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50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:08 pm
by Listo
Hi all,
I’ve finally dragged my still out of the corner after 12 months sitting in the corner thanks to the help of a couple of kind lads on the forum.
I’m in the process of doing the first cleaning run with vinegar and water, getting ready for tomorrow. I’ve got a 50l milk can boiler with a 2400w element from 5star & it’s been on for the last 5 hours. It’s had a bit of warmth at the start of the tower for the last 2 hours, but it’s not improving. It’s pretty cold here tonight too.
I know I’m going to need a second element, but will one element be enough to run a wash through tomorrow if it’s a nice day? I don’t want to waste a wash if I can’t get the heat.
Thanks
Listo

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:12 pm
by orcy
2400 watts might take a while to push past the column. But once it starts running it should be fine.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:17 pm
by Listo
Thanks orcy, I was going to turn it off in half an hour but will let it go instead. :text-thankyoublue:

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:19 pm
by coffe addict
Mate that element is stuffed. Turn it off your just wasting time.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:29 pm
by Professor Green
:text-+1: on a stuffed element.

The heating time calculator in the newbies section reckons it should only take 137 minutes to take 50 litres from 10 deg to 100 deg using 2400W.

Is the liquid actually boiling? Is the boiler even hot?

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:41 pm
by Listo
It’s hot, but not instant burning of the fingers to touch. It’s been that way for a while now, it’s meant to be -2 here tomorrow so I was hoping that was slowing it up
I hope it’s not buggered, it’s the first time it’s been used

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:46 pm
by Professor Green
What's the current ambient temperature?

Have you got a 100% woolen blanket hanging around the house? If so, wrap the boiler in it for insulation.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:50 pm
by Professor Green
If the element is new then it should be OK. Did you get it from 5 Star? Are you sure it's wired correctly?

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:09 pm
by Listo
I’ve had a picnic blanket around it for the last hour - hour & a half with no change at all. I’ve actually just shut it down.
It’s a 5 star one but even though it’s only the first use, it’s still a year old as it’s been sitting in the shed waiting for me to pull my finger out. Also, I got one of the sparkies at work to wire it up & he’s usually a handy bugger

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:24 pm
by db1979
Hope you get it sorted out, this is a great hobby and the last thing you want is a setback like this to keep you out of it for another 12 months.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:26 pm
by orcy
2400watts in 50L will be really slow if the ambient is under 10. Is it in a sheltered spot? What sort of column.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:38 pm
by Listo
WillyWeather is saying 9.3 at the moment & the still is in the shed. It’s a 50l milk can boiler with a 4” modular pot still... probably a simple thing for others, but may as well be a UFO to me at the moment

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:49 pm
by db1979
I'd drain the boiler into a storage container (maybe back into your fermenter if you can) but leave enough to cover the element and then let it rip and see what happens. If that doesn't boil then you know the element is stuffed.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:29 pm
by Listo
I’ll try that in the morning mate, good idea. I’ve still only got the vinegar & water in there so that’ll be an easy trial

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:46 pm
by Plumby
orcy wrote:2400watts in 50L will be really slow if the ambient is under 10. Is it in a sheltered spot? What sort of column.

I run a 2400 watt element in my keg boiler that's outside and it takes 2 hours at best in the middle of winter to go from wash at 5 degrees to foreshots coming out.
If your boiler has been going flat out for 5 hours and you got nothing to show for it, your element is shot mate, order a new one no use fucking around with it.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:33 pm
by Listo
Well that’s fucked then, I’ve got a few more weeks before the maiden voyage now... that’ll teach me for hesitating :angry-banghead:

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:28 am
by Dig Brinker
Have the wiring checked, could’ve come loose being dragged into corner & back.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:53 am
by scythe
Have a look at your element wiring with a multi-meter before you go spending cash on a new one.
The elements are actually 2 separate 1200w loops set up in parrallel to give you 2400w.
There will be 2 little bits of flat bar joining 2 pins.
Disconnect these flat bars and check for resistance and continuity between the ends of the same loop.

One should be vastly different to the other if a loop is knackered.

Or just tell a sparky to look at it and go with what they say.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:19 am
by woodduck
Let's just be careful here guys. Remember not everyone understands electrical stuff and if one little detail is left out someone could end up fryed. For example, should the power be off or on while testing? May sound like a dumb question to some but not to others? Please be careful and I would recommend getting a qualified sparky in.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:52 am
by Listo
woodduck wrote:Let's just be careful here guys. Remember not everyone understands electrical stuff and if one little detail is left out someone could end up fryed. For example, should the power be off or on while testing? May sound like a dumb question to some but not to others? Please be careful and I would recommend getting a qualified sparky in.


That’s what safety switches are for aren’t they? :mrgreen:
Nah, it’s good advice, I’ll take it back into work on Monday & get a mate to check it out, I’m not the best with the household side of electricity.
One thing I noticed last night is it’s very quiet, you can’t hear a thing, where my t500 used to be fairly noisy once it got going