Over The Side Immersion Heater

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Hoges,

Many thanks for your post mate but I think you will find (please correct me if I'm wrong), that the reason that they are cheaper is that they are steel/nickel plated & as such, are harder to spread open the coils (to eliminate burning of the coils in the mash) than the more expensive ($20 more) copper-coiled version.
As mentioned, it's the heating up of the mash that I am concerned about. ATM the copper-coiled Tobins seems to be my best bet?

TP :beer:

I've not modified mine. I insulate my mashtun/kettle a bit. I find that if I move the element around - use it to stir the mash - no scorching happens. Sure, you cannot just throw it in there and leave it, but (in the way I brew) it isn't an issue.

I'm not trying to talk you out of spending the extra cash, but I don't *think* the problem under discussion is an issue - at least is hasn't been for me to date. You can probably guess what will happen to me next brew...

 

[deckedoutdaz]

tp, i had a 3.6kw element speciallymade, no warranty, no guarentees though, i've had it for years with no problems, use it with my 2.4kw, heats up 60 litres in no time....let me know if you need more info...

daz

 

[Hogan]

Hoges,

Many thanks for your post mate but I think you will find (please correct me if I'm wrong), that the reason that they are cheaper is that they are steel/nickel plated & as such, are harder to spread open the coils (to eliminate burning of the coils in the mash) than the more expensive ($20 more) copper-coiled version.
As mentioned, it's the heating up of the mash that I am concerned about. ATM the copper-coiled Tobins seems to be my best bet?

TP :beer:

Pete - It would not matter what it is made of or how far spread the coils were - if you did not keep it moving constantly through the mash it would burn the grist.

Those immersion heaters that are made of the more expensive material are made for a specialised job. The dearer ones are for heating heavy liquids or those containing special ingredients. Look at sites selling industrial drum heaters and you will see what I mean.

So far as we are concerned we are heating a medium that is something one step above water, and that's all we need it to do. I bought the cheaper version for that purpose and can still spread the coils, although I have not found that necessary.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[TidalPete]

Pete - It would not matter what it is made of or how far spread the coils were - if you did not keep it moving constantly through the mash it would burn the grist.

Those immersion heaters that are made of the more expensive material are made for a specialised job. The dearer ones are for heating heavy liquids or those containing special ingredients. Look at sites selling industrial drum heaters and you will see what I mean.

So far as we are concerned we are heating a medium that is something one step above water, and that's all we need it to do. I bought the cheaper version for that purpose and can still spread the coils, although I have not found that necessary.

Cheers, Hoges.

Hoges,

Many thanks for your advice mate.
I am only going by my experience from seeing a fellow brewer's IH after he had used it to raise the temp in his mash a number of times. the coils had burnt grains stuck all over them.
I really have no experience at all myself with immersion heaters. I only know that he (Screwtop) solved the problem of the mash burning the element (even though he constantly stirred) on his IH by spreading the coils to allow the grains in the mash to pass through instead of collecting & sticking to his IH element

My advice is to get one designed for hard water, these have a black non-stick coating, rather than the chromed ones which are not meant for hard water.

Ross may well have a point here. I have emailed Ideal Electrical & am waiting for a response.


Daz,

Am PM'ing you. Cheers.


TP :beer:

 

[mossyrocks]

TidalPete,

Did you ever get a reply from Ideal Electrical?

Cheers,

mossy

 

[TidalPete]

TidalPete,

Did you ever get a reply from Ideal Electrical?

Cheers,

mossy

No I didn't mossy.

TP :beer:

 

[kabooby]

I have the tobins one. I got mine from TLE Electrical wholesalers in Campbelltown.

Use it to assist in heating sparge water and adjusting mash temps

Only problem I have had is that the lead has come out of the handle a bit. Other than that its great

Kabooby

 

[mossyrocks]

Hi,

I bought this item on Ebay :-

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...A:IT&ih=017

and was looking for an appropriate device to connect to it for my HLT.

Chris.

 

[the_fuzz]

Hi,

I bought this item on Ebay :-

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...A:IT&ih=017

and was looking for an appropriate device to connect to it for my HLT.

Chris.

?? Don't you just put the probe in the water? h34r:

 

[mossyrocks]

Whats_Wrong_with_Hahn,

Excuse my ignorance, what is the power outlet connection for?

Chris

 

[reg]

Whats_Wrong_with_Hahn,

Excuse my ignorance, what is the power outlet connection for?

Chris

The probe is your thermostat probe which controls the switching of the outlet via the dial setting.

So basically you plug your heating coil into the outlet and throw the probe into the liquid and it controls when the heating coil is on and off. To whatever temp you set the dial for

 

[the_fuzz]

Whats_Wrong_with_Hahn,

Excuse my ignorance, what is the power outlet connection for?

Chris

No worries,

Plug your elements power into the thermostat plug

Plug the thermostat into the wall

Put the probe into the water

Use the dial to set temp

Once the temp is reached, the thermostat will cut off power to the element and then turn it back on when required to get up to temp again - all it does is turn the power off and on constantly - it should work well