Electric Boil Kettle?

[Jknapp]

I'm wanting to permanently make my boil kettle an electric boil kettle. I ordered a couple of stainless heater element nuts & silicone washers from Bargain Fittings. I brew 5.5 gallon batches in my garage, which has two independent 20amp cirtcuits (which I currently use for 2, 2kw heatsticks), so my plan is to permanently mount two 2000w elements in my brew kettle.

I see that most people use SSR's (I dont really understand what that is) and PID's (don't understand that either) and I was hoping to not have to get too technical to electrify by boil kettle. Could it be as simple as installing the two elements and when it gets to boil, if it is too aggressive, just turn off 1 of the elements?

Is anyone using the turn on/turn off method of cycling the elements on and off to maintain boil? Is it working?

If not, can you brewers with electric kettles explain the PID/SSR set up and how to set up/where to get the pieces?

Thanks much,

J

 

[willatkinson]

On/Off works fine. I just plugged/unplugged.

 

[IrregularPulse]

You could do that. Just unplug one when it comes to boil and let the other maintain if it can. We use the SSRs and PIDs for convenience really.

 

[Hermit]

Look into switches to do the on/off. Unplugging that high a current causes arcing. Best to burn up the switch. It is easier and cheaper to replace.

 

[willatkinson]

Good call Hermit!

 

[Jknapp]

I use two GFCI switched outlets now for the heatsticks. So the on/off sounds good. I've been doing my boil on propane, but am really wanting to do it with electricity.

Does anyone have experience and know if a single 2000w element will maintain a good boil with 7ish gallons?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Does anyone have experience and know if a single 2000w element will maintain a good boil with 7ish gallons?

IME 2000w should maintain a fairly decent boil w/ 7 gallons. Much depends on the size / dimensions of the pot or keggle and ambient conditions.

 

[jfkriege]

For what it is worth, I use 2700W on an uninsulated keggle to drive 1 gal per hour boiloff amount.

 

[Jknapp]

For what it is worth, I use 2700W on an uninsulated keggle to drive 1 gal per hour boiloff amount.

What is your boil volume?

 

[samc]

So an SSR is basically a switch. Similar to the light switch on your wall in function, just using solid state components. I was as totally clueless about this stuff as you when I built my system. PID controls the temps for you.

I use a BCS (has PID functionality) but that basically controls the Mash temps/RIMS and not the BK portion as I do that with Gas without automation.

 

[jfkriege]

What is your boil volume?

It is the same for a 5 gallon or 10 gallon batch. However much my kettle holds, when I put in 2700W, it boils off almost dead on 1 gallon per hour.

 

[thorongil]

Does anyone have experience and know if a single 2000w element will maintain a good boil with 7ish gallons?

I can barely get a decent boil with 5 gal on a 2KW element. But my kettle is non-insulated.

 

[cpankonien]

I've been pondering this same question. I plan to use two 2000w elements; use two to get it to boil, one to maintain boil for ~8 gals, but not sure if that will work. Maybe put a temp controller (ssr-pid) on one so that you can add a little heat if needed, in addition to the first being full on?

 

[jfkriege]

If you are going to put a PID on one, then just use it to run both of them. The extra cost of a single SSR is worth it, and it will give you more precise control when moving to a temperature.

Joshua