50l boiler heating?

Boiler, burner and boiler modification talk.

50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:08 pm

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby orcy » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:12 pm

2400 watts might take a while to push past the column. But once it starts running it should be fine.
orcy
 
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:02 pm
Location: Seaford, VIC
equipment: Old style T500 style still. honestly, I dont even remember who made it anymore
4 inch soon to be modular pot.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:17 pm

Thanks orcy, I was going to turn it off in half an hour but will let it go instead. :text-thankyoublue:
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby coffe addict » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:19 pm

Mate that element is stuffed. Turn it off your just wasting time.
coffe addict
 
Posts: 1027
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:00 pm
Location: Brisbane central
equipment: 18 gal keg boiler on its side on wheel's with fill port, 1in drain and 2x2.4kw elements
4in 5 plate modular blockhead with optional infusion basket

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Professor Green » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:29 pm

: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?
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:41 pm

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Professor Green » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:46 pm

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.
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Professor Green » Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:50 pm

If the element is new then it should be OK. Did you get it from 5 Star? Are you sure it's wired correctly?
Professor Green
 
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Victoria
equipment: FSD 100 litre milk can with 2 x 2400W elements
FSD Neutraliser
FSD Carter Head
12 litre double boiler with 2400W element

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:09 pm

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby db1979 » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:24 pm

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.
db1979
 
Posts: 1760
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:47 pm
Location: South of the big smoke in banana bender land.
equipment: Eve - 4" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (sieve plates), 330 mm packed section on a keg boiler with 2 x 2000 W elements.
Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby orcy » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:26 pm

2400watts in 50L will be really slow if the ambient is under 10. Is it in a sheltered spot? What sort of column.
orcy
 
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:02 pm
Location: Seaford, VIC
equipment: Old style T500 style still. honestly, I dont even remember who made it anymore
4 inch soon to be modular pot.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:38 pm

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby db1979 » Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:49 pm

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.
db1979
 
Posts: 1760
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:47 pm
Location: South of the big smoke in banana bender land.
equipment: Eve - 4" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (sieve plates), 330 mm packed section on a keg boiler with 2 x 2000 W elements.
Currently having a makeover: 2" x 4 plate solid state bubbler (1" bubble caps, no sight glasses...maybe not for much longer!) on a bain-marie boiler.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:29 pm

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Plumby » Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:46 pm

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.
Last edited by Plumby on Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Plumby
 
Posts: 1175
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:19 am
Location: South East Queensland
equipment: 50 litre keg boiler with a 2200watt element and a 2 inch pot still called Shaniqua with a 32mm over 19mm 800mm long liebig condenser attached.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:33 pm

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:
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Dig Brinker » Fri Jul 13, 2018 1:28 am

Have the wiring checked, could’ve come loose being dragged into corner & back.
Dig Brinker
 
Posts: 552
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 5:46 am
Location: South of Melbourne
equipment: 4 inch 4 plate bubbler on keg boiler

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby scythe » Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:53 am

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.
scythe
 
Posts: 1860
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:34 am
Location: Central West NSW
equipment: Dreaming of a 4" bubbler

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby woodduck » Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:19 am

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.
Last edited by woodduck on Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
woodduck
Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 3497
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:54 pm
Location: Good old country SA
equipment: 4 plate 6" copper bubbler, 6 plate 4" glass bubbler with 500mm packed section three way thumper sitting on a 50 ltr keg boiler with 6000watts, 2" pot still and a 2" boka.

Re: 50l boiler heating?

Postby Listo » Fri Jul 13, 2018 9:52 am

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
Listo
Site Donor
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:45 pm
Location: Roma Qld
equipment: 5Star 4” Modular Pot Still

Next

Return to Boilers & burners.



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests

cron

x