Peco/electrim mash bin meltdown

[Portreath]

I took delivery of the above mash bin awhile back and on the first few uses it trips out my home electrics. I tried it again last week and the same happened, although this time the kettle type plug that connects to the built in thermostat and controller has overheated and welded the male and female ends together. I'm not sure I will feel confident or safe using an electric mash bin again!!! Has anyone had any issues with this product?

 

[Leon103]

Is it the product or your electrics

 

[Covrich]

I took delivery of the above mash bin awhile back and on the first few uses it trips out my home electrics. I tried it again last week and the same happened, although this time the kettle type plug that connects to the built in thermostat and controller has overheated and welded the male and female ends together. I'm not sure I will feel confident or safe using an electric mash bin again!!! Has anyone had any issues with this product?

Bought an ACE boiler did similar, just kept tripping out.. Took it to my Dads and it blew his out as soon as the plug went in..

Could be a leak or a dodgy one.. I do not know enough but I decided like yourself I couldn't trust a cheap electric boiler again and went gas route.

Id trust a Grain father though

 

[AdeDunn]

Dodgy electrical wiring is possible on ANY electrical product, regardless of who makes it. Apple products for example are made in China... lol

I had an ACE boiler, and yeah a bad crimp led to a wire onto the element burning right through during a boil after many uses. Nothing tripped, it just packed up. There are even outlier cases of Grainfathers having to go back though through tripping problems, manufacturing defects sometimes happen.

I ended up building my own boiler, using a stock pot I'd had for a while from Brew Builder, and one of their kettle elements. You take a risk doing this, but I have far more confidence in the safety of my own wiring than I do in that of some unknown person somewhere in a factory in China (ACE, Klarstein etc are all made by Guten in China I believe. No idea where Grainfathers are made).

It could even be something as stupid as the cable you had not been a hot condition one. That used to be a VERY common occurrence I believe, as you can buy "kettle leads" that are intended for use with computers and the likes rather than kettles.

 

[foxbat]

The kettle element used in these products is fine - it's used in many other boilers including my own custom build. The substandard part is likely to be the lead. As @AdeDunn says, get a 'hot-condition' lead, assuming you can extract the melted one from the element that is...

[edit] I have this one and it's very good. Thick and hefty. I personally wouldn't trust very cheap ones that might only be rated up to the few minutes it takes to boil a kitchen kettle.

 

[Portreath]

Is it the product or your electrics

As we have never had a trip out in our home before, and this item has tripped out a few time prior to meltdown, so I can only assume the item is at fault. I can't fault the supplier and distributor though and they responded quickly and offered to replace the parts.

 

[Portreath]

@foxbat I'm going to try to get it apart today as the guys are going to send out replacements. I guess it's easy for the odd substandard component to sneak into any supply chain.

 

[The Baron]

If you have spoken to the makers Peco they will admit that even hot condition leads are only ten amp and will eventually fail (melt to the element contacts) this is because they are only rated at 10 amp and when we used to have the old style kettles that used these leads they were rated at 13 amps but it is hard to find that style of kettle nowadays. As Foxbat says the computer light weight ones look the same but are lower rated. Give Peco a call if you have not already they will confirm what I have said as that is what they told me after I had a meltdown but after quite a few brews. The equipment is good for the money and entry level but does have this inherent eventual fail fault so make sure you have the highest rated lead you can get and possibly have a spare. The trip out does give the indication it either has a fault or you may be using it on a socket that has other sockets off of it as it should be used on a dedicated socket as it is is cica 2.4 to 2.5 Kwh also it should not really be used on a extension lead but if you do make sure it is a 13amp one and is fully unwound as this may also trip your electric

 

[jceg316]

I've had so many problems with these. I've had the IEC lead welded to the element, I've had the controller break down mid boil, it's tripped many fuses, melted the plastic casing around the wiring. I think they need to be used in a very specific way to work hassle free. Someone on this forum said to me you need to stir the wort as it's being heated up to avoid a lot of these issues.

