Yea they all sorta look like the heating element I already have. Still could be ultra low density though. Maybe what I will do is start one piece at a time. Insert a new port or 2, to recirc the wort. At the same time I will buy a SCR. See if I get good results from that. If that still fails, move to a new heating element, try doing it with a SCR but no recirc (just close the ball valve I insert for recirc). If that doesn’t work, do all the changes and see what happens.
I just hate the idea of wasting that much time and beer just to see what setup will works.
Which element did you choose from that site? I can find one of the same vein. Like I said, just trying to not waste time or beer
It looks like brewhardware sells both LWD and ULWD. From my understanding even a LWD element will scorch as it just use too much heat per inch.
As far as your SCR I would get one so you can control the heat and your boil rate and boil off.
Completely agree. Just wondering about the need for recirc or not. Considering the work involved, I’d rather add recirc capabilities than change the heating element.
BUT if the element and SCR will do the trick, then great I’ll do it. In all honesty, at that point I’d prefer to still add recirc just to be safe. But again, if that’s unnecessary, I could easily skip it and just have a controllable ULWD element. I’d rather get it right the first time, regardless of how much work or cost. Sparing my time and wasted beer is my priority
My take… I believe it helps keeping the wort at a more consistent temp… My kettle is not nsulated… So recirc and at 12% power… I can maintain mash temps quite well… And then while in the boil… 45% power once boiling is reached… Recirc to keep the wort constant and passing through the basket with hops in it… My mind says it’s all part of my system…
Sneezles61
I getcha. I’m just worried because what if you are using a low watt density element? Loopie has convinced me to swap to an ultra low. But he also said that if I recirc with an ultra low, I may never be able to get it to boil at all.
I don’t want to add too little to my system and ruin more batches, but I also don’t want to add too much to my system and make my beer making difficult or impossible.
I’m inclined to add an ultra low, add an SCR, and add the ability to recirc if I want. Then, try all 3. If I can’t get it to boil, then I stop recirculation and never use it.
What’s that old saying? “Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it”. So, add all the abilities and try them all at the same time… Then if it doesn’t work, whittle down my options until it works. Probably a time waster up front, but at least it gives peace of mind
With an ULWD element and an SCR you wouldn’t need to recirc during the BOIL. Personally I would set it up to recirc during mash to keep temps then use that as a whirlpool at knockout.
If you recirc trying to get to a boil your wort will be losing heat as it recirculates through the tubing. It will eventually boil but could take awhile to get there. @sneezles61 you recirc during your boil?
Ok I hear ya and I’ll oblige. I’m going to add ports for whirlpooling and cooling. Then I will add a ULWD in place of my LWD, and I will install a SCR as well. Worst case, I use the ports to recirculate during boil. Best case, it all works as intended
Only reason i do not go electric. Power so expensive. Here on island. And me happy with my brew system. Know how it behaves. But looking at. Electical brew systems. Damn i want one.
Sorry I’m a little slow to reply on this. My HERMS has a copper coil in the HLT. The HLT is PID controlled to keep the temp at whatever you set it at. Mine is 170°. The liquid from the mash is pumped through the coil to raise the temp and the pump is also PID controlled to your set temp to stop recirculating when when that temp is reached. Both the MT and HLT have a thermowell with a sensor.
I found that initially the mash temp actually drops when you first start pumping the liquid from the mash through. After that you might grow old waiting for the mash temp to increase to your next step. Because of this I stick with single infusion mash or run the burner on the MT and stir to prevent scorching.
I went a little off topic here since this is a propane set up.
