Using a tea urn for a brew kettle? temperature query.

[Beemsquar]

Hi all,
This is my first extract brew and I have a few questions, I was wondering if I could use a tea urn that I have acquired as my brew kettle, its 3000 W and holds 12 litres, to me seems the same thing as a brew kettle, I know from testing It that the thermostat is broken and it only works on full power, but it is quite a fierce boil when it gets going, I'm a bit confused because I have read that you don't want to go over 75 degrees Celsius, or is that just when steeping speciality grains? In which case what temperature should I be boiling this mixture, i.e. at 100 degrees C or should I not let it actually boil?
Any help would be much appreciated.
I'm hoping to start this weekend, once I have finished making a counter flow wort chiller.
Thank you
Andy

[greenxpaddy]

Boiling is exactly that and you should be fine with a tea urn so long as it doesn't keep cutting out and maintains a boil. 75 degrees or thereabouts is for mashing

[JTK]

Nice score on that item.
You wouldnt want to use it for steeping the specialty gains as that will be to warm, but you can steep on the stove top at that 70'ish then add it to the urn after removing the grains for boiling your hops/malts. You do want to boil.

[Beemsquar]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the quick reply,that's a result then! My work were throwing it out because it would continually do a rolling boil as the thermostat was broken.
I have just finished making my counter flow wort chiller so brewing will now commence this weekend.