Disaster Zone!!

[Jimmy Ale]

Second AG brew today and was going really well until the boiler (Brupaks 29 litre enamelled boiler) cut out just as the wort came to the boil. I initially thought that this was the safety cut-off activating (although the red light hadn't gone off), so turned it off and unplugged it for a minute and then turned it back on again. But after five minutes there was still no sign of activity (in fact the thermometer said that it was cooling). So I turned it off for five minutes then back on again but the same thing happened. Interestingly though, the red light on the thermostat still turned off as I turned it down, and back on again as I turned it up (and was accompanied by a loud clicking sound each time it did this, which suggested that something was turning off-and-on again).

Anyway, I had no choice but to transfer the whole brew into pans and take it into to the kitchen to put on the hob. So it's now hot side aerated to bug***y! But four hours later and at least I've got it in the FV and pitched the yeast. I had to compromise my usual sterlisation standards just to save the batch, so I wouldn't be suprised if it gets infected! Really, really pi**ed of because I made sure to clean the boiler really well after the last batch. One piece of info that might be useful is that just before it cut out I added some extra wort to the boil... but this was pretty dilute since it was the last of the sparge water.

The upshot is that I've made a right mess of the kitchen and the missus is gonna kill me when she gets home from work!! :nono:

I initially thought that the heating element in the boiler was knackered since the red light on the thermostat was still on, but now I think it might have been the safety cut-off after all because after cleaning the boiler I've just managed to bring 7 litres up to the boil in it. I'm really confused though because I hadn't added any sugar or hops at the time it cut-out.

I was wondering then:

1. What people think could be wrong? And what can I do to stop it happening again? Like I said above, I was pretty meticulous in cleaning the boiler before I used it, so can't see why the cut-off should have activated, although it seems like it did.

2. What are the effects of hot-side aeration and does it mean that my batch is ruined? Transfering it to pans from the boiler created a lot of foam on the surface of the wort.

Any advice greatly appreciated! Am in a really bad mood at the moment... just glad that I've at least managed to get 4 gallons of wort into my FV. Fingers-crossed that the yeast will start scoffing all those juicy sugars before the batch gets infected!

 

[Jimmy Ale]

By the way, should the batch survive and become a finished beer then it will be christened "Disaster Zone" in memory of its birth! Right, I fancy a beer... :drink:

 

[Muddydisco]

I have heard this about these boliers before and people taking them back and getting money back. It does sound like the safety cutout is too low and won't allow a prolonged boil.
Really get your self a Fv bin thats the right material and thickness and make your own and save some money :thumb:

Hot side Areation, :hmm: I wouldn't worry too much I think it's a bit of a myth ( but thats just my thoughts ) :whistle:

 

[tubby_shaw]

Hot side aeration is an American only problem it would seem
I drop my sweet wort from a height into the copper and generally splash hot wort around with no ill effects (I know it's not best practice ) noticed :grin:

 

[Jimmy Ale]

Well I'm quite tempted to ring Brupaks on Monday and see if they've got any advice to offer regarding the safety cut-out. It does seem overly sensitive.

For what it's worth, here's my recipe in case anyone fancies making their own "Disaster Zone":

3kg Maris Otter Pale Malt
1kg Wheat Malt
250g Amber Malt
500g honey (I used Romanian Citrus honey because it caught my eye in ASDA)
30g Goldings Hops + 10g for aroma at the end of the boil(s)
40g Fuggles Hops
S-04 Ale Yeast

Water treatment: 1 tsp gypsum, 1/4 tsp magnesium sulphate, half a campden tablet.

Managed to get 4 gallons of wort into the fermentation bin at a OG of 1040-something (was too relieved to get it in the FV to bother taking a proper reading).

Glad to hear that hot-side aeration might not be too much of an issue, at least that's one less thing to worry about.

Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[EskiBrew]

I currently use a Brupaks enamelled boiler and have used it for many (more than 15) years. Perhaps it is different to your one but I have never had a problem with it cutting out :wha:

You cannot see the element in mine - is your one the same?

 

[evanvine]

Don't worry about airation, it will boil out.
Neither worry about infection as the high temp will kill any nasties.
Hope it turns out ok. best of luck.

 

[Jimmy Ale]

I currently use a Brupaks enamelled boiler and have used it for many (more than 15) years. Perhaps it is different to your one but I have never had a problem with it cutting out :wha:

You cannot see the element in mine - is your one the same?

It has a circular grey disc like the base of a kettle or an electric hob in the bottom of it. I gave it a good clean before use and, as I said, the only thing in the boiler at the time it cut out was wort (no hops, no sugar). Perhaps the cut-out on mine is overly sensitive?

Clutching at straws here, but after sparging I saved about 3 litres of wort in a bucket whilst I boiled the rest (intending to top up the level with the extra wort as it boiled off) because I was a bit worried about getting a boil-over. Once it had come to the boil I realised that this wasn't going to be a problem so added this in. After another 15 minutes of boiling it still hadn't come back to the boil and it was then I realised that there was a problem. Could the cut-off have activated due to a sudden change in temperature from adding the cold wort? Though this wouldn't explain why it wouldn't restart again despite unplugging at the mains for a few minutes... As I say, I'm clutching at straws.

Good news is that when I checked this morning the FV had started bubbling away nicely. So far so good then. :drink:

 

[evanvine]

I don't see how putting any thing into the boiler could affect it!
If it's back on line, try a dummy run with a couple of gals of water (nothing lost).

 

[EskiBrew]

Could the cut-off have activated due to a sudden change in temperature from adding the cold wort? Though this wouldn't explain why it wouldn't restart again despite unplugging at the mains for a few minutes... As I say, I'm clutching at straws.

Doesn't sound likely to me. It might be worth contacting the shop where you got it and ask their opinion :hmm:

 

[threesodsbrewery]

I know this is an old feed but did you ever sort it out, i have the same problem, but i explored a bit more with the thermostat disk, here goes.

i bought a Brupaks Electric Boiler - Polypropylene in February, of this year. Since then i have done 13 brews with it. On the last occasion after boiling for 30 mins it cut out and would not bring the wort back to the boil again, how ever the light was still on, also when i took the wort out and then put it back in again it came back to boil only to cut out again after 10mins.

Since then i opened up the bottom and checked all the connections, they were all fine. I thought it might be the thermostat so i took the metal disk out of the shell so it was completely out of the boiler but without severing any of the connections. However the same thing happened again.

Then i thought it might be in the switch from boil to simmer as everytime it was boiling i turned it down to simmer, so this time i did it again but left it on boil and the same thing happened again after 10 mins it cut out.

Anybody have any idea how i can fix this??