Split batch into 2 pots?

I am brewing my first AG batch this weekend. My current brew kettle is 6 gallons total capacity, which is cutting it a bit short on the head space, however I have 2 of them. I can maintain a good rolling boil on my electric stove for 3.5 gallons on each of the 2 large burners. The recipe I am brewing is relatively basic. I can easily divide up my hops on my digital scale. Any reason in particular why I should divide this into 2 pots, and then combine back into the single fermenter?

Hey autobaun - I just did the same thing at the end of January with an Arrogant Bastard clone. Split the batch into a 5.5 gallon pot and a 3 gallon pot on an electric stove. Not a lot of head space so I needed to pull the pots off many times to prevent the boil over. Gets kind of tricky with 2 pots and only 1 brewer! Your head space will make the process easier. You also have the advantage of a digital scale and similar size kettles, so your utilization is predictable. Mine was by eye. . . Have fun!

sounds good. I fortunately have a keggle with the top cut, but it's probably going to be another month or so until a immersion cooler and false bottom/weldless spigot for it are in the budget. Going with 2 pots on the stove I can cool them down relatively quickly in the sink. The other think I am considering is doing a 4 gallon boil in the larger pot, looking at CP's brew chart this is doable with all grain, just a little less efficient, but the easy factor of a single pot may make it worthwhile.

No concerns... go for it.

My first several batch were split boils. It works fine. Once had 3 pots going on the stove to save time. It was tricky to split, but beer came out great.

Would you have to account for a changed hop utilization? I thought with scaled down recipes, say a 5 gallon batch to 2.5 gallon batch... you didnt just cut the hops in half. I have been considering doing the same, but was not sure about how the hops would be utilized with the smaller boil amounts

Yes but I wasn't all that worried. Discused it with my LHBS guy he agreed it was pretty minimal. A few IBU's wasn't a big deal to me.

I have done split boils a couple of times. I put 4.5 gallons in one pot and then 1.5 in my other small one. I got the small one finished and in an ice bath. I use an immersion chiller in the other. The both were ready to combine almost at the same time. My only suggestion is a couple different stop watches and take in account for more boil-off. It sounds like you have the right idea. Good Luck!