LWD vs ULWD

[McCuckerson]

I went to Homo Depot/Blowes and they only had LWD elements. I would really like to use a ULWD 5500 element in my BK an I prolly could order one online.... But I was wondering if the LWD elements would be ok? I am a bit gun shy as my 120VAC HWD HERMS/Epic failure project scorched 2 batches....

Thoughts?

 

[benbradford]

What size elements on a 120v set up could scorch wort?

I bought the biggest I could get, I use 2 2500 watt maybe even hwd elements, and have brewed maybe 130 gallons with no problem.

 

[McCuckerson]

I was using 120V 2kW element and on say the 10th batch some black stuff showed up on the element, and the beer was ruined. I cleaned the element to showroom condition between each batch, so I really don't know what happened. It was however the biggest beer I had made on that system. (1.080ish)

I don't this to go off topic.... Any experience with LWD or ULWD?

 

[weirdboy]

How can you scorch with a HERMS? Was this during recirc or boil?

 

[McCuckerson]

boil....

 

[Sea]

Check the watts per square inch rating on the elements. Go with the lowest one that will provide enough power to get the job done. You can't go wrong with an ULWD element, it'll just take up more space in the bottom of your kettle.

 

[McCuckerson]

Check the watts per square inch rating on the elements. Go with the lowest one that will provide enough power to get the job done. You can't go wrong with an ULWD element, it'll just take up more space in the bottom of your kettle.

Thanks Sea, I think you are right.

Anyone else using LWD with no issues?

 

[samc]

I have a LWD in my BIAB kettle and had similar results on my last batch - caked on black burnt crap. I've ordered an ULWD to test out and see what happens.

 

[McCuckerson]

I have a LWD in my BIAB kettle and had similar results on my last batch - caked on black burnt crap. I've ordered an ULWD to test out and see what happens.

Not cool man! Was it a big beer? Please keep us posted on your results.

 

[benbradford]

This is what I have used for great success... I do not scrub more than a couple of quick passes with a brillo, and there is a slight oxidization? on the elements... I do bring 5 gallons or so to a boil before every use and circulate through system.

Looks like it is hwd, according to the sears website.

I have three of these and have boiled 170 gallons at least...

Technical Details
RP/UV12892 2000W ELEMENT 8"
2000W 8" WATER HEATER ELEMENT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product Details
Product Dimensions: 17 x 7 x 7 inches ; 1 pounds
Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
ASIN: B001021KHE
Item model number: RP12892/UV12892

 

[samc]

Not cool man! Was it a big beer? Please keep us posted on your results.

My 1.062 beer was the first beer I've dumped without having had a pint. I've had some beers that I did not like after several months of trying to wait them out. In this case after fermenting for a week it smelled like a circuit breaker that had fried. Toxic Dump odors, not the slightest bit of hops or malt peeking through the haze.

 

[McCuckerson]

My 1.062 beer was the first beer I've dumped without having had a pint....

I feel ya buddy. Seems like there is a correlation between OG an potential for scorching. However, I would think that 1.062 with a LWD would be fine?!?!? Just out of curiousity, how close was your element located to the bottom of the pot? Mine was located as close as possible to the bottom. I was thinking that some wort got scorched in the area. We gotta fix this! This could be sticky material!

 

[benbradford]

I have brewed 1.062 and 1.067 og beers on my hd elements no problem... I just don't know if scorched wort is the culprit here, and there are many arguments against it on this site... Hate to have money thrown down the drain chasing a ghost problem...

 

[AnOldUR]

. . . it smelled like a circuit breaker that had fried. Toxic Dump odors, not the slightest bit of hops or malt peeking through the haze.

Your circuit breaker smell comment has me thinking about my first dumper batch recently. I perceived the odor as medicinal or Band-Aid. But I may have confused it with a burnt Bakelite type odor. This was the first batch with a new electric setup and mistakes on my part caused heavy scorching. Do you think the odor you noticed could have been thought of as the medicinal, Band-Aid that I mentioned?

 

[samc]

No medicinal Band-aid for me. The electric element was coated with a thick layer of burnt wort/proteins charred remains. This was beyond burnt !

 

[makomachine]

Im surprised to hear that anyone would have a scorched wort problem on a LWD element. Build up on the heating element wouldn't necessarily indicate a scorching problem as my Speidel Braumeister elements always have a layer I have to scrub off and I've never had off flavors - big beers or small. Not sure where else to point you for the problem but I'm guessing it's somewhere else.

 

[AnOldUR]

Watt density is about surface area. Think it would be possible to add some sort of heat sink to a high density element to disperse the heat, making it act like a low density element?

 

[McCuckerson]

No medicinal Band-aid for me. The electric element was coated with a thick layer of burnt wort/proteins charred remains. This was beyond burnt !

Me too, typically I would have an off-white residue, but the last time I had a black char on the element and a smoked porter without the porter....

 

[Sea]

Watt density is about surface area. Think it would be possible to add some sort of heat sink to a high density element to disperse the heat, making it act like a low density element?

Yes, probably the easiest way would be to immerse it in a stainless cylinder filled with oil, but that seems like a lot of work when you could just go with a lower density element.

 

[user 74388]

On my system I use 3 5500W hair pin heaters out of a spa and they are lwd and have never scorched any thing and I have made close to 1800 gal since going electric.
I think it might have some thing to do with the ratio of wert to power
Just a another data point to consider.
Dave

Burrning Barn Brewing