somewhere in Sydney a few years ago. Seriously, that's all they sold, was different types of heating elements for all types of ovens etc, as well as a few knobs and trims etc - looked like a slow way to make a living! I think they must have done repairs out the back. If you try ringing a couple of repair places and tell them you are building something weird and you need to see a range of elements, they'll probably pass you off onto the same sort of place if they don't carry much stock themselves.

 

[therook]

Wortgames, you got an inside view of the element.

rook

 

[Keifer]

Thats the way to do it wortgames! i'll modify my pickup so it's above the element. It will waste a few litres of water, but if it saves just one element (im likely to forget in the future) then it's worth doing. This time im going for a $16 kettle element 2200w. Really annoyed i wasted $80!

 

[Wortgames]

Wortgames, you got an inside view of the element.

Not unless you can see past all the copper in my avatar...


it looks something like this though: