Dry running heating element

So tonight I accidentally let my heating element in my HLT run dry. Stupid error. I normally shut off the electrics to sparge to make sure things like that don't happen.

It made a hissing and popping sound. After shutting down the power I opened up the HLT and there was a bright red glow. I waited a few minutes to let it cool down then added water. When I turned things back on the GFCI tripped. Tried one more time and same result.

Looks like I will be replacing an element.

So a couple of lessons from this:

1) Never let an element run dry.
2) Turn off the element before sparging just in case the water gets too low.
3) Having a properly grounded and fault protected setup is an absolute necessity for anyone using electricity in brewing. If I had not I likely would have had more problems than needing to replace a heating element.

On the positive side I am done with that element for the night so the brew session continues on.

Lame... I'm looking to do an Ebrewery. If I do, I'll include a float switch to assure it doesn't run dry.

glad you're ok!

yeah, i've worried about this exact thing. I think that i'll be wiring in a water alarm to my HLT. Might even install two (one for laziness to sound when HLT is almost full [time to shut off water], one to sound when HLT water level is just above element [time to shut off element]). Shouldn't be too difficult.

You should do the same, just convince SWMBO it's cheaper than buying a new element every time you run it dry!

not a bad idea

I've been brewing electric since 2009. A few comments:

• I've dry fired accidentally a few times, and caught it within a minute due to smell or crackling. No problem.
• My original elements, the 5500W Camco ripple ULWD elements, never failed. I just replaced them 3 months ago, but not because they didn't work. That's almost 5 years of heavy (!) duty.
• A good friend of mine intentionally dry-fires his to remove the built-up gunk on them. He turns them on and watches them till they turn red, then turns off. The gunk on them flakes right off.
• Three months ago, I rebuilt my keggles so that I can replace the elements in just a minute. I highly recommend Still Dragon or the Bobby_M element housings. Both will let you easily remove the element and replace it. I went with the Still Dragon.

right now I am using the 2-gang box. Easy enough to change out. I must have had it running for more than just a minute then.. my element is a 4500watt though I do not recall the make.. thought camco though not sure... I do know it is just LD not ULD. That might have impacted the burn out time.

passedpawn said:

*]A good friend of mine intentionally dry-fires his to remove the built-up gunk on them. He turns them on and watches them till they turn red, then turns off. The gunk on them flakes right off.
]

Click to expand...

Haha, this is great, kinda like the self cleaning oven principle, and I thought I was cavalier

IIRC the Camco 5500W ripple are designed to withstand temporary dry firing. I've dry fired mine plenty of times, but it's always been on purpose or when I was right there so at was only a few seconds at a time.

I *used* to have a RIMS tube with a 2000W (?) element. I had it running in the shed and went inside to do other stuff. I had it for a several years so I got complacent with it. I came out 15-20 minutes later and there was steam pouring from the shed...or so thought. Turns out the system somehow lost all the water and the element had been dry firing for who knows how long. The steam was actually smoke which was billowing from the point where the RIMS tube was contacting the wood stand. Luckily, I had insulated the tube with fiberglass pipe insulation or the stand and possibly the shed would've been on fire by the time I got out there. Amazingly, after dry firing all that time, to the point where all the solder on the copper RIMS tube was gone and the plastic terminal block was completely destroyed, it was still running. Somewhere I have good post mortem pics of that disaster.

theonetrueruss said:

right now I am using the 2-gang box. Easy enough to change out. I must have had it running for more than just a minute then.. my element is a 4500watt though I do not recall the make.. thought camco though not sure... I do know it is just LD not ULD. That might have impacted the burn out time.

Click to expand...

the Ultra low watt density ones withstand the dry firing the best... it doesnt matter what brand they are...I have done the same on one of my 4500w ace hardware ulwd element and it also still works fine.... ULWD is also less likely to scorch the wort in a rims tube.

I do the dry fire 'gunk cleaning' method, too. It works great.

I was looking at these float switches

http://www.galco.com/buy/Cynergy3-Components/RSF46Y100RF?gclid=CJGijraiw7wCFQNufgodPBUAgw

Go to the brewtroller store and pick up their stainless float switch. It's cheap and works great (I've also used an identical looking one from eBay but I know how people get when that's suggested...). Simply wire it inline with the low voltage signal for the SSR, drill a hole in the vessel, and no more worries. Prior to that addition I dry fired the HLT element and the BK element, man it happens fast!!

Edit: Looks like Brewtroller store is now selling a stainless version of the one posted above. Here's the style I have: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Stainl...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad0367623

atoughram said:

I was looking at these float switches

http://www.galco.com/buy/Cynergy3-Components/RSF46Y100RF?gclid=CJGijraiw7wCFQNufgodPBUAgw

Click to expand...

I use switches like these and they work great for the low voltage SSR control circuit. Mount it about 1 inch above where you want the switch to open.

I actually mounted 2 switches. The other one was flipped over and installed at the top of my HLT. It's connected to a solenoid valve on the water inlet. This way I'll stop overflowing the HLT while it's filling. It's normally closed until the water gets too high then it opens and the normally closed valve closes.