Blackened Element

So I've used my 1500W eKettle for about 10 brews (I do about 2.75 gallon batches), and the element always comes out looking pretty shiny after a little light scrubbing (1500W camco HWD element).

Yesterday, it came out pretty blackened and scortched. I'm betting it was a combination of the higher than usual gravity (brewing a big IPA) and because I turned the element on to help keeps temps up during a hopstand. I ran it for about 3 minutes after things had mostly settled to the bottom and I'm led to believe that running the element when surrounded by trub can cause the proteins to scorch.

Anyway, the beer tastes fine. I searched the forums for tips on cleaning the element and after a number of Oxy-soaks and a lot of elbow grease, this is as clean as I can seem to get it.



So, I guess I have two questions.

1) Is it worth trying to get some barkeepers friend to try again?
2) Should I expect to have issues with future brews if I clean it no further?

I ordered a 1500 ULWD element I can swap in, although I'm not really sure if that would make a difference in this case.

This happened mainly because you turned the element off and back on again... the worst part is you cant always taste the off flavors until the fermentation is completed due to all the sugars in the wort... The ULWD element will help but it could still happen... its better to