Kettle Elements

[Dunfie]

I have seen these 2.4kW kettle elements on eBay and was considering getting a couple for my 50l HLT conversion. I have contacted the seller and they can also supply the leads.

Is 2 x 2.4kW enough to drive the 50l HLT? Will I be waiting for every to get to strike and sparge temps? :hmm:

 

[Aleman]

It is . . . . But putting your HLT on a timer so that it is at strike heat when you are ready to start is a way of ensuring that you are not waiting around for it to come up to temp.

That is the reason I have put my HLT PID on a timer built into the case . . . I set it to come on, and it will come up to temp and maintain it until I am ready to start

 

[Dunfie]

Thanks A. My long term plan is to do that very thing but I'm going to have to take it easy as I have bought a few brewery related items lately (a pump, hose and taps). I have TC-10 but I think it will only go up to 60C so would need to purchase PID.

I think I'll go for the elements and then see if I can find a friend with a hole cutter and I can finally get the stock pot converted.

:thumb:

 

[rickthebrew]

Hey dunfie - are those elements 11.99 each + p+p :shock: why not go for a cheap tesco one

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-7540.aspx - its 2200w and I have two of these fitted to my 60litre plastic boiler and they work superb, once up to the boil I turn one element off. Hopefully this helps and i`m not missing something with the elements on flea bay :

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Hey dunfie I have two of these fitted to my 60litre plastic boiler and they work superb, once up to the boil I turn one element off. Hopefully this helps and i`m not missing something with the elements on flea bay :

I do the same, I use 2 to achieve the boil the alternate each one every 10 mins.... the same 2 elements have brewed about 1000+ pints and still going strong!
Fingers crossed, brewing 46L this weekend!

BB

 

[pjbiker]

I'd go for the cheapo tesco kettles, less than a fiver each and no postage. They can be modified to disable the safety cut out switch which tended to operate during boiling in my 25L electrim boiler with original element (which looks very similar to the ebay ones and can't be disabled)

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

They can be modified to disable the safety cut out switch which tended to operate during boiling

I had to disable mine, I thought they were knackerd but just need tinkering with. :thumb:

 

[Dunfie]

Anyone got a photo of how to convert the tesco kettles - what it looks like now?

 

[rickthebrew]

I followed MuddyDiscos how to build an AG brewery cheapish - I`m no great diy expert (farfrom it!!) but it was easy,

MD`s guide - viewtopic.php?f=30&t=3104

I even bought a spare kettle to use as a backup, just read through all md`s guide as i didn`t link out the switch first time around! The pic below shows how it should be - i have made this a bit neater

I managed to find two old 13amp kettle leads to so i just plug in and away i go :thumb:

its worth asking anyone you can if they have an old kettle - i got two and one was useable :

 

[rickthebrew]

sorry d - the pic above was an old free kettle which didn`t need a switch linking out - so my boiler has one tesco kettle element (the smaller more compact one in pic below) and an older element - works like a dream , cheap and easy my sixty litre plastic boiler cost around 40quid to build - just need a bigger tun to take advantage of the size :lol:

hope this helps :drink:

 

[Springer]

That is the reason I have put my HLT PID on a timer built into the case . . . I set it to come on, and it will come up to temp and maintain it until I am ready to start

Yes this is the way I'm going, but how about also fitting a solenoid on the out side to fill the mash tun automatically and letting it settle to strike temperature, so that if grain had been weighted out the night before brewing could be started once the brewer arrives.
It all helps to shorten brew day.
S

 

[Vossy1]

Is 2 x 2.4kW enough to drive the 50l HLT? Will I be waiting for every to get to strike and sparge temps?

More than enough, I used 2 x 2.4kw in my 70ltr hlt :thumb: