How low should I go

[Backwoodsbrewing]

I'm preparing to drill holes in my hot liquor tank and boil kettle for electric heating elements I hope to add a herms circulation loop as soon as I have the money but for now where should I drill and mount the heating element any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[cod3ck]

If you want batch flexibility-- the lower the better!

 

[BrunDog]

For HLT, as low as possible where the element and housing will go. For the BK, some height is good if you will be whirlpooling.

 

[LarMoeCur]

How big is the HLT kettle?

Me personally, I would not drill any holes until I have mocked up where the HERMS coils will be. It just easier for me to visualize everything holding the all the pieces in place. For my build in hindsight, I would have went 2 inches lower with both the coils and the element. I would have put the element as close to the bottom of the kettle as I could get it. I have to put 12 gallons of water in my HLT to cover the coils. Not that heating 12 gallons over 10 takes that much more time but it does. Maybe could have got it down to 8 gallons.

 

[Backwoodsbrewing]

Well it looks like my build is at a stand still. I have been building the controller for a three vessel system. Even though I was only planning on implementing the hot liquor tank and boil kettle at this time. My plan was to build the mash tun and add the herms circulating loop and pumps when I had the time and money. I was planning on putting the sensors in the side of the two vessels for the time being so I could get brewing. Unfortunately I ordered the wrong length temperature sensors.when I installed them they don't even extend past the end of the bulkhead fittings. I'm not sure how long they would need to be to read accurately. But you would think at least a couple of inches. So now I have the short ones I need for installing in the plumbing at a later date. But not the ones I need now