120V Electric Brewing Elements

I am looking at building a Electric All Grain Setup with an Electric HLT at the moment. I am thinking about going the route of using 120V elements as compared to the 240V elements.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what 120V elements to use?

This one is a Camaco 1500W Ultra Low Watt Density
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKVZUO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Or should I go with a Higher Wattage saw 2000W
www.amazon.com/Camco-02203-2000W-He...ywords=ultra+low+density+water+heater+element

Now when building this I am considering using 2 120V elements as I can have two outlets on different breakers available.

Also anyone have first hand experience of the time it would take for 120V elements to heat up a HLT. I would only be heating say 5 to 10 gallons at a time.

I use 2, 120 volt 1,500 watt heaters. I think it takes 35-45 minutes to heat up about 8 gallons of water from 65 to 160 or so. About the same to get it boiling. I think the Camco element is fairly typical. I got my elements from http://www.plumbingsupply.com/elements.html

If you have 20 amp circuits, I would go w/ the 2000w elements for faster heating. 3000 - 4000w total will give you decent heating times for 5-10 gallon batches, on par w/ propane I'd guess. I do 1/4 keg 7.75 gallon batches with 2 at 2000w, 4000w total and it is reasonably quick.

Well that sounds good and probably what I'll go with.

Do you have any issue with the 2000W elements and scorching the wort?

Do you use them for just for your Hot Liquor Tank or for Boiling Wort too?

Also those elements are safe to use for potable water, I know its a silly question but rather ask then be sorry. Since they are for water heaters I am assuming that they wont be an issue.

wilserbrewer said:

If you have 20 amp circuits, I would go w/ the 2000w elements for faster heating. 3000 - 4000w total will give you decent heating times for 5-10 gallon batches, on par w/ propane I'd guess. I do 1/4 keg 7.75 gallon batches with 2 at 2000w, 4000w total and it is reasonably quick.

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Awesome that sounds perfect. I'm going to use two of the 2000W elements that I posted. Thanks for the feedback.

schmoe said:

I use 2, 120 volt 1,500 watt heaters. I think it takes 35-45 minutes to heat up about 8 gallons of water from 65 to 160 or so. About the same to get it boiling. I think the Camco element is fairly typical. I got my elements from http://www.plumbingsupply.com/elements.html

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I use a single 2000w element from Lowes in my HLT. Takes about 45 minutes to heat up 6-7 gal sparge water. Just enough time to fill up and flip on just after I mash in.

fatbluefrog said:

Do you have any issue with the 2000W elements and scorching the wort?

Do you use them for just for your Hot Liquor Tank or for Boiling Wort too?

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Only had scorching once, and it was my fault and really bad, I had to dump 15 gallons! The reason is that I paused my brew session to run some errands, the trub all settled and scorched on the elements, during a normal brew session, or if I had merely stirred and resuspended the trub I would not have had a problem. Also, clean the elements well after each session, a build up can also possibly promote scorching ...overall I am very satisfied w/ 2000w 120v high density elements.

Awesome. Double 2000W element build it is. Thanks for the feedback guys.

Any updates on 2x 2000w 120v element builds? Any pictures? Issues? I am looking to make a manual system, by direct monitoring Temps, and turning heat on and off as needed.

I use 2 X 2000W Hot Rod heatsticks to do 13+ gallon boils and 11 gallon batches (5.5 in each fermenter).

Works great. Heat times similar to my propane burner with a heat shield, and no noise, fumes, flames or CO/steam ventilation required.

Easy to remove and clean, cheap, don't have to refill propane, can use just one if I want to do smaller batches or heat up water in a HLT.

My "power settings" are 1 on, 2 on, or both off. Works perfectly!

P.S. Necro thread! Zombies - RUN!

Does anyone wire power directly to the element and just plug in and under plug the element as needed manually instead of using a controller?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479473353.014756.jpg

I used to plug and unplug elements years ago before I wired up a couple of simple switched outlets.

Plugging live elements in is not the best idea, safer and more convenient to have switches IME.

Ps the black electrical tape is just a marker for circuit 2 switch with the same marker at the element cord.

Mine are just plugged in or not, no controller.

Works great.

Switches are on my upgrades list just for the convenience. I have no urge to get a controller.

Okay cool, I can manually control power by hand until I make some switches. Thanks all!

Magnus314 said:

I use 2 X 2000W Hot Rod heatsticks to do 13+ gallon boils and 11 gallon batches (5.5 in each fermenter).

Works great. Heat times similar to my propane burner with a heat shield, and no noise, fumes, flames or CO/steam ventilation required.

