Element help

[AceMcAce]

Hi guys

I've got a 100L copper.

I currently run this on top of a gas burner, which sounded like a great idea at the time. However, I had not accounted for the most terrible of all things. A slight breeze.

I struggle to get a vigorous boil out of my system sometimes, and even a little breeze takes so much power away that it's a royal pain in the arse. I'm going to go electric

I've been looking at what type of elements to get, and I am completely lost. Ideally I don't want to have to do any electrical work on the house to be able to make beer. A friend had a setup with 2 x 2.7 or 3kw elements in his kettle. He used both to get it to a boil and then turns one off to keep it rolling throughout. Is this recommended?

if so, which elements should I buy?

Many thanks

[sbond10]

You got a wind break on the burner

[AceMcAce]

You got a wind break on the burner

I made a crude one out of some sheets of MDF, worked ok, but not ideal (it's made of [censored] MDF).

I was going to do one out of metal, but looking at the cost of elements and the effort to make it, it is going to be easier to put those in instead. Plus, it means I will be able to lug less stuff around as I won't have to worry about burners or the gas canister.

[BenB]

I like redundancy when it comes to brewing so if I wanted 2*3kw elements I'd go for 4*1500w elements. Lower heat density is an advantage too. Otherwise I'd get some proper nice shiny low density stainless elements.

It's easier switching off one of the 1500w elements off than throttling a 3kW element...

[Jocky]

2x 2.4 kw elements sounds fine to me. A single one should hold a boil just about.

[Fil]

if you have deep pockets you cant beat mrlards (aka homebrewbuilder) designed for brewing 100% SS lwd elements which come in 2.4kw and 3kw flavours.

i have 1 x 2.4kw and 1 x 3kw in both my 98l hlt and kettle.

if on a budget then recycled budget kettle elements will work but will attract a much heavier build up of crud as they are relitivly high watt density..

the 4 x 1.5kw option isnt a bad idea, ive suggested the same myself as the ebay china 1.5kw elements are not only cheap, but are a nice clean SS with a nice open shape making scrubbing any slight crud build up a breeze, i have used them in my older 67l placky hlt and found the simple plastic shroud a very nice addition to the package..

100% SS lwd brewing elements (Thumbs Up!)


2 x 1.5kw ebay china elements (Thumbs Up!)


2 x budget kettle elements in a kettle..(mmmmmm, they worked.. But....)

These got a good scrub back to shiny post use every time, But you can just see the dark burnt solid black areas close to the back plate on both that resisted the most diligent scrub back.

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

If I were to get a 3kw could it just be ran of the mains no problem?


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[vacant]

If I were to get a 3kw could it just be ran of the mains no problem?

One 3kW is the maximum in a single plug but a double socket can still only support one 3kW element, not two (20A max, 14+6 ISTR?)

Watch out for extension cables. Most are 10A. For a 3kW element you need a 13A.

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

I'm thinking of getting a 100l HLT so wouldn't need to be brought to a boil so what would you recommend?


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[vacant]

Two budget Tesco/Asda kettle elements should be fine for a HLT. That's what I have on my 60ltr plastic boiler. I've never found cleaning or scorching an issue as long as they were cleaned soon after use. My 50ltr shiny boiler has a backer 2.75kW and another 2.4kW - probably replace those with budget elements if they failed and budget elements would fit.

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

So it doesn't need to be anything crazy then for that size HLT then?


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[vacant]

I usually switched off one element to stop wild boils - two should get 90ltr to mash & mash out temps in a reasonable time. Budget elements are about 2.2kW.

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

What about this?


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[BenB]

That's what I'd go for if not using multiple lower wattage elements

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

So that would just run fine of a standard socket? I'm clueless with electric as you can prob gather.


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