 

[The Baron]

I've had so many problems with these. I've had the IEC lead welded to the element, I've had the controller break down mid boil, it's tripped many fuses, melted the plastic casing around the wiring. I think they need to be used in a very specific way to work hassle free. Someone on this forum said to me you need to stir the wort as it's being heated up to avoid a lot of these issues.

Yes you do need to keep the element clean also so stirring does help but a good clean after each use does help on the cut outs as this is a high power at 2.4Kwh and such as the Ace/Grainfather/Klarstein etc use 2 lower powered elements to get the 2.5Kwh

 

[Portreath]

Sound advice @the baron. I think the suppliers are sending out the spares, so hopefully I can get this back into service soon. although I'm now a few AG brews in and considering moving to a larger volume set up. Just looked at the Grainfather setup and the price has made my toes curl up backwards

 

[The Baron]

Sound advice @the baron. I think the suppliers are sending out the spares, so hopefully I can get this back into service soon. although I'm now a few AG brews in and considering moving to a larger volume set up. Just looked at the Grainfather setup and the price has made my toes curl up backwards
View attachment 15106

look at other units which are more competitive. I moved up to the Ace which has been fine for me. There are similar units that can be bought with longish warranties I think Angel brew do it under their branding also Robbrews are another to look at. Do not be frightened by some and say only some of the Grainfather owners who rubbish everything else by saying if the heating element goes it will be no good as I believe they all use 2 bonded heating elements which are unserviceable but If you can afford the grainfather by all means go for it but now other brewing outlets have adopted some of the lower cost units they come with improved backup and customer service. When I purchased my Ace it was with a 1 year warranty and it has been fine so do look at all the units if you decide to go that way in the mean time the Peco should be ok just check which plugs you are using it on also it is possible to shorten your boil time (this should help)as it is now becoming acceptable that you do not have to boil for 60 mins.
Best of luck mate and as I said I did some good brews on the Peco before progressing

 

[AdeDunn]

Sound advice @the baron. I think the suppliers are sending out the spares, so hopefully I can get this back into service soon. although I'm now a few AG brews in and considering moving to a larger volume set up. Just looked at the Grainfather setup and the price has made my toes curl up backwards
View attachment 15106

That photo looks a heck of a lot like moisture has been getting in there and causing corrosion, it's a complete mess! Surely that isn't your element?

 

[The Baron]

Yes Ade looks like moisture ingress to me too with the chalky deposits

 

[Portreath]

Surely that isn't your element?

Yep, that what I removed yesterday. It's a bit of a mess for sure. On the leftmost element prong there is a brown build up, I'm not sure what this is, but it does not look good!

 

[jceg316]

Yes you do need to keep the element clean also so stirring does help but a good clean after each use does help on the cut outs as this is a high power at 2.4Kwh and such as the Ace/Grainfather/Klarstein etc use 2 lower powered elements to get the 2.5Kwh

I did keep it clean and give it a good scrub after each use. Maybe there were areas underneath I wasn't getting to properly or something.

 

[AdeDunn]

I did keep it clean and give it a good scrub after each use. Maybe there were areas underneath I wasn't getting to properly or something.

Try turning the element the other way up maybe?

 

[Oneflewover]

I realise that this is a very subjective view, but I wouldn't be inclined to boil wort in a plastic vessel. Whatever anyone says I wouldn't trust that there are no nasties leaching out of it, and 20+l of boiling sweet liquid in what may become quite a soft pliable vessel isn't for me....

 

[Portreath]

Postino Pat called today and dropped off a new element and new controller direct from the manufacturer, after an email to the guys the home brew shop. Big respect to the guys at love brewing and the guys at peco, now that's what I call proper customer service. :thumba:

 

[Slid]

The kettle element used in these products is fine - it's used in many other boilers including my own custom build. The substandard part is likely to be the lead. As @AdeDunn says, get a 'hot-condition' lead, assuming you can extract the melted one from the element that is...

[edit] I have this one and it's very good. Thick and hefty. I personally wouldn't trust very cheap ones that might only be rated up to the few minutes it takes to boil a kitchen kettle.

The lead on my Peco boiler got burned slightly yesterday by a daughter making an omelette.
I did not fancy chancing it and ordered a lead like @foxbat suggested from Angel Homebrew in time for next week's planned brew.