LiquidFlame

Recipes 

Is it ok to use paint thinner instead of acetone for cleaning up the dimple and coupler before soldering?

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wyzazz

Recipes 

Nope, use acetone or laquer thinner. Even iso alcohol would be better than paint thinner.

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CoalCracker

Recipes 

I used MEK and that worked fine.

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LiquidFlame

Recipes 

I guess I still don't get how kal's electric box setup wouldn't work. I plan on using it with a 1" welding spud, and it seems like it would be pretty snug.

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jsguitar

Recipes 

You may have missed that I'm using an unusual NPT threaded element instead of the usual NPS. The NPT threads are tapered and seal with the threads unlike the NPS which threads all the way down and seals with the gasket. That's what allows the box to be secured tight against the kettle. I'm assuming you're using a water heater element, in which case it will work perfectly (I think).

With my element, even when screwed all the way in, there's a big gap between the box and the coupling that leaves the box wobbling around. Here's the thread dealing with my NPT elements. I'm still having a little trouble getting this solution to work on my HLT.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/316ss-4500w-elements-ebay-369999/index3.html

ETA: Also, they're too long which is why I'm using the coupling.

wyzazz

Recipes 

Try going to Lowe's/Home Depot and picking up some washers or even a piece of Spa-Flex or other tubing that can take up the gap. That might allow the Kal method to work for you.

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LiquidFlame

Recipes 

Ah guess I did miss that

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Darkness

Recipes 

Ok I did it and it is great love this stuff man! They look great and it is super quick

ALSO THANKS EVERYONE WHO WENT BEFOR ME!!!!!

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swstim

Recipes 

Hey guys, I learned how to do this somewhere in this thread but I don't know if anyone's made a concise post about it yet.

I was successful soldering in a 2" triclamp ferrule into the side of a keggle. I first drilled a 1 7/8" hole with a hole saw from the hardware store, and then flared it out with a custom tool I made on the lathe:
(It's a 15degree taper from 1.75" to 2.020")

I pulled that through with a 1/2-20 grade 8 bolt/nut with a 2" PVC coupler for the outside. Don't discount the importance of a) the fine thread bolt and b) the grade 8 hardware because it takes surprising force to make the dimple.

Once the dimple was formed I tapped in the 2" triclover nipple and soldered with stainless flux from McMaster and standard lead free solder from Menards:

I then used the element adapter kit from StillDragon to complete the install of your standard Camco element.

This approach makes it really easy to take the element out for cleaning, and also avoids the issue of threading an NPS element into a 1" NPT coupler.

I hope this helps someone out there!

wyzazz

Recipes 

Very nice! I've been thinking of doing the very same thing.

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