Will a propane burner damage an installed hot water heater element in my HLT?

If I use a propane burner under a SS keggle that has a water heater element installed in it, will the heat damage the element? Will wrapping the electrical cord in foil protect it from the heat?

You are on track for what will get damaged... it is not the element in the tank, it is the residual heat bleeding up the sides. I would be worried about the cord, coupling, etc.

Foil may work... got any sheet metal?

Why are you putting it on a burner?

The outside of the kettle will probably be hundreds of degrees, you will probably damage the cord and the plastic block where the electrical posts are. It get REALLY hot near the kettle in my experience.

Yeah, I'm not worried about the element being damaged on the inside of the pot. I'm worried about the thousands of BTUs running up the side of the pot cooking the base of the element and the cord. I could get sheet metal if I knew it would keep the electric side safe but I don't know much about designing heat shields.

The reason for the burner is speed. My calculations show that I can save over 30min by using my burner to heat my HLT which is a lot considering that I've got a wife, a toddler, and an infant taking up most of my free time.

So, for single batches on busy days, gas would be the way to go. But for double batches on days when I have more time, the burner will be busy with a boil while the second batch is mashing so I need the electric to power the HERMS steps in the second batch.

The Pol said:

The outside of the kettle will probably be hundreds of degrees, you will probably damage the cord and the plastic block where the electrical posts are. It get REALLY hot near the kettle in my experience.

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Thanks for the feedback, guys.

That's what I was afraid of. I'm hoping someone here has actually tried this and figured out how to make it work... or that it can't be done.

Take out the element and install a SS plug

The Pol said:

Take out the element and install a SS plug

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That could work but I'm not sure I could get a plug to seal well in the hole. My element might have to be held in place by something other than the 1" FPT adapter that works now.

Another option is to use a heat stick when I need supplemental electric heat. My only reservation is the designs I've seen use chrome plated drainpipe and I'm not sure I want that in my HLT. Is Chrome plated drainpipe considered safe for brewing?

At minimum you could take the cord off. That should make it easier to shield the element block.

I've planned on doing this if I use the same keggle for BIAB at a friends house. If I do so I may make the plug on the element removable somehow and add a heat shield to protect what gets left on the kettle. I've not done it yet.

I am planning to have a 2" coupling welded in my hlt and bk. I'm going to mount a box to a 2X1" reducer to install the element. The 2" reducer makes a nice flat spot to mount the box/element and make a watertight and grounded connection. I ordered 2" plugs to install in place of the reducer/box when I brew away from home.

I just finished a RIMs heater based on Sawdustguys "rims for dummies" thread and installed the element this way and am very happy with the results.

I got my inspiration from Kal's site:

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/node/9?page=1

Only I plan to weld in a coupling and use a reducer (same as my rims heater) so the o-ring is not sealing against a rounded surface.

Ed