kettle elements

[tazuk]

i have been to tesco and asda i notice the switch is now on the bottom when i got mine long time ago switch was at top ie cut wire join ????? i notice asda kettle has 2 wires going to switch

so wot kettle elements are people using now for wort boilers :thumb:

 

[Low Farm]

more than likely it will be an 14 or 11 inch immersion coil http://www.screwfix.com/p/titanium-immersion-heater-element-11/56481 cupping this with a thermostat http://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/cylinder-thermostats/cat831450 and you will have boiling wort all day ever day

 

[tazuk]

i all ready have a wort boiler ie

i have just got a 60 ltr bucket now ie up grade :thumb:

 

[Dieseljockey]

I've hit the same problem, started to make another 100lt boiler with kettle elements to find that Asda have changed the switch.
I had a spare Tesco kettle still boxed, as I got 3 when I made my first boiler. I cut 2 x 38mm holes, the Tesco one fitted a treat, when I came to fit the new Asda one no way. I had to use a rotary stone to open the hole up to near 40mm.

Now I've not had time to get stuck into this, but when you look at the element the switch is part of the body. So I fitted it the same as the other one, now I've not tested it yet but I'm hoping that by pressing the button it will work. I took the cut-out thermo strip off as you do with these elements.

I'll try to find time tomorrow for a test run and let you know if that's any help. :thumb:

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

I've hit the same problem, started to make another 100lt boiler with kettle elements to find that Asda have changed the switch.
I had a spare Tesco kettle still boxed, as I got 3 when I made my first boiler. I cut 2 x 38mm holes, the Tesco one fitted a treat, when I came to fit the new Asda one no way. I had to use a rotary stone to open the hole up to near 40mm.

Now I've not had time to get stuck into this, but when you look at the element the switch is part of the body. So I fitted it the same as the other one, now I've not tested it yet but I'm hoping that by pressing the button it will work. I took the cut-out thermo strip off as you do with these elements.

I'll try to find time tomorrow for a test run and let you know if that's any help. :thumb:

Oh bollox. I have just got a 100l pot with a view to getting some cheapo kettle elements in it. If you could let me know how you get on, before I charge in with the Qmax

 

[tazuk]

if sombody close to asda have a look at there value kettle you can see 2 wires going to a switch i think you may be join em togher :thumb: i may be wrong some body else have a look just in case i wrong :thumb:

tesco one is just a switch as far as i can see :thumb:

 

[Dieseljockey]

Robbarwell.

Don't do as I did on my first 100lt pot, that's put the smegging elements to high up the pot. I set them about 4 maybe 5 inch from the base. Now I didn't think at the time I was fitting them, but when I do a brew and start with about 26/27lts at the start of the boil they are just under the surface of the wort. Now I can just about get away with it and finish up with 22/23 lts at the end of the brew.

So that's why after over a year of putting up with this I'm making another boiler with the elements right on the bottom of the pot. Then my first boiler will become my HLT as I can fill with over 40lts and not worry about it.

 

[Mr BR]

Hi just put an element in my pot the other week from a cheap tesco kettle everything you need is built into the back of the element where you plug the lead in just remove the cut out metal disc and the plastic handle for the switch and when you screw everything back together the element is constantly on , and the hole size you need to cut for these is 38mm 1 element took hour and a half to bring 45litres or so up to 95c , so will be fitting another to cut the time down but at 5 quid ish they aint dear for the kettles and easy to do .hope this helps :thumb:

 

[hedgerow pete]

well i went to buy two asda cheap cheap value kettles today and i have had no problems, when taken apart the the switch is mechcanical not electrical so i have a standard kettle ellement and then the backing bit , which by the way the three pins perfectly fitted a computer three pin lead so , even less mucking about and the two wires are for the neon light, simpler than the posted thread i copied, the only difference is i needed to drill a 42mm hole not 28mm as per the classic thread and the hole cutter i used was 44mm and we were away,,

do you want some pic's

 

