How to use the Tesco Value kettle heating element

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Don't forget to remove the safety cut-out.............. I did.

 

[Muddy Funker]

I'm in the process of building a boiler with my Dad at the moment this guide is great, thanks!!!
Safety cut out though? Could someone elaborate please :thumb:

 

[31bb3]

where the switch is there is a metal disc just remove it i cut the excess plastic where the switch was just to tidy it up

 

[Muddy Funker]

Thanks mate,

On my set up though the switch has been cut out/bypassed.
Is there a cut out in the unit that fit to the back of the element? It's all working though I'm very happy with the build :-)

 

[31bb3]

some elements have a round disc where you split the element from the plastic switch try it to see if you get a constant boil if it cuts out you need to remove this

 

[Doonebug]

Included the resistor, there is only a couple of mm between it and the connection coz the single wire was a pita and broke. Had to restrip it and didnt have a lot to play with.

Both switch wires are in the same terminal and led in the other end.

The switch on the socket outlet I used is now stuck in the on position :? . The circuit breaker went back on ok though and the other outlet is working (its a 2 gang). Why would this happen?

I had the same problem when I first did my one where I used a Wilkinsons Value Kettle element, it too blew my two gang and the switch wont work no more, upon further inspection on my wiring I noticed that I had inevertantly wired it up wrong at the supply, when the bucket is sitting bottom side down I had L,E,N when infact it should have been N/E/L, so I had to restart all over again, and had better luck as I was more careful, so if like me you may have reversed the polarity, no all I have to figure out is how my resistor blew after an hour of boiling my wort, it is just as well I put in two elements thankfully so managed to complete my wort for my new batch :rofl: , so now off to maplins to see if I can get some more resistors :lol: the elements I have now in my bioler is 1x Tesco Student Range Element ( it's the exactly the same as the value but is grey coloured and is £7.99, of course thats the one that blew its resistor) and an Asda Smart Price Element ( now this makes me laugh as the Asda SP one boils faster than the others, get that :lol: )

 

[johnnyk]

Just made my HLT and boiler using this process and was easier than I thought, the good instructions and pictures helped a lot of course :)

I just need a few other bits and pieces and will be trying my first AG brew :thumb:

I am visiting my mate ChrisG tomorrow where I will see his brewing skills and hopefully pick up plenty of tips :

 

[dorset brewer]

silly question :hmm:

what's the best way to get the water back out of the boiler once its boiled? do you just syphon it with tubing or use a tap, or good out fashion lifting it up and tipping?

 

[Muddydisco]

Tap! Use a tank connector and tap combo like this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Home-Brew-Bal...230627624206?pt=Home_Brew&hash=item35b27a450e

 

[golder247]

That is absolute genius.. hugely impressed... good work.

 

[matth]

This is a brilliant how to - i have followed it and built my first kettle, its only a 15 tr one (as at the moment i only want to brew about 10 ltrs at a time - i say 'want', what i really mean is that is all i'm allowed as i have very little space and need to fit everything on to one shelf - but hopefully moving in the near future and top of the 'want' list is a brew shed).

I have soldered the wires to the element connectors, or whatever they are called, so i now need some insulation tape, does it need to be hot condition tape to copewith heat, as i don't think i have ever come across any, not that i've looked that hard. wil probably go to B&Q tonight and see if i can find any. it would just be pointless if it all melted away.

Also i have posted on another post about the seal, does yours fit perfectly bigyin? mine seems a little loose not tested it yet just thought its better to be sure, it would probably not leak when cold, but i am not convinced it would be so secure when hot? my bucket is probably thinner than yours being only 15 ltr.

Many thanks

 

[BigYin]

Glad it's been helpfull.

For the tape I just used standard electric insulating tape. I've inspected it after the first few brews and there was no sign of it melting, so seems to be good enough for the job.

