My final wish...
 

Ok, I broke down and I'm making my own heat stick.

My final wish before I die is that someone tells me how large of a batch a 1500w element can be expected to boil. Thanks again and wish me luck.

Well, I'm not telling then 'cause you'll have no reason left to live.

I can't help (much) because I don't know. I will tell you that with a 1500 watt element in my HLT, it took 90 minutes to go from 60 degrees to 180 with 7 gallons of water.

I'm sure there are smart people who can do the calculation for you!

(Speaking of one of those aforementioned 'smart people'!) :fro:

I just built an electric brew kettle out of a 32 qt aluminum turkey pot. I used 2 1500watt elements. I sit the pot on my electric stove, plug in both elements and turn the stove to high. I can go from 60 to boiling in 25 minutes. then I can turn the stove off and unplug 1 element and continue to keep a rolling boil for 60 minutes with just 1 1500w element. This is a ~6 gallon boil. Hope that helps. BTW this is no reason to die!

I use a couple of 2000w heatsticks to supplement propane. It takes a looooooong time to get 7 gallons to a boil for a 5 gallon batch with one. I usually use propane and the heat sticks to get to a quick boil and then go to one heatstick to boil.

I also use one in my HLT for my sparge water. I can get tap water to sparge temp in less than an hour. I have also used one to bring the temperature of my mash up if I undershoot or am losing temp too fast

I don't know it that helps you or not...

Thanks guys, your info does help.

I think I'm going to have to build another one for my purposes. I will be brewing a lot of 3 gallon batches also, which this one stick should be able to handle, especially if I use my stove to help.

According to my calculations, the best you can do with 1500 watts - assuming that you have no heat loss to the outside is:

minutes to raise G gallons by T degrees F. = 0.0977 * G * T.

So, for example, to raise 7 gallons from room temp. by 100ºF would take:
0.0977 * 7 * 100 = 68.4 minutes. It will actually take longer - how much longer depends on how much heat you lose from your vessel.

I don't think it would be realistic to expect a seven or so gallon boil, for a five gallon batch, to be done with only a 1500 watt heatstick. I use one to speed up the heating of my mash and sparge water. I've started with the heatstick on its own and it would have taken a long time just to get up to the temps I need to mash. I only use it to supplement my propane.

I swear I just did it last weekend guys! I used 2 1500w elements and my stovetop to get to a boil and then 1 1500w element to keep the boil going! It was in my house, with a range hood going, and no lid or any insulation on the pot! It worked great!