HLT + Heatstick

rasherb · Mar 7, 2011

I like the idea of a bucket heater placed in a cooler as a HLT:

bucket-heater

But there are accounts this is relatively low-power. Any thoughts on building a heatstick with a SS gaurd around the element like on the bucket heater?

Walker · Mar 7, 2011

Curious: Why do you want a guard around it?

rasherb · Mar 7, 2011

Trying to not melt cooler. That's an issue, right?

wilserbrewer · Mar 7, 2011

I use a heatstick in a cooler HLT all the time. Originally, I simply wrapped the tip of the element w/ some copper building wire to forbid it from touching the cooler walls. This was after reading of problems here, as well as noticing a very, very slight dimple in a cooler from a heatstick. Lately, I haven't even bothered, perhaps I should, but haven't melted any coolers.

rasherb · Mar 7, 2011

That's good news, but now I'm curious. How the heck does it heat water but not cooler?

Walker · Mar 7, 2011

rasherb said:
Trying to not melt cooler. That's an issue, right?

My bad... didn't catch that you were using a cooler. (I assumed metal).

wilserbrewer · Mar 7, 2011

rasherb said:
That's good news, but now I'm curious. How the heck does it heat water but not cooler?

Magic? The water heats up and takes the heat away from the element...while submerged, as it must always be, the element likely does not get that hot as the water is cooling it and heating at the same time. The liner of a cooler is tougher than I imagined, i have accidently overheated my cooler hlt to boiling w/ no damage to the cooler...not that i recommend it :mug:

rasherb · Mar 7, 2011

Okay. I'm thinking of making a little silicone 'shelf' to rest the heatstick on in the cool. Does the heatstick sink or float?

wilserbrewer · Mar 7, 2011

Slicone shelf huh? A girl I know did something like that. Link below shows silicone protection on the end of the heatstick. (bottom of page)
http://hbd.org/pcalinsk/HeatStk3.htm

oh, they sink btw.

rasherb · Mar 7, 2011

Perfect. Thanks!

Cpt_Kirks · Mar 8, 2011

This worried me (probably useless worrying) to the extent that I gave up on the cooler HLT idea and went with a keggle HLT. Don't have to worry about melting THAT sucker!

kappclark · Mar 8, 2011

rasherb said:
I like the idea of a bucket heater placed in a cooler as a HLT:

bucket-heater
QUOTE]

I use bucket heaters...they are low power (1000W)..1 of them in a 10G rubbermaid will get about 9G to strike temp in about 3 hours (!!)..so I bought 2 of them...maybe 90 mins to get to 170 with both..(seperate GFI circuits, of course)...once I am up to temp,after mash in, I can add more well water to the cooler, and get to mash-out temp (180-185) easily by the end of the hour..

I use a timer so water is ready at the start of the AM..pretty simple and safe.

HLT + Heatstick

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rasherb

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Walker

I use secondaries. :p

rasherb

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rasherb

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Walker

I use secondaries. :p

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HLT + Heatstick

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I use secondaries. :p

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I use secondaries. :p

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