Electric brewing without a Control Panel??

If you're looking to have an electric system you can boil with, just go with elements installed in a pot. Install two elements and you should be able to do up to 10 gallon batches with them. If you're doing five gallon batches, just turn one off. Mount each in a box with an gfci outlet and a switch and you're good.

If you're looking to control temps during the mash, consider getting the all grain equipment first. A cooler works fine. While it's fun to have the bling, I'm not sure why you would want to build a control panel to maintain temps for steeping grains. Get the all grain equipment first and see that you like doing it that way.

Or not. Just trying to be helpful. Cheers.

The strength of boil is basically how much of the liquid is at 212, adjusted for sea level. Water is the hottest near the heating element, once that water hits 212 it turns to gas, forms a bubble and heads for the surface. If it can maintain 212 it reaches the surface. This can happen when the surface of the water is as low as 160 to 180. To reach a full boil the water at the surface is 212. This is a very aggressive boil. It looks almost out of control. It takes a floating sensor to measure the water surface temperature.

ffletcher said:

The strength of boil is basically how much of the liquid is at 212, adjusted for sea level. Water is the hottest near the heating element, once that water hits 212 it turns to gas, forms a bubble and heads for the surface. If it can maintain 212 it reaches the surface. This can happen when the surface of the water is as low as 160 to 180. To reach a full boil the water at the surface is 212. This is a very aggressive boil. It looks almost out of control. It takes a floating sensor to measure the water surface temperature.

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Wort should boil a tiny bit hotter than 212°