Buffalo Boiler Cutting Out

[Addled Jim]

Thanks, will put wort back in FVs again and take the bottom plate off again, I saw the fittings you described, am I just taping wires into the components together? - will doing this to one component do the trick or do I need to do both
... and long term what are my options?

[Addled Jim]

draining back to FVs, so just unscrew components so they are away from element/base plate
I don't understand what you mean by the cable ties, what are they holding together/too?

[Lars]

Do both at least for today. The spade connections can be pushed together to short out each sensor then tape them up. I use cable ties to stop them flapping around. For today just pull spade connections and feed them into each other. Dont even need a snips to do this.
When I got time I'd reconnect them and just remove them from being so close to the element. Then use cable ties to fasten them to the chassis elsewhere.

[legion]

I have had lots off issues with my buffalo boiler cutting out (i do lots of high gravity brews as i maxi biab with it) and judging by the last few brews, sorted it

I changed the temperature control switch from one the standard one which cuts out at 120c to a 130c one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... UTF8&psc=1

and upped the thermal fuse to a 167c one

http://mobile.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=470

[Addled Jim]

AJ, to get through today's brew do the following.
First check that you have the temp control dial up maximum(I recently had similar problem where it was just turned down)
If its not that then you've 2 options, override the cutout and the temp control stat or just physically move both further from the element. They're easily over ridden.
The overtemps cutout is fitted to the underside of the element by 2 small nuts. The temp control one is in a clip and is long thin and metallic. They both use spade connections so with some tape an be easily bypassed.

The overtemps is a stainless looking bar/probe - is that right? - I've unscrewesd the nuts and moved away from the element

the second thing you suggest is taking the spade clips off the temp dial and taping together - is that right?
thanks,

[Lars]

The temp dial is connected to the long probe your describing and the overtemps is bolted to the base of the element

[Addled Jim]

overtemps is sheeved in a material - bout 3 inches long?
I removed that from the clip attached to the base - should I have snipped that and re-joined it too?

[Lars]

Yes Jim that's the one, just placing it far enough from the heat source should do. I bypassed move temporarily before but I'm pretty sure I didn't need to snip. That it was connected to something via spade connections and I could just pull them and plug in together

[Lars]

I'm going to open my boiler and take a pic, gimme 10mins, I'll send you a photo

[Lars]

Got mine open, the temp probe is long and metallic and is wired back to the black temp control knob. There's 2 red wires into its housing, just pull those and slide them into each other to bypass. They're spade connectors

[Addled Jim]

That's what I thought, I connected the wires into the dial thus bypassing it - I then proceeded with the brew, however I was expecting more of a vigorous boil, it certainly wasn't cutting out but wasn't volcanic??

[Lars]

Havin difficulty uploading pics, shitty network. Having looked at mine, both sensors are currently fully connected but mounted against chassis as far as possible from heat source

[Lars]

Yeah mine gets a very decent boil going with close to 30litres of wort. I have a dimmer controller for reducing boil but I don't need it, originally thought I would. If u think its too low maybe partially cover it until it really gets going and then remove the lid and start timing

[Addled Jim]

Thanks for the advice Sunday folks - it definitely saved the day! I managed to finish the boil without further issues. I cubed the wort till Monday evening and pitched the yeast – its now fermenting away nicely.
My concern now is back to the boiler. On the trial run it maintained a rolling boil with water without incident. I can understand that it subsequently cut out with a build up on the plate; of which there was a little, but it doesn’t explain why it continued after I cleaned it and moved the sensors away from the heat source – shouldn’t the same of happened when I did the trial run with water?

[thirdlight]

What is the boiler standing on? Wort is heavier than water, & Buffalos have only a few, small, vent holes on the underside.