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Ok... now that I'm looking at it again, not at 2AM..... do these things look safe? Anybody use them here?
 
I know a few people that have tried them, both as primary heaters and in recirculation systems. Caramelization and scorching are the main problems. They are safe, so long as you never let them run dry. Unless you can setup a special 220v power circuit for them, you'll get more heat from a stovetop.
 
I have a couple of them. They are safe if used correctly. By that I mean making sure that you plug them into a GFCI-protected receptacle. If the receptacle trips, don't use them, because there must be a leak present that needs to be fixed. It is true that you can get more heat from a stovetop, but I don't use them as a primary heat source, but rather to augment the heat from my stove or propane burner. You can get a full 5 gallon batch boiling much faster this way. I have seen websites where guys will use them as their primary heat source, but then it takes three or four of them to do the job. Also I use it to heat my strike water while it is in the mash tun. That way the tun is already preheated as well. And also to use as a heat source for step- mashing. That way I don't have to mess around with adding hot water or decocting to raise the temp of the mash, since my mash tun is a cooler. Does any of this make any sense? I will try to elaborate if necessary.
Cheers
:mug:
 
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