Easy to remove and clean, cheap, don't have to refill propane, can use just one if I want to do smaller batches or heat up water in a HLT.

My "power settings" are 1 on, 2 on, or both off. Works perfectly!

P.S. Necro thread! Zombies - RUN!

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Magnus,
Are your circuits 15a or 20a? I believe mine are 15. I’m building a 3 keggle system. Planning on having an element built into the hlt and boil kettle and then transferring my hot rod heat stick from hlt to boil when it’s time to boil. The hlt and boil elements will be on the same circuit (but never turned on at the same time) and the hot rod will be on its own circuit.
I will be running chugger pumps as well.
Do you use a pump on the same circuit as one of your hot rods?
If I do only have 15a circuits should I just go with 1650w elements?
Complicated but you’re the first one I’m seeing on here doing 2 120w circuit heating AND doing 11gallon batches.
Thanks,
Sam

I use two circuits for 10+ gallon boils with 2000w x2 and it works just fine for my boil kettle. In my hlt I have a 2000w and a 1650w. The 2000w gets one circuit, and the 1650w and a small dc pump on the other. The 1650w and pump are controlled by a inkbird rated for 15 amps.

When I run my chugger pump later on one of or both elements are off.
For mash re-circulation i run the pump on one circuit, and the inkbird with the element on the other.

If you only have 15 amp circuits the max you can go is 1650w. 1500w x2 will work for a 12 gallon boil if you have the extra time. Insulate the vessels for better results.

Staticsouls said:

I use two circuits for 10+ gallon boils with 2000w x2 and it works just fine for my boil kettle. In my hlt I have a 2000w and a 1650w. The 2000w gets one circuit, and the 1650w and a small dc pump on the other. The 1650w and pump are controlled by a inkbird rated for 15 amps.

When I run my chugger pump later on one of or both elements are off.
For mash re-circulation i run the pump on one circuit, and the inkbird with the element on the other.

If you only have 15 amp circuits the max you can go is 1650w. 1500w x2 will work for a 12 gallon boil if you have the extra time. Insulate the vessels for better results.

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Ok. My circuits are 20amps each. Though I have some other things running on them. (Kegerator on one and a 7amp fridge on the other).
That was another question. An inkbird will work fine with my HLT then.
Thanks a lot.
I definitely have the extra time. I won’t have trouble boiling 12-14gals with a 1500 and a 1650 then right?

I use the inkbird ipb-16, and I do not run anything else on my brew circuits. I isolated these circuits and have gfci on both as well.

A 1650 and a 1500 should boil 12 gal. It will take a long time to get up to boil, so be patient.

I think you would be better off with a 240V 5500 Watt element.

Arbe0 said:

I think you would be better off with a 240V 5500 Watt element.

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If your replying specifically to bigg166 and use with 12-14 gallons I agree. Otherwise for the OP's question and normal homebrewing sizes it all depends, not if he or she doesnt want to spend hundreds more for 15 minutes faster heating times... The controller and wiring for 240v is much more $$ than the inkbird controllers and 120V.. 240v works better but its not as simple to justify for everyone.. Especially those who want it to be somewhat portable.

Staticsouls said:

I use the inkbird ipb-16, and I do not run anything else on my brew circuits. I isolated these circuits and have gfci on both as well.

A 1650 and a 1500 should boil 12 gal. It will take a long time to get up to boil, so be patient.

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ok. thats a pricey inkbird. so the $20-30 inkbird itc-305 wont cut it? will a 1650w element fry one of those im guessing?

Bigs166 said:

ok. thats a pricey inkbird. so the $20-30 inkbird itc-305 wont cut it? will a 1650w element fry one of those im guessing?

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Depends what it is rated for power wise. When I first set my herms up I had an inkbird 308 control just the pump.

Set mash, vorlauf, then set the desired temp on controller for pump, but I had to on off the elements for the hlt by hand.

You could definitely start off without a controller. During recirculation you draw heat off the hlt, so if you are using low wattage to maintain temps, you could almost just leave it on, depending on you ambient temps, and rig size.

Bigs166 said:

ok. thats a pricey inkbird. so the $20-30 inkbird itc-305 wont cut it? will a 1650w element fry one of those im guessing?

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thats because the ipb-16 is a pid controller with a solid state relay designed for fast switching and microcontrolled temp control that can be tuned.
the other inkbird temp controllers are just thermostats with a mechanical relay designed to only turn on and off once every few minutes with compressor cooling time delays set and such.. using a mechanical relay in a manor where its switching multiple times a minute will cause the contacts to heat up and burn up often fusing them together.

$100 for an inkbird ipb-16 is about the cheapest heating element controller you will find besides building one yourself. They are not hard to build.