Heat Element vs Heat Stick + Questions on heating sparge

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jdlev

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I've got a 20 gallon sparge tank. All I've got to heat it is a 2 burner hot plate (which it fits on). Do you guys think that would be enough or should I upgrade to a heat stick or internal element for the pot?

If upgrade, what product would you guys recommend that has had good results for quickly hitting strike temperatures?
 
I don't have a 220 to pull from, so I can't go too high on the wattage...
 
If I wanted a large volume, low wattage HLT, I would look towards insulation (maybe a cooler) and a submersed heating element on an appliance timer. I'm afraid a 1440 w hotplate under a 20 gallon pot would be like watching grass grow. A pot that large w/ 1440w externally applied may never reach temp. But w/ an insulated vessel, and an internal submerged element, given enough time it will get very hot.
 
Just my two cents.. I've found that I quickly migrated from heat sticks to elements mounted in the kettle. I think the work involved is probably pretty equal and mounting probably costs less. I still have a heatstick and use it when needed, but Prefer the mounted elements.
 
Agreed that heating 20 gallons with 1440W is going to take a looooong time.

I have 5500W in my HLT and always heat 20 gallons from about 50-60F (ground water temp) up to about 150F mash temp. That takes an hour for me and I do it while I prep for the brew day.

You have 5500/1440 or 3.8 times less power so it will take you almost 4 hours to heat assuming your ground water's the same temp as mine. It's probably a bit warmer so assuming 3.5 hours. That's a long wait.

Kal
 
Just my two cents.. I've found that I quickly migrated from heat sticks to elements mounted in the kettle. I think the work involved is probably pretty equal and mounting probably costs less. I still have a heatstick and use it when needed, but Prefer the mounted elements.

This.

Putting the elements in my HLT worked out great!

I still use heatsticks in my BK, but I'm installing elements in it, too. I'll be keeping the heatsticks as backups.
 
What do you guys use to get up to a quick rolling boil for boiling your wort? I've heard that adding an element to your boil kettle and giving it direct contact with the wort is a bad idear?
 
What do you guys use to get up to a quick rolling boil for boiling your wort?

I have a 5500W element in my kettle. It doesn't take long at all to get my wort boiling after collecting the mash runnings. I start heating the first runnings while I am recirculating my sparge water in the MLT. Those first runnings are pretty much boiling by the time I am ready to transfer the sparge liquid over to the kettle.

After it's all in the kettle, I am maybe 5 minutes away from the full volume boiling.
 
I have a 5500W element in my kettle. It doesn't take long at all to get my wort boiling after collecting the mash runnings. I start heating the first runnings while I am recirculating my sparge water in the MLT. Those first runnings are pretty much boiling by the time I am ready to transfer the sparge liquid over to the kettle.

After it's all in the kettle, I am maybe 5 minutes away from the full volume boiling.

I do the same, and was wondering - is there any problem with getting 2 hot breaks ? First runnings added - boiled....seconds added - final boil ??
 
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