120 volt and CIP, will this work?

I just acquired a free keg , and see this as the perfect opportunity to switch to electric. My plan is use the keg upside down (ie the existing hole in the bottom), and use a triclover cap to seal the hole, (eventually a dump valve for CIP, as money allows), and then mount a 2000W element in the kettle. So will I have any issues with leaking using a triclamp under all my boiling wort?, will a single 2000 Watt element boil 5 gallon batches (so actually 7 ish gallons) satisfactorily?
Am I insane?

2000W won't boil 7 gallons, at least in an uninsulated stainless kettle. I think even 5 gallons will barely boil if at all.

3000W would probably be ok for a decent boil on 7 gallons. Anything more will heat faster but will likely require regulation to keep the boil down.

The triclamp will seal just fine. I have a 2" triclamp to 1/2" MPT fitting on the bottom of mine (then a 90 elbow and out the side) and it doesn't leak at all.

So with adequate insulation I should be ok? Not optimum. But ok. ( I fully intend to upgrade to a much larger element as money allows but a big gfci is not in the budget for the time being)

orangehero said:

2000W won't boil 7 gallons, at least in an uninsulated stainless kettle. I think even 5 gallons will barely boil if at all.

3000W would probably be ok for a decent boil on 7 gallons. Anything more will heat faster but will likely require regulation to keep the boil down.

Click to expand...

Actually, 2000w will boil 10+ gallons just fine, will just take a LONG time to reach boil... like 30+ minutes.