2400W element for mashing

[Kimbo]

Ok, i recently had the thought that I could use my old electric boiler (50L keg with 2400w ) as a mash tun.
I thought I could connect my STC 1000 to the element to keep the wort at a +/- mashing temp.
Waddya thoughts peoples?

[Kravin]

Not without constantly stirring the mash for the duration.
an exposed element will cause scorching and burning due to sugars melting over the element.
Also the grain around your element will be a lot hotter than the grain around the top.

you could use it to get to temp while constantly stirring. once it got to temp, disconnect the element and wrap the keg in an old quilt or something to insulate it.
you could then use the STC to monitor the temp and then fire up the element to bring it back when it dropped, also while stirring.

[Hill]

With the addition of a cheap pump you could make a heat exchange and circulate from top to bottom, that's the way my brewery works and it keeps temp all day no stirring needed.

[Kimbo]

Cheers Kravin,
I was intending to rog up the cordless drill with a mixer on it to have that constant agitation ;-)
Good idea Hill, got a pic or specs?

[Brendan]

Here's my thoughts...feel free to set me straight Kravin...

My old boiler with 2x 2400w elements is now my hot liquor tank (for heating brew water).

I have another keg with the top cut out as a dedicated mash tun...with the insulation wrap around it (including to & bottom), it holds the temp within a degree for well over an hour...so I don't see the need to apply heat to the mash tun??

Hold it at your mid 60degree temp for 60-90 minutes, sparge/drain, and do a final runnings at the high 70's (whatever it is) to rinse the grain...that's how I plan to do it...plus isn't an internal element going to be hell trying to manage with the grain and all...?

[Hill]

The heat exchange is a piece of 6" fitted with end caps, it has a copper coil running through the middle allowing wort to pass through and be heated from the water inside, there is a 2400w element in the bottom and a water fill port in the top for top up as the water evaporates, there is a thermowell in the top for the probe, you seal the bottom end cap to trap the water but don't seal the top and put a hole or 2 so the thing isn't sealed and you don't have a bomb :o . Ours has the coil wound as close as possible from top to bottom and works really well, it will hold the 80L mash tun no insulation or lid full at temp as long as you want and will even raise 10 deg in about 14 mins. When i first built it I filled the mash tun with water and recirculated through the heat exchanger and adjusted the temp to to read the same as the mash tun (the heat exchanger sits about 10deg warmer). Then you just need some kind of manifold or false bottom for your mash tun.

[Hill]

a closer shot if it helps.

[Kravin]

Not sure if my previous post was deleted for some reason or I just forgot to press the submit button...

Basically it said that HERMS and RIMS systems are awesome (as you can see from Hills post) but doing as Brendan does would be a lot simpler and much more cost effective.

Use the keg as a HLT, then acquire and fit an esky with a length of slotted copper tube as a false bottom, a bulk head and a ball valve. That'll make a perfect mash tun which should give you upwards of 75% efficiency.

Cheers,

Kravin

[Hill]

Mine got deleted as well Kravin, I reposted this morning.

[Kimbo]

Thanks fellas.as this will be m a trial run to get used to thr starch conversion I will keep it simple.
If I used a brew bag, that should minimize the scorching shouldnt it?

[Kravin]

If I used a brew bag, that should minimize the scorching shouldnt it?

It will if you can keep some kind of circulation going.
By all means give it a crack, but I would say you'll end up with scorching.

Also don't let that bag touch the element. Swiss voile and hot elements don't play well together. Eg; holes in your bag.

Cheers,

Kravin

[Hill]

Did you give this a go on the weekend Kimbo ? would be good to hear how it went.

[1 2many]

Not sure if my previous post was deleted for some reason or I just forgot to press the submit button...

Basically it said that HERMS and RIMS systems are awesome (as you can see from Hills post) but doing as Brendan does would be a lot simpler and much more cost effective.

Use the keg as a HLT, then acquire and fit an esky with a length of slotted copper tube as a false bottom, a bulk head and a ball valve. That'll make a perfect mash tun which should give you upwards of 75% efficiency.

Cheers,

Kravin

This the way i used to mash and sparge with the esky method it is a good idea to preheat you esky with hot water for an half an hour before you start to mash to help keep the temp up.

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:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Kimbo]

Did you give this a go on the weekend Kimbo ? would be good to hear how it went.

Nah mate, as it turns out, I have had an offer on the boiler and the VM that goes with it ;-)