Electric Brewing with keggle in apartment help

I was looking to brew in a keggle since I can get one super cheap with water heater elements. I plan to have the keg cut and welded at a machine shop so I can just screw in the ball valve and thermometer. The big reason for this is in the summer my place gets crazy hot and muggy when brewing and my apartment complex doesnt allow for gas grills or burners so I can brew that method outside. I was thinking I might be able to run some extension cords out the window and brew electric outside. However, since I live in an appartment I cant rewire the place and the apartment is also very old and likely has old brittle copper wire. I therefore cannot use big elements. I do have 2 grounded outlets (one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen). Would it be possible to have 2 low power elements on 2 differnet plugs and use extension cords? or is this running a risk of a fire? What elements would be good for this if it is reasable.

Let the experts chime in...but from what I've read here most kitchens are required to have 2 gfi outlets on separate 15A circuits. 120v*15A=1800w but you'd be better off running two 1500w elements to be safe. You can run extension cords as long as they're rated for that amperage. But if I were you I would try to future proof my system by installing a 240v element on the keggle and use a 1500w heatstick to supplement. A 240v element running at 120v is 1/4 the power. So you could get a 5500w 240v element running on 120v would be 1375 watts. Add a 1500w heatstick =2875w total, plenty to get you going.
Get your welder to weld a hex locknut on there to make element installation easier.

studmonk3y said:

Get your welder to weld a hex locknut on there to make element installation easier.

Click to expand...

This is what I was going to have welded on. I would rather have 2 welded on so I can use 2 elements without a heatstick (this scares me and I dont want to have to deal with leaks etc.) If I could eventually move to a more poweful supply i would take out the 1 element and plug the whole with a SS plug leaving just 1 element

If it matters I would only be doing 10 gal batch as a rarity. Almost exclusivly 5 gal batches

Yea that works. You can always use the hole for something else. Here's a calculator you can use to see what sort of heating times you're going to get with different elements http://www.manskirtbrewing.com/calcs.shtml#electrichdr.
I do 20L batches with a 2400w element and while it works great I wouldn't want to go less than that.

Use quality extension cords rated for your amperage and you'll be fine. I do 5 gallon batches with dual elements, 2000w and 1500w, and it works great since I've got two separate gfi circuits in my kitchen. Once we move to the new place one hole is getting plugged with a SS plug and the other is getting a 5500w element.

??? Does your apartment have a dryer outlet? OR an electric stove?

If so - your possibilities go way beyond your imagination.

Oh - another question - ground floor apartment?

I live on a 2nd story but the bottom floor is half underground. I do have a electric stove so I can use that. Im assuming its 240V correct?