Bucket heater in wort?

[brewdaytoday]

A bucket heater like this (Electric Bucket Heating Element - 1000 Watt Heat Stick | MoreBeer) makes sense for preheating mash water in many different types of vessels but how well would it work in contact with wort? For example, it might be nice to speed up time to boil by dropping the electric heater in the pot while the pot is on the flame.

But would it scorch the wort or would dried/scorched wort accumulate on the burner? I understand a lot of it depends on whether the watts per square inch is below a threshold, but are there other considerations?

 

[bgradidge]

a 1000W heat stick like that isn't going to scorch the wort to any perceptible amount. However, the heating elements like the one linked are useless at actually helping a boil itself as they have a temperature cutoff, but if your only goal is to assist in heating water then it should be fine.

Every now and then you might want to give it a PBW soak though

 

[jtratcliff]

I use one like this to boost my boil... Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Water-Heater-Aluminum-Watts/dp/B00PFZFK78/

 

[Brumateur]

However, the heating elements like the one linked are useless at actually helping a boil itself as they have a temperature cutoff

The element itself has no temperature cutoff.