Recurring charred crown urn element - have I wrecked it?

[Liam_snorkel]

Background: A while back I made the mistake of trying a protein rest and charred my element (there's a thread about it) - scraped it off and used phosphoric acid as suggested by some and also a boil of vinegar, and got it looking as good as new.

Fast forward to the last few brews and I've been noticing stubborn build up after each, (yes I cleaned it) leading to another charred element last week. So dutifully I cleaned and scraped the char of the c%#t and got it looking good as new except for a few small flecks here & there. It was clean as a whistle.
Tonight I brewed a lightweight saison (only 3.2kg of grain) and the end result is the attached picture.

Out of 40+ brews on this thing the last 3 have resulted in varying degrees of burnt turd flavour despite cleaning the bugger every time.

Yes I follow typical BIAB practice of constantly pumping the mash during ramps, and haven't mashed in lower than about 65 for ages.

Could this be a result of me scrubbing the element to the point that it's cactus? Time for an upgrade?

This is fckd, I start 4 weeks holidays tomorrow and I need beer!

 

[Parks]

My thought would be that you've taken some outer layer off or it's not as polished as it once was (covered in micro scratches).

No idea if that is true or how to fix it.


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[shaunous]

They do normally have a coating, but that shouldn't make them wanna act like you've got the heat to high and just burn the surrounding liquid. Unless im wrong.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

They are my thoughts as well. It will boil water just fine (once I scrape the burnt toast off) so I might just use it as a HTL for step mashes and get another mash/boil vessel. Now, I need to decide whether to go concealed element urn, ss pot with 2kW element, or go gas.

This has really sucked, I'm seriously considering getting a tin of coopers from woollies and fermenting it with belle saison so I at least have something to drink next weekend.

 

[Bribie G]

I'm pretty sure you can get new elements for crownies, try emailing Crown Industries. Maybe Ross could assist.

I don't frig around with my element, I use a curly steel wool kitchen "ball" and show no mercy. Those green Scotch brites just don't cut it for me . It's down to the raw copper, I think the original coating was just a thin electroplate of nickel. At this rate I should wear it out in about 10 years.

Haven't had a problem since I started doing this.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I don't frig around with my element, I use a curly steel wool kitchen "ball" and show no mercy. Those green Scotch brites just don't cut it for me . It's down to the raw copper, I think the original coating was just a thin electroplate of nickel. At this rate I should wear it out in about 10 years.

Haven't had a problem since I started doing this.

yeah, mine is also down to the copper. So if that's not the cause, WTF is? I need to get brewing next week, so I'm really not keen to wait around for a new element (and then wire it up, which I will probably botch).
Hmm, new element here for $60... http://www.crownindustries.com.au/images/2013_Crown_Spare_parts_Retail.pdf

 

[Parks]

yeah, mine is also down to the copper. So if that's not the cause, WTF is? I need to get brewing next week, so I'm really not keen to wait around for a new element (and then wire it up, which I will probably botch).
Hmm, new element here for $60... http://www.crownindustries.com.au/images/2013_Crown_Spare_parts_Retail.pdf

I wonder why is much more than the concealed one?

I tell you what though, I really like the fact that when you buy something of quality like a crown urn it's easy to get the replacement bits you need.

 

[shaunous]

Maybe the thermo is ratshit, it might be getting a lot hotter then what you have set it to, and turning on and off quicker but a higher heat, instead of slow ramping temps.

Not sure without seeing it in action.

 

[MaltyHops]

Maybe the thermo is ratshit, it might be getting a lot hotter then what you have set it to, and turning on and off quicker but a higher heat, instead of slow ramping temps.

Not sure without seeing it in action.

... maybe cause by beer stone? See: Re: Element failiure explosion

 

[Liam_snorkel]

possibly for one of the brews a few weeks ago, but it was squeaky clean yesterday afternoon prior to brewing.

EDIT: or do you mean the thermo is permanently busted due to it having been boiled a few times with char / stone in its life?

EDIT 2: I turned the temp control down from 110 to 100 last night to see what would happen, and the element cut out as you might expect if the thermo was working

 

[HBHB]

Liam, don't hesitate to jump on the phone to Crown Industries. I'm sure you'll find them more than helpful & approachable.

Cheers,
Martin

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Thanks Martin. I might just bite the bullet and get a new on (I need to brew asap), and then try to repair this fella. The minister for finance has just approved the purchase of a new kettle for xmas.

 

[kegs23]

just go out and buy a element they use for spirts(shaped like the one in the urn) not the keg king one, drill a hole in side of the urn and fit new element,you can keep it up just a little that way its out of all the hop matter at the bottom,cost around 50 bucks and whole saw from tradetools about $13bucks,element is 2400watts,

 

[shaunous]

Thanks Martin. I might just bite the bullet and get a new on (I need to brew asap), and then try to repair this fella. The minister for finance has just approved the purchase of a new kettle for xmas.

No Bottle-O's in Brissie Liam

 

[Liam_snorkel]

nah, I need to brew because we will have guests around from xmas who will want to taste my beer.. pretty sure I don't want to be serving them Burnt Turd Saison.

 

[troopa]

Have you started doing protien rests or using wheat?

Both cause me no end off issues in my old GA recipe with the protien caking onto the element then burning on during the boil

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Haven't started doing protein rests. Made heaps of wheats previously and no issues.

 

[Glot]

Se if you can buy a duralloy or an Incaloy element to fit straight in. But the real question is.....what have you done that has changed. It is the same urn, the same element.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

my guess is the element or possibly the thermostat has deteriorated. don't care any more, I now have a new urn, concealed element, currently ramping to boil a schwarzbier.