[tazuk]

a the three pins perfectly fitted a computer three pin lead :shock: :shock: :shock:
dont tell us you use a pc lead :shock:
yes plz love some pics

well i went to buy two asda cheap cheap value kettles today and i have had no problems, when taken apart the the switch is mechcanical not electrical so i have a standard kettle ellement and then the backing bit , which by the way the three pins perfectly fitted a computer three pin lead so , even less mucking about and the two wires are for the neon light, simpler than the posted thread i copied, the only difference is i needed to drill a 42mm hole not 28mm as per the classic thread and the hole cutter i used was 44mm and we were away,,

do you want some pic's

 

[Mr BR]

whats wrong with a pc lead a think its a is-14 model which is rated for 10amps which as far as i can tell from the maplins hot plug info is the same rating but please if somebody knows for sure and not just guessing can inform me more i will gladly take any safety tips thanks , as the other hot leads are cheap as chips anyway :thumb:

 

[bobsbeer]

Be careful with the ASDA cheapo. I got one and it was perfect, fitted a treat. 40mm hole. PC lead fitted perfect. They only had one at the time and I went back a week ago and picked up another. Looked the same until I took it apart. They have changed the element and the pins are too small for the PC lead. And the cut out switch is in the body of the element. So I am slightly bu**ered. I will have to try and get a Tesco one. Oh well that's £5.99 down the drain. I will first check the charity shops to see if they have an oldish one that works.

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Robbarwell.

Don't do as I did on my first 100lt pot, that's put the smegging elements to high up the pot. I set them about 4 maybe 5 inch from the base. Now I didn't think at the time I was fitting them, but when I do a brew and start with about 26/27lts at the start of the boil they are just under the surface of the wort. Now I can just about get away with it and finish up with 22/23 lts at the end of the brew.

So that's why after over a year of putting up with this I'm making another boiler with the elements right on the bottom of the pot. Then my first boiler will become my HLT as I can fill with over 40lts and not worry about it.

Cheers for that. I was only going to use the bigger boiler for doing big brews over 40 litres. I still have the 50 litre jobby, which is more than fine for upto 40 litres...But as I now have a 80 litre stainless FV, it makes sense to use a bigger bit of kit for it...Ohhh me poor kidneys...!

 

[Dieseljockey]

10-Rog on that brewer, just thought I'd let you know so that you didn't fall into the same trap.

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Rodger...over and out....sssshk.

 

[hedgerow pete]

right ho, to build my boiler, no pid yet, i cant afford it .

so any way we have two asda cheapo kettles and a plastic bucket. for some reason people are having problems with the kettle elements, so heres mine.

two of these at £5,45 each

now before you ask, i had already built the boiler so i just reformed the kettle to take the pictures, some one is going to tell me i have built a bomb or some thing afterwards :wha: :wha:

so any way by undoing the two screws inside the lid and the two in the base we can pull off the outer of the curved handle, this is connected to the switch so lots of screw driver poking and swearing so we dont damage the neon light which is the only two wiwres to the clear plastic switch knob to say when its on,

i have rebuilt the switch to the inside parts of the element so you can see it

but i have put the neon on the outside of the top for show, normally its inside the clear piece.

any way the switch bit all pulls apart and the bit that trips the element on and off is mechanical so i just threw the lot away as i want the element to be either fully on or fully off as i will eventually have a pid controlling it all, but for now i shall be turning it on and off manually.

what it does look like is a computer plug to me the only problem with it is that the pins are the right size the problem is that they are only 5mm long the proper ones are three times that at 14mm long so i have had to chop 6 mm off the end of an normall computer lead,

so just a couple of pointer first, i will eventually have the pins soldered of solidly fixed to a lead when i buy the pid but for now i am using computer leads, the kettle lead is 0.75mm cored so the computer leads are 1.5mm to give it more safety with the longer boil, and the the last thing is this lot is connected up to a RCD via the wall socket to be safe,

 

[james1988]

I used Argos value kettle elements. Just take them out of the kettle, remove the metal tag, place in boiler, plug in the lead and your done. No fussing about!

James