Help on choosing the right Element for my Boiler

[twojaythomo]

Ok so I know nothing about heating amounts so I thought I would ask the experts, if you have not already seen my build I have a 50L keg for a boiler and a 2.5" boka x 1.5m packed column and would like to get some advice on which element out of the 5 star store to buy. I do not have access to a tig welder so I have to go for weldless.

[pulsetech]

What you chose depends largely on your available power supply. A 2400 watt element is all you can run from a normal 10 amp gpo. Most guys like at least 2400 watts to run and and additional 2400 watt for a faster heat up.

[1 2many]

Ok so I know nothing about heating amounts so I thought I would ask the experts, if you have not already seen my build I have a 50L keg for a boiler and a 2.5" boka x 1.5m packed column and would like to get some advice on which element out of the 5 star store to buy. I do not have access to a tig welder so I have to go for weldless.

Tjt the weldless elements are very easy to install all you need to do is drill a 32mm hole in your keg. feed some wire through the hole and out of the 2" top on your keg then wrap that around you element wires and pull it though until the threaded part of the element has come through the 32mm hole and add nut. Simple as :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[twojaythomo]

Ok thanks guys looks like I will go with a single 2400w

[1 2many]

Ok thanks guys looks like I will go with a single 2400w

A single element will work but the heat up time will be a pain in the ass, I would suggest 2 x 2400 watt elements
for heat up then cut back to one for the run.

[twojaythomo]

Can really only afford 1 atm, HD calculator was telling me 77 minutes to boil 40ltr at 20 degress. My HBS boiler 25ltr takes just over an hour so if the calculator is right is not going to be too bad, but your right would be nice to have it boiling much faster.

[pulsetech]

Insulating your boiler will help a lot. I have 2 x 2400w elements in mine and before I had more power points installed I ran with 1 . Took about an hour and 20 mins to get up to temp with 45L

[Sinerjee]

So obviously I can only run one 2400 watt element from a normal PowerPoint. So how do people run two? Is it just pick a different PowerPoint and plug into that with the other one? When I finally upgrade from my HBS boiler I'd like two but if I need some fancy power points to do it I won't be able to.

[bayshine]

Yep just two different points :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Sinerjee]

Ah cool I'll be fine with two then :). Do they need to be separated at all or is two right next to each other fine?

[bayshine]

Not a double power point but two different points

[Geeps]

Not a double power point but two different points

On separate circuits. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[C2H6O]

twojay, your thread inspired me!! Just put in an order for a shiny new FSD 2400 weldless, i will run one for a while until i finish my controller then advance to two. I normally only run 20l so not t0o worried about the heat up time :D

Cheers

[Sinerjee]

Is there a way of telling which points are on which circuit then? Wouldn't want to accidentally blow something when the time comes.

[1 2many]

Is there a way of telling which points are on which circuit then? Wouldn't want to accidentally blow something when the time comes.

I switched off one of the power circuit breakers and went around the house till I found a convenient gpo that had no power so that identified a seperate circuit, the only down side to that was I had to reset a few clocks :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Linny]

Easy trick is hook a radio up to a point and start switching off ccbs. When the music stops thats the ccb

[1 2many]

Easy trick is hook a radio up to a point and start switching off ccbs. When the music stops thats the ccb

Top tip mate :handgestures-thumbupleft: will do that from now on 8-}

[Sinerjee]

Quite an easy way to do it haha. Cheers guys :)

[twojaythomo]

In the end I will probably never get another element but will see what happens as I run my still next to the pool for my cooling water I dont really have any other power points nearby let alone on a separate circuit.

[MacStill]

what runs your pool pump ?