WTB: Keg King Element

[Motabika]

Anyone got one they are looking to sell?

Or failing that cheapest place to buy one new.

Thanks in advance

 

[barls]

mate with the failure rate of them you would be better off buying anything else

 

[JDW81]

Try keg king perhaps?

 

[Adr_0]

I have just replaced mine...

It didn't explode, but did leak into the terminal area, tripping the RCD. It has since dried out, but I'm not confident it won't do the same again. I chose not to lob it over the neighbour's so it's sitting on the table.

They definitely have appeal (plug and play, handy power rating) but the sealing issue needs to be addressed.

 

[Motabika]

mate with the failure rate of them you would be better off buying anything else

What are the other options?

I am getting a keggle which has previously housed one. Is there anything Else worth looking at that will fit.

 

[Adr_0]

The elements from 5 star brewing equipment, StillDragon or Brewmart - all fold-back types - are apparently the go.

These are bare elements, so they need to have an element guard, earthing, and be wired by an electrician. StillDragon and 5 star both have element guards I believe.

 

[mofox1]

And the camco ones via Amazon et al. Check the electric brewery website for infos: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/heating-elements

 

[crowmanz]

mate with the failure rate of them you would be better off buying anything else

There has be no reported failures (on AHB at least) for the current model element.

I have the current one in a keggle, but I am extra aware of the possibility of failure and have that planned for in the layout of my brew area.

Bought direct from kegking for a smidge under $40 + del, who are terrible at packing orders correctly. I did buy with the failure rate and an upgrade path in mind.

 

[Motabika]

Thanks guys

 

[Adr_0]

The last page of thin thread has a photo with the issue:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/63974-keg-king-elements/page-32

It will leak at some point between the stick and the main mounting bush, which isn't sealed. I was doing a wash with Starsan, it leaked in and had a path to earth, then dried out the next day. Don't want to really risk again, but can appreciate there might be other things that can be done (eg sealing with high temp somethingorother).

 

[barls]

There has be no reported failures (on AHB at least) for the current model element.

I have the current one in a keggle, but I am extra aware of the possibility of failure and have that planned for in the layout of my brew area.

Bought direct from kegking for a smidge under $40 + del, who are terrible at packing orders correctly. I did buy with the failure rate and an upgrade path in mind.

so not the one two posts above then which was two days ago.

have a read here
32 →
I've posted a link to where i got mine for 28 including postage. might be a couple of pages ago.

 

[crowmanz]

so not the one two posts above then which was two days ago.

have a read here
32 →
I've posted a link to where i got mine for 28 including postage. might be a couple of pages ago.

Apologies.

Still only one issue reported for the new version, and it didn't blow up/shoot fire.

 

[barls]

Apologies.

Still only one issue reported for the new version, and it didn't blow up/shoot fire.

I'm going to point out that they don't have a certification as required by the govt as a pre wired device.
also given the number of failures and general lack of car to fix it aka once they started to shoot fire and that they weren't pulled off the market as they should of been they were still being sold. what does that say for the company selling them?

personally look to the 5 star or similar and get it wired by a qualified person.

 

[Adr_0]

One of the features of the keg king element is that it is 'plug and play', with earthing. So some of the better quality elements are bare, requiring wiring. This was what originally turned me off the 5 Star, etc., to begin with.

The best way to do this is to get an element cover from a few places around, including an earth.

No affiliation etc., but this is one of StillDragon's covers, pulled apart for photos after being wired up and checked by my electrician. Once you have a cover the bare terminals won't be an issue for your electrician:


The gap in the gasket is a leakage tell-tale to prevent filling up the cover with liquid.

If you're still keen on the KK element, Cheaky Peak and a few others sell them. It might be worth getting some Silastic 732 - which will probably cost you $30 - or a food grade engineering silicone to seal up where the stick meets the bushing. If the silicone is rated to 120-200°C it will be fine as long as you have constant flow over your element.

EDIT: It's actually a 2kW element I had lying around as my 5 Star hasn't rocked up yet...

 

[Maheel]

Australian Element Supplies

• Unit 2 / 19 Graham Hill Rd, 2567, NSW
• 02 4648 1172

dont know if this mob still exist as their web site is gone ?

but i bought a few 2400 and 3600 elements off them for about $35 each +post
still running the original 2400 and 3600 a few years later..... have spares in box...

1" threaded bush type and you can just put a nut on the inside of your boiler if open top
or weld / solder in 1" threaded bushes if you want




the 5star ones for $50 also look good and may be low watts per inch type

 

[TidalPete]

Motabika,

You don't say what you want to use this element for?

If only for your HLT then perhaps CraftBrewer can help you.
I ditched the KK elements after the original failed + two KK replacements also karked it which came to a total of three & a deadset waste of my time & effort when needing a decent HLT element.

CraftBrewer supplied me with a good plug & play 1800w element for $40-$50 IIRC that was a perfect fit for the hole in the HLT I carved out for the KK element. Whilst a perhaps not up to 2400w speeds it does the job heating up liquor in my 50 litre HLT no worries.

Not sure what they have in stock these days but it's worth getting in touch about.
Hope this helps?

PS --- Bloody Ross promised us a new website aeons ago showing everything they have in stock & is still farting about with no result expected in my lifetime.
You would be surprised at the gear they have tucked away that they don't advertise on their site.

PPS --- Gas is better for your kettle boiling no matter what the "experts" tell you.

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

I purchased the only element that I could find recently at CB and it turned out to be the Keg King unit. The manager assured me that the problems that were reported on the earlier versions of this unit due to the materials that had been used in the insulation had been remedied and the new units were good to go.

Ironically I purchased this as a spare part for the kettle that I had just bought because it too included the maligned KK unit. I brewed with it once, six weeks ago and had a fire extinguisher at the ready just in case it spewed flames as it was doomed to do. I could not bring myself to brew again afterwards just in case we lost the house whilst I dared turn my back on it - mainly because I read some posts to do with it on this site.

I have no doubts that corners were cut in importing uncertified parts. In the meantime kit and kilo brewers may just need to keep on brewing safely in the knowledge that opening up a can and pouring in some water and powder will not place their family members in any harms way.

 

[jyo]

Mine blew last weekend. Just over a year old. I won't be buying another one.

 

[kwinchee]

I purchased the only element that I could find recently at CB and it turned out to be the Keg King unit. The manager assured me that the problems that were reported on the earlier versions of this unit due to the materials that had been used in the insulation had been remedied and the new units were good to go.

Ironically I purchased this as a spare part for the kettle that I had just bought because it too included the maligned KK unit. I brewed with it once, six weeks ago and had a fire extinguisher at the ready just in case it spewed flames as it was doomed to do. I could not bring myself to brew again afterwards just in case we lost the house whilst I dared turn my back on it - mainly because I read some posts to do with it on this site.

I have no doubts that corners were cut in importing uncertified parts. In the meantime kit and kilo brewers may just need to keep on brewing safely in the knowledge that opening up a can and pouring in some water and powder will not place their family members in any harms way.

That is a quitters attitude mate, ammature all grain has spawned some amazing results and the world is better for it

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Not quitting at all mate - picking up a Grandfather this arvo as I am pretty sure that they are safe to use
Apologies for the rambling nature of my rant as I did have a few jars... If the claim that the KK elements do not comply with Australian safety standards is true then they need to be brought up to spec or taken off the market.