Have I just bought a Ford Transit with a Fiesta engine?

[chris1643]

Just getting in to AG brewing and went for a Stainless Steel 56 Ltr Electric Boiler with a 2400w electric heating element.

Just tried to boil 30l of water and despite insulating the walls/base of the pot have been unable to get a 'rolling boil' just achieving what looks like the air block in a fish tank bubbling away over the element!!

Reduced the volume of water to 25 litres and just the same.

This is a device sold complete so despite my concerns over the size of the element I thought it would be ok....In addition, any more or bigger elements would cause load problems for my electric supply.

The temperature around the element was 100 but at the center and opposite side of the pot it was 3-4 degrees below.

Question is....will this suffice for AG brewing or should I send it back?

 

[danb]

Not too sure mate my 50l pots aren't insulated and have a single 2.4kw. They give a good rolling boil. Is the element may be a bit dirty?

 

[chris1643]

all brand new kit from a decent supplier?

 

[chris1643]

Does water act differently to wort??

 

[nobyipa]

i found with my 50 litre to get a vigorous boil i use two 2.7kw elements
then when i get a rolling boil
[youtube:33aroyvm]Ih3UTTf6f60[/youtube:33aroyvm]
turn an element off
it takes quite a while to get to boiling on one element
did you leave it long enough?

 

[Jeltz]

I had a 32L pot with a 2.4kw element and it worked fine, took a while to reach the rolling boil but worked OK with 25L of wort but prone to boil overs, I've gone bigger and to gas since.

Sounds as though your element might be faulty or you didn't leave it long enough

 

[bobsbeer]

I think you will be better putting an extra 2.4kw element in there. Plug it into a different socket and you should be fine. Once you get to a boil then turn one off.

 

[Fil]

partially lidding or floating a bowl on the surface will aid making the boil more vigerous by reducing the energy loss straight out the top

 

[Jay7792]

I think you will be better putting an extra 2.4kw element in there. Plug it into a different socket and you should be fine. Once you get to a boil then turn one off.

+1 that would be my advice to. :

Jay

 

[Vossy1]

Agreed re the extra element, a couple of questions
56ltr, is this a tea urn with a safety cut out?
if not a tea urn does the element have a safety cut out fitted?
If either of the above that will explain the lack of rolling boil, if not just under rated.

 

[chris1643]

Thanks for all the advice, its from a decent home brew supplier, no thermostat or cut out switch and made for the job although seems a lot of liquid for one small element.

Seems I just need to leave it for longer and it will get there in the end?

I hear whats said about the additional element and guess by the fact you can turn one off at boil one should be enough to hold the boil. I will consider it, just wanted to get cracking tomorrow which is before I can get one.

With that said, how long do people usually wait for rolling boil, the water I started with was from the hot water tap of my combi boiler at 65 degrees.

Thanks.

 

[nobyipa]

i too use combi boiler set to full bore and it takes 25 35mins but i use 2 Backer 2.75kW kettle elements so double that + a bit and you should be there put the lid on
it will get there it has to as you have no cut out
:drink:

 

[Jeltz]

Yeah about half an hour IIRC, even with gas on a 7.5kw ring it takes quite a while.