What heating element for my electric brew kettle?

[foomench]

Thanks for the info and support Code.

I think I'm going to buy a screw-in 4500W ULD element. Home Despot has one in incoloy for $20.

I was going to get a 1" half coupling from http://www.buyfittingsonline.com/ for $4.82 and weld that to my kettle to attach the heating element. Is there any reason that the locknut for $8.25 from http://www.bargainfittings.com would be better? I'm assuming the threads are the same, but that might not be so for the coupling.

I have a spare PID. I'll check the documentation and see if it can do the duty cycle control like the Auber one. That would be a solution. I'd still need to get an SSR and heatsink for it.

With my old electric plastic cooler HLT, I tapped a screw into the side of the heating element (the bulky metal part away from the electronics). Grounding to the kettle seems like a better idea. I guess I could put a ground screw into the bottom of the keg away from the liquid, or when welding the coupling or locknut, add a little extra material to tap threads into for a ground screw.

[CodeRage]

Thanks for the info and support Code.

I was going to get a 1" half coupling from http://www.buyfittingsonline.com/ for $4.82 and weld that to my kettle to attach the heating element. Is there any reason that the locknut for $8.25 from http://www.bargainfittings.com would be better?

...

With my old electric plastic cooler HLT, I tapped a screw into the side of the heating element (the bulky metal part away from the electronics). Grounding to the kettle seems like a better idea. I guess I could put a ground screw into the bottom of the keg away from the liquid, or when welding the coupling or locknut, add a little extra material to tap threads into for a ground screw.

If you have the means to weld it, do it. The locknut is just a good answer to those of use who are TIG challenged. The silicone orings he offer work great, I had the stock oring on my element fail after a while. I was having to put the element in and out a few times for testing which may have had something to do with it. It did seem pretty soft though. The silicone ring sealed much better and seems to be holding up well. You can get em from mcmaster.

I grounded mine to the skirt of the keggle. If you have continuity between where you grounded it and the kettle when it is dry you're good.

[bcmaui]

If you have not seen Push's page yet, you might find this helpful:

http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/Carl ... ectric-HLT

and

http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The- ... -cooler%29

[foomench]

Yeppers bcmaui. I had seen those. My old HLT was a lot like your second link, my new one will be like the first. And my new BK will be a bit like the first.

[DavidP]

A pulse width modulation circuit is a nice alternative for heating element control.

This guy has a good writeup on his PWM setup: http://home.highertech.net/~cdp/boilnew/boilnew.htm

[foomench]

PWM? Interesting. I'll read that page. I was looking at phase angle and zero fired SCRs, and Richard Clarke from Clark Power Systems told me

Phase angle would give you the best control and element life.

[Kbar]

Would be a dream to close the loop on an element sized correctly to give full autonomous feedback control. Set the mash in temp and let it rise full power and ramp down when reaching the temp. Dump into mash tun or use the HLT as a mash tun, and insulate. Sparge and go.

[Kbar]

Honestly, I believe the fear of wart scorching is over rated. I run a 4500 Watt ULD element in my BK and it has plenty of umph to get the kettle to a rolling boil. I wouldn't suggest anything less though unless you know you are never going to move on from 5 gal batches.
I would imagine if there was scorching there would be evidence of carmalization on the element and I haven't seen any. My beer certainly doesn't taste burnt either.
If it is a matter of controlling your boil off rate, an auber PID controller with SSR allows you to set a 0-100% duty cycle output manually. I havent seen this feature in other PID controllers in the same price range. Ought to set you back around $80 bucks. It's what I use and I like it.

you cant get a stainless jam nut and silicone gasket from bargainfittings.com to mount it through the wall of your boil kettle.

It's hard to screw up the wiring. You'll either get 120 across the element or 240 Protect the terminals some how and...
The most important thing is to make sure you bond the ground to the kettle some how. This way if voltage does leak it will pop the breaker and not be sneaky waiting for you to grab it. GFCI breaker is good insurance but I don't think they are as necessary as some people preach. Think about, an electric range top has the element in direct contact with metal pots and are subject to boil overs and what not, they aren't on GFCIs. I'll say it again, GROUND THE KETTLE

Hey Coderange - how long, with your 4500W element, to bring to boil 5 Gallon batches? or do you do 10 Gallon?