As to the hole, I assume you've drilled the correct size of hole, and it's the wall thickness you are questioning?? I did find that the silicon seal from the kettle fitted very snugly on my fermenting barrel, but it is snadwiched between the coil and the back plate, so it doesn't need much pressure on it to create a seal.

Just remember to test the boiler for leaks before you commit to a brew :thumb:

 

[dorset brewer]

Hi guys, over the past 2 days iv been making my boiler!

thought i would make a little how to just alittle bit more in depth then BigYin's

http://bowles-brewery.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-make-boiler-pt1.html

hope this helps :whistle:

 

[matth]

Thanks Big Yin - yes it is the wall thickness i meant, i have tightened it to what appears to be its limit but it still feels a little loose (i can turn the element round from the outside of the barrel fairly easily) - i think it is watertight when cold, what i was questioning is if it would be watertight when boiling for so long? I think i am just going to cut a piece of silicone to make a washer to sit inside the groove of the original kettle washer, that should do the trick.

It's not a criticism at all, just i have a thin walled bucket that the element doesn't seem to tighten up enough to securely seal it. I am a novice with electrics, but can solder, so the fact that i have managed to follow this how to is testament to it. Many thanks for posting it.

 

[matth]

Hello again, I hope i can articulate this query.

I am about to cut out and fit the silicone washer as mentioned above, which has got me wondering where is best to fit it.

It is going to go inside the rim of the original tesco one to make up for my bucket's thinner wall. would those who know reccomend that i put this inside the bucket - next to the element, or outside the bucket, next to the electrics.

The only reason i ask is that if i put it inside the bucket i can see that there may be an advantage that it will push the element 1 or 2 mm away from the wall of the bucket, so hopefully protecting it (very slightly) from the heat, but if it isn't as snug as i imagine it could make more problems, i.e, more areas for water to seap out. If it was on the outside, i think that the water tightness of the tesco seal should be improved as there will be less areas for it go wrong, but the elemet will be closer to the plastic of the bucket.

I am probably overthinking the situation but any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

 

[matth]

In the end just opted to put the washer on the inside, seems to fit snugly.

 

[smudger4486]

Being careful using two elements on one ring circuit does not make as much sense as it is good for 30A.

Aye, until the missus turns the washing machine or microwave on. That's the only reason.

I have a dedicated ring in my brewery I run two 3kW elements on, but I can be sure that nothing else will be turned on in there.

this would be my best advice being an electrician ive seen lots of fires due to people overloading ring mains

 

[cnelsonplumber]

Hello again, I hope i can articulate this query.

I am about to cut out and fit the silicone washer as mentioned above, which has got me wondering where is best to fit it.

It is going to go inside the rim of the original tesco one to make up for my bucket's thinner wall. would those who know reccomend that i put this inside the bucket - next to the element, or outside the bucket, next to the electrics.

The only reason i ask is that if i put it inside the bucket i can see that there may be an advantage that it will push the element 1 or 2 mm away from the wall of the bucket, so hopefully protecting it (very slightly) from the heat, but if it isn't as snug as i imagine it could make more problems, i.e, more areas for water to seap out. If it was on the outside, i think that the water tightness of the tesco seal should be improved as there will be less areas for it go wrong, but the elemet will be closer to the plastic of the bucket.

I am probably overthinking the situation but any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

I too found the same problem as although I got a waterproof seal, the element was free to rotate.

I used a 40mm cutter to make the opening for the element.

This gives a perfect diameter hole for the sealing 'sandwich' gasket, although the stockpot is not as thick as the plastic kettle and I used a 1 1/2" poly washer to make up the difference.

This works perfectly and stops the whole lot rotating due to the three screws 'bottoming out' before the two halves of the element pull up tight on either side of the stock pot.

The washers are a few pence from any plumbers merchant : :

CNP

 

[tazuk]

hi i thought it was 38mm not 40 ???????????????????? i used 38mm for my tesco elements : :thumb:

 

[Cyclops]

i used 38mm too :)