Standard fv bucket mod

[labrewski]

Is it possible and safe to take an element from a house hold kettle and add it to a standard white bucket to try some basic all grain brew

 

[foxy]

I made one using 2 of these, one inside the other was for insulation, electrical as well as heat.

I used a black one for the outer, and the white one on the inside with the element fitted.

 

[labrewski]

I made one using 2 of these, one inside the other was for insulation, electrical as well as heat.
View attachment 36542
I used a black one for the outer, and the white one on the inside with the element fitted.

Good to know I like to get things for free or make them from bits and bobs I have more fun to turn stuff around

 

[Hanglow]

I use one of the white 33L buckets as a brew kettle. Works great, nice and light and cheap.

I'd get a better, less dense element though and a PWM controller off ebay to control the power. Or at least the controller

 

[Drunkula]

 

[labrewski]

Mmm started another thread this could get interesting lol

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Check the plastic they‘re made from: it’s normally stamped on there somewhere.
According to Wikipedia LDPE (low density polyethylene) is stable up to 80°C and can withstand 90°C for short periods; whereas HDPE should be good up to boiling point and can handle 120°C for short periods.
So if you plan to boil in it then you want HDPE.
Just be careful the sides of the element don’t get too hot, and don’t mount the element too close to the base.

 

[Drunkula]

and don’t mount the element too close to the base.

As long as you can get under it to clean I guess it's fine.

In the induction setup I'm using the stainless lid that's acting as an element is actually touching the bottom of the fermenter. I'm guessing the watt density is low enough so even cranked to 3kw it still gets cooled enough by the wort to not melt the bottom.

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

check this out

2 x 1500w heating elements, i made a support for the bag and also i used a grill to put the bag on for sparging. Later on i added a tap and connected a pump to it. It heats 30 liters of water in 35 min . DIY brewing machine

really easy, really cheap and works awesome. I have also added a ITC308 temp controller to the machine. It works great. Happy Brewing man

 

[labrewski]

check this out

View attachment 36565View attachment 36566View attachment 36567[ATTACH type="full" alt="IMG-20181109-WA0025.jpeg

 

[labrewski]

Now that's the job exactly what I was hoping for
Exellent set up and minimal damage to wallet

 

[hughjamton]

Do you run these of off one ring main or do you need to run it off two circuits?

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Now that's the job exactly what I was hoping for
Exellent set up and minimal damage to wallet

Exactly! In the beginning i was getting some burnt taste to the beer due to the flour coming from the crushed grain getting on the elements while heating up the mash. This was easily corected by stirring a bit. Later when i added the pump the problem stopped alltogether. The machine works great, i usea hop spider now, but used hops socks before. The elements were like 7 quid from ebay, the two buckets i already had. The pump also very cheap from ebay. All in all a great machine for almost no money.

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Do you run these of off one ring main or do you need to run it off two circuits?

I use two circuits

 

[Doive]

I have been using this as my only brew kettle & mash tun with a 2kW element and a PID controller for the last eight years with more or less no issues. This type of semi-translucent plastic does suffer heat degradation over time, becoming opaque and brittle around the element - but eight years so far and it's fine. If it breaks I'll splash out another £16 on a new one and continue as I have been doing.