mattrennert
Well-Known Member
I have a 4500 watt element wired up with a 3 way switch, so it is either 4500 watts at 220v or 1125 watts at 110v. Question is, is this a rigorous of enough boil on the lower setting?
Last edited by a moderator:
Enough of a boil?
- Thread starter mattrennert
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
IMHO I would think so, as long as you let it hot break to where it was fixing to over flow, then a boil like that is what I always try to acheive. It IS boiling.
HOMEBREWZ
Well-Known Member
Its best to have it boil as vigorously as possible without boiling over.
boy, I don't think so. It's boiling in the center in that it's more than a simmer, but the sides are so stable that I wouldn't consider that a "rolling boil" at all.
You don't need it to rock the whole stand, but you should definitely have more movement and get a hot break.
You don't need it to rock the whole stand, but you should definitely have more movement and get a hot break.
HOMEBREWZ
Well-Known Member
I always use an outdoor propane burner BTW it work perfect for me
OP
OP
mattrennert
Well-Known Member
I use the 4500w to bring the temp up to boil and it gets pretty vigorous. I use the 4500w for ten minutes during hop additions, otherwise its the lower setting. Its a converted keg so I don't have to worry about boil overs.
If I leave it on 4500w for the whole hour I get a little over 2 gallons boil off.
If I leave it on 4500w for the whole hour I get a little over 2 gallons boil off.
Honestly look into the PWM route. For around 40$ you can make that element do what ever you'd like.
OP
OP
mattrennert
Well-Known Member
This is toward the beginning of the boil , I had just flipped it down to to 1125 watts for the video so i could get everyone's opinions.
There is actually a lot of movement of the wort on the outer edges, but you can't really tell with that foam on the surface.
There is actually a lot of movement of the wort on the outer edges, but you can't really tell with that foam on the surface.
1125 is too low to maintain a boil in a keggle IMHO and IME. While a pwm as mentioned above will work excellent, You could also try a 3500w element at 100% for the entire boil. Reducing to 1/4 power is too much of a cut to maintain boil IMO.
