Reviews for heating element and controller in-one "Electric Sparge/Mashing Heater"

I have seen this element from Chi and HomeBrewStuff. Has anyone had any experience using this?

I am planning my rims tube and i was thinking this thing looks like it coud save a lot of time and money if it controls temps well. I was looking to see if anyone could share their experience or review of this product.

Thanks.

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2003

Maybe it's me but without some feedback I don't understand how it will hold temps that well. That is why a PID works so well in this application.

It looks like it has the same temp control dial that my heat stick from Midwesy Supply has. While in theory it should have infinite control, it really only has an on, off, half-way setting. The knob is ****e and will not allow fine temp control.

The knob on Mine is so fragile feeling that I do not even use it. I turn it on high, or off. Te knob is worthless.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/electric-brew-heater-w-15-element.html

This is simliar to what I commented on... It looks like they have updated the cover plate and deisgn since bought one.

BMB, i have seen something similar on the NB website but i never understood this concept, for that price you could buy a PID Thermo couple, element and you'd still be ahead of the game. Or you could buy an electric turkey fryer for half that price.

I'd like to see a few more comments before making a decision. The element im question has a 1" NPT so you dont have to worry about adding a NPS element to an NPT fitting. Also all the wires seem to be contained already, just plug and play. But as stated before. the control/accuracy of this thing is my concern

As you know, I have the same element. I have posted pics and some comments in this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ground-rims-tube-components-210472/

I have not used mine yet but I don't think it can be fine tuned. If you are recirculating, you may be able to turn it off and on to raise temp. I think on is on and the knob probably controls the voltage it is receiving. I don't think it will turn itself off and on like a PID will do. Mine is plugged into an Auber PID and I plan to turn the knob on the element to high and let the PID control it. I liked it because it was already assembled and sealed up in an enclosure. It also can be hung right onto the rim of your MT or BK without using a RIMS tube. However, it is only 6" long.

The heating element that BMB posted from Midwest is also available at CHI and Hombrewstuff. If you wanted to have an electric BK and not drill any holes, it's a nice alternative. But it is a little spendy especially if it burns out. They remind me of the heating elements I've seen used in restaurants to heat water in sinks for washing dishes. If they are UL tested, they could be worth the money. They bucket heater I have in my HLT is UL listed. I know from experience what that company does to products during their testing and I definitely trust the UL label. BTW, the heating element from CHI with the control knob has no UL approved markings on it.

I hope to brew a batch or just test it on water this week. I will post my results.

thanks limulus, what do you mean by UL tested. Do you like that bucket heater. they are poretty cheap right now on amazon.

kegtoe said:

thanks limulus, what do you mean by UL tested. Do you like that bucket heater. they are poretty cheap right now on amazon.

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UL is Underwriter's Laboratory. They basically destroy things and charge a large sum of money to the manufacturer for doing it. But when it's all done, consumers can trust the safety of the product.

kegtoe said:

BMB, i have seen something similar on the NB website but i never understood this concept, for that price you could buy a PID Thermo couple, element and you'd still be ahead of the game. Or you could buy an electric turkey fryer for half that price.

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agreed, but when i bought it i did not understand the benefits of a PID system (i may make a PID controller for this element someday). Also, as has already been stated, i did not want to drill a hole in my pot, and i really did not want to use a water heater element if i could avoid it. I like having a SS element.

BrewMoreBeers said:

and i really did not want to use a water heater element if i could avoid it. I like having a SS element.

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My hot water element is SS.

you guys have a pic or link to the elements?

6" rod depth

Everyone knows that's not enough...

you still talking brewing niteowl?

Ooops, that was the Brown Shugga' talkin'...shoulda known, this stuff creeps...

But, in response to this subject, I'd say pass on this item. Take a couple evenings and make your own more accurate device(s). Or, if not comfortable, get a buddy that knows what he's doing to come over for a couple beers and a little build.

wildwest450 said:

My hot water element is SS.

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Where did you get it? How much?

Oh, and take this for what its worth since I'm a misplaced engineer in the finance field, but I think Inconel and the like that water heater elements are commonly made out of has a passive chromium layer similar to what stainless does. This is a combo of random memories of metallurgy and drunken ramblings with intelligent people, so take that for its worth...

BrewMoreBeers said:

Where did you get it? How much?

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It came with my kettle, I have no idea who the mfg is. I was told by the guy who built it that it was ss.

Last night, I finally got a chance to try the element. First, it took me a couple of days to get the leaks stopped in the RIMS tube, so I was tired when I finally got to test it. As I said earlier, I plugged it into my Auber PID. The water had been in the MT in my garage for over a day and was at 60-F exactly. I let the thing run for over 20 min and it only rose 5 degrees. I was pretty disappointed in that. The element itself has it's own probe and there must be some sort of shutoff built into the black box. I kept hearing it click on and off and the pump speed would also quickly change for an instant. So I know that it was cycling on and off. It was not the PID cycling it on and off either because the LED indicator was always on. The other thing is the little control knob on the element does not have any markings, so I don't really know which way is high and which is low. I'll have to experiment with it a little more. I may wind up making my own element for the RIMS and using this for something else. Based on what I saw last night, the bucket heater is definitely faster.

To get the fine temp control, you'd need another controller still with a temp feed back. I think this is over priced for what it is, and not very practical for the application.

Controlling mash temps and water temps are a little different. Do you knwo about what you paid for that element?

AnOldUR said:

Looks like a cheap version of what I use in my HLT. With this Ogden I can pretty accurately hit any temperature. It was an eBay purchase.

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IrregularPulse said:

To get the fine temp control, you'd need another controller still with a temp feed back. I think this is over priced for what it is, and not very practical for the application.

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I agree. I only bought it because I did not want to wire a heating element. I have an Auber PID that controls everything and I hoped it would work with this. However, this little element has it's own controller and it seems to cycle on and off no matter what my PID is telling it to do. I'll just have to use a regular heating element which is much less expensive.

i found this element. Its a bit more than a standard element but has a SS housing and is pre wired. I thought about getting the one with no dial. Hopefully that one doesnt shut off at lower temps.

http://www.columbiasinks.com/products.php?iid=94

That one looks promising. The 1500P may be the better choice since it specifically says the case is waterproof. I definitely like the ss element but I notice that the 1500P makes no reference to a SS element. The other models do.

I googled Columbia 1500 heating element and found it for $10 less than the one I have from CHI.

60 bucks on amazon

kegtoe said:

60 bucks on amazon

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Yep, that is also the same supplier I found. I'm thinking that I'm just going to make my own now. I already have an element that I bought months ago.

I did notice that this Columbia element does not have the probe soldered onto the element. I guess that means it won't be cycling on and off all the time unless a PID tells it to.

OK, I have a new report to make:
I reconfigured my tube. Basically that means I mounted it horizontally instead of vertically. The difference was noticed immediately. In 85-seconds, the temp rose 3-degrees. I had it mounted vertically before with the element control on top. There are two reasons I mounted it that way:
1. The RIMS tube still had a small leak coming from one of the 1/2" connections on the input/output.
2. The element controller has a hanger and I could simply hang it on the side of my brew cart. My initial plan was to install it vertically with the element on bottom but with the leak, that made me nervous.
I think what was happening last night was the water was flowing through the tube so quickly, it was not making 100% contact with the element and that is possibly why it was cycling itself off before the PID cut it's power. I think I'll put a valve on the output side of the RIMS tube to slow the flow.

I still think the one from Columbia looks like a better option and I may buy one of those.