Induction Hobs

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DethApostle
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Induction Hobs

Post by DethApostle » Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:57 pm

I'm making the move towards induction hobs on my new setup but have hit a query regarding which model is most suitable...

Buffalo make a 3000W hob (model CE208) and a Heavy Duty 3000W Hob (CP799). I'll be using these with 10 USg/35l pots.
What would be really useful to me is first hand experience using either of these (or an alternative if available).

There's about £60 difference in cost however is the heavier duty unit really needed?

Thanks in advance!
DA
Demon Valley Brewing
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Total Brewed: 2560 pints
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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by windrider » Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:09 pm

DethApostle wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:57 pm
I'm making the move towards induction hobs on my new setup but have hit a query regarding which model is most suitable...

Buffalo make a 3000W hob (model CE208) and a Heavy Duty 3000W Hob (CP799). I'll be using these with 10 USg/35l pots.
What would be really useful to me is first hand experience using either of these (or an alternative if available).

There's about £60 difference in cost however is the heavier duty unit really needed?

Thanks in advance!
DA
The CE208 is the model most people use as it was the first one they made. I use mine for heating my HLT.

The CP799 is slightly bigger and has a digital control panel (the original has a manual dial). It has less control over the power settings (10 in total) of the original unit. But both are 3kW so will be fine for your 35 litre pot

I personally would go with the cheaper one.

p.s. my personal experience i found the boil wasn't very vigorous (SS brewtech 15gal pot) and switched back to a gas burner. Lots of people use them and swear by them. I love it for heating my HLT and have it on a Inkird and timer!

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by HTH1975 » Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:34 pm

windrider wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:09 pm
DethApostle wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:57 pm
I'm making the move towards induction hobs on my new setup but have hit a query regarding which model is most suitable...

Buffalo make a 3000W hob (model CE208) and a Heavy Duty 3000W Hob (CP799). I'll be using these with 10 USg/35l pots.
What would be really useful to me is first hand experience using either of these (or an alternative if available).

There's about £60 difference in cost however is the heavier duty unit really needed?

Thanks in advance!
DA
The CE208 is the model most people use as it was the first one they made. I use mine for heating my HLT.

The CP799 is slightly bigger and has a digital control panel (the original has a manual dial). It has less control over the power settings (10 in total) of the original unit. But both are 3kW so will be fine for your 35 litre pot

I personally would go with the cheaper one.

p.s. my personal experience i found the boil wasn't very vigorous (SS brewtech 15gal pot) and switched back to a gas burner. Lots of people use them and swear by them. I love it for heating my HLT and have it on a Inkird and timer!
15 gallon is too much to boil on a 3kW element/hob. I have the older 3kW Buffalo boiler and my 52L kettle is right on the edge of its capability. It’s better in summer, but in winter it struggles to keep a strong rolling boil. My 32L kettle OTOH works great and I get a strong rolling boil with this batch size.

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by windrider » Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:47 am

HTH1975 wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:34 pm
windrider wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:09 pm
DethApostle wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:57 pm
I'm making the move towards induction hobs on my new setup but have hit a query regarding which model is most suitable...

Buffalo make a 3000W hob (model CE208) and a Heavy Duty 3000W Hob (CP799). I'll be using these with 10 USg/35l pots.
What would be really useful to me is first hand experience using either of these (or an alternative if available).

There's about £60 difference in cost however is the heavier duty unit really needed?

Thanks in advance!
DA
The CE208 is the model most people use as it was the first one they made. I use mine for heating my HLT.

The CP799 is slightly bigger and has a digital control panel (the original has a manual dial). It has less control over the power settings (10 in total) of the original unit. But both are 3kW so will be fine for your 35 litre pot

I personally would go with the cheaper one.

p.s. my personal experience i found the boil wasn't very vigorous (SS brewtech 15gal pot) and switched back to a gas burner. Lots of people use them and swear by them. I love it for heating my HLT and have it on a Inkird and timer!
15 gallon is too much to boil on a 3kW element/hob. I have the older 3kW Buffalo boiler and my 52L kettle is right on the edge of its capability. It’s better in summer, but in winter it struggles to keep a strong rolling boil. My 32L kettle OTOH works great and I get a strong rolling boil with this batch size.
15 gal kettle... 21 litre batches :wink: this was the strength of the boil. Like I said, it provided a rolling boil. But did struggle depending on the conditions.

https://imgur.com/a/7TE7cQd (buffalo induction boiling)

Just note... there is a safety overide on the induction hob which cuts the unit out after 2 hours #-o if you're doing 90 min boils you might need to turn it off and back on.

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by Kev888 » Fri Dec 07, 2018 11:51 am

I can't give first hand experience of those models of hob, though both seem to work for people. I can say though that with induction the pan (especially its base) can have a significant effect too, so really the two need to be considered together to gauge success.

windrider wrote:
Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:47 am
15 gal kettle... 21 litre batches :wink: this was the strength of the boil. Like I said, it provided a rolling boil. But did struggle depending on the conditions.
https://imgur.com/a/7TE7cQd (buffalo induction boiling)
It looks fine to me at that particular moment - though I appreciate it may not be in other circumstances.

It is the loss of heat that matters, which is related to things like surface area - the wort volume itself just affects the time taken to warm up. So a large pot can be less efficient than a small one for the same wort volume. But yours looks well sized there; I guess it is only US gallons, so not huge. It sounds like you've made other arrangements in any case, but if you did need to use induction again then partially (not fully) covering with the lid would likely help a lot on cold days.
Kev

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by DethApostle » Fri Dec 07, 2018 2:30 pm

Thanks for the info folks. I guess my main thinking behind the Heavy Duty hob was the weight of the pot when full. By the sounds of it the normal, cheaper unit is strong enough to hold the weight and powerful enough to hit a rolling boil so ticks both boxes.
Equally i'm not adverse to wrapping the pot in insulation if needs be (though it would be a shame to hide away the shiny SS pot i'm planning on buying!)

On the safety cutout, I do normally boil for 90 minutes but only out of habit so shortening this isn't an issue for me.

Cheers
DA
Demon Valley Brewing
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Total Brewed: 2560 pints
--------------------------------

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by HTH1975 » Fri Dec 07, 2018 7:18 pm

windrider wrote:
Fri Dec 07, 2018 10:47 am
HTH1975 wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 10:34 pm
windrider wrote:
Thu Dec 06, 2018 5:09 pm


The CE208 is the model most people use as it was the first one they made. I use mine for heating my HLT.

The CP799 is slightly bigger and has a digital control panel (the original has a manual dial). It has less control over the power settings (10 in total) of the original unit. But both are 3kW so will be fine for your 35 litre pot

I personally would go with the cheaper one.

p.s. my personal experience i found the boil wasn't very vigorous (SS brewtech 15gal pot) and switched back to a gas burner. Lots of people use them and swear by them. I love it for heating my HLT and have it on a Inkird and timer!
15 gallon is too much to boil on a 3kW element/hob. I have the older 3kW Buffalo boiler and my 52L kettle is right on the edge of its capability. It’s better in summer, but in winter it struggles to keep a strong rolling boil. My 32L kettle OTOH works great and I get a strong rolling boil with this batch size.
15 gal kettle... 21 litre batches :wink: this was the strength of the boil. Like I said, it provided a rolling boil. But did struggle depending on the conditions.

https://imgur.com/a/7TE7cQd (buffalo induction boiling)

Just note... there is a safety overide on the induction hob which cuts the unit out after 2 hours #-o if you're doing 90 min boils you might need to turn it off and back on.
Yep, that boil ain’t quite vigorous enough is it. You could try putting the lid partially on - I’ve had to do that in the past and never had DMS issues.

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Re: Induction Hobs

Post by geekyoyd » Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:01 pm

I have just been looking at induction hobs too and the Buffalo CP799 (The heavy duty one with the digital display) does have a bigger, heavier induction coil inside compared to the cheaper hand dial model, the CE208. Even though they are both rated at 3kW, I am guessing that the heating of a big pot is more effective with a CP799.

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