Boiler troubles

[Joe]

Hi all, I've finished brewing for the day and again i've had trouble with the hop strainer coming out in my boiler.The element cut out today, descaling did the trick, is there some sort of safety cut out in it? Its the bruheat 25 litre one. I could use a larger boiler really any ideas?

 

[evanvine]

My boiler is a 60ltr plastic bin with 2 supermarket kettle elements.
The hop strainer is is a piece of 15mm copper pipe drilled with as many 3.5mm holes as I could get into it.
I've put a piece of Vossy's silicon tube over the end and this fits snugly into the back of a Drum tap.

 

[pjbiker]

Hi all, I've finished brewing for the day and again i've had trouble with the hop strainer coming out in my boiler.The element cut out today, descaling did the trick, is there some sort of safety cut out in it? Its the bruheat 25 litre one. I could use a larger boiler really any ideas?

I had a similar problem with an 'electrim' boiler cutting out. Theres and safety cut out which is meant to work if it boils dry. They sometimes operate during a boil, kettles don't usually boil for more than a few seconds. I contacted the company who sent me a replacement element but I solved the problem by replacing with a Tesco kettle element from which the safety cut-out mechanism was removed. If you do switch it on with no liquid in it however, it will melt your boiler and itself until it cuts off its own supply so be warned.
If you want a larger boiler, make one from plastic or stainles steel and 1 or 2 cheap kettle elements. Theres loads of 'how to's with pictures on here. I was disgusted with what I got for £80 (ie. same as your boiler)

 

[Joe]

thanks , will any plastic brew bin do the job- worried about melting!

 

[evanvine]

thanks , will any plastic brew bin do the job- worried about melting!

As long as the elements are coverd with water/wort, there is no problem.
I've marked my boiler and HLT with minimum levels.

 

[luckyeddie]

My Electrim cut out on Sunday - it was the first time I'd done the boil outside.

It took me 2 minutes to determine that it was the safety cutout on the extension cable - and about another 8 to actually turn it over and read the legend "5 amp rated". Luckily I found a 13 amp cable after digging around for another 5 minutes.

What an idiot!

 

[Vindiv8]

thanks , will any plastic brew bin do the job- worried about melting!

got mine from here, no problems 30 or 60l available:

http://www.copperkettlehomebrewing.co.uk/buckets-kegs-spares/180/30-litre-or-60-litre-pp-buckets