Heatstick = awesome!
 

I am moving into the world of full boils and AG brewing. Was thinking about going with a typical turkey fryer type set up. Instead I built a heatstick and simply use it to boost the btu of my gas range. Now I can boil 7+ gal no problem and it only cost me a 40 dollar investment. So happy with this that I am writing off gas burner for ever.

Pics to follow but it looks identical to the ceedarcreek heatstick build. I am a total electric brewing convert.

details details!

How to Build an Electric Homebrewing Heatstick.
http://www.cedarcreeknetworks.com/heatstick.htm

Yea me too, love the sticks. I own a nice propane burner but don't even bother with it. I use two @ 2000watts in my basement. I boil 9 gallons no problem.

was it difficult to build?

This must be in an insulated boil pot or keggle with your 4KW of heating or 13,657 BTU of heat energy applied to your 9 gallons. How many degrees a minute increase did you record? My plan is to boil 18-19 1/2 gallons with 11KW (240 volt) or 37,558 BTU of heat energy in a insulated boil keggle. This allowing 15 gallons net for my corny's with one brewing session.

Quite the contrary. It was easy and after I got home from home depot I was done with it in about an hour or so.

Sorry no pics yet but it really does look exactly like the one in the link above.

Sorry Beemer, I don't keep detailed records, I brew for fun. My 4000w will bring 9 gal post sparge to a boil in 20-30 minutes or so. I used to wrap the kettle w/ a blanket, but lately I don't bother. I think the heat lost through steam is far greater than the uninsulated kettle. I would think 11kw will boil 18-19 easily???

I went with a right angle heat stick and it was a good investment. It got me OUT of the kitchen permantly.

I used to heat mash and sparge water on several pots on our ceramic electric stove... way inefficeint and took a long time.

I use the heatstick to bring my mash water up to temp and while mashing heat the sparge water.

After that it helps bring the wort to a boil real quick to suplement my propane burner.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/.../Heatstick.jpg

looks pretty simple, which plans did you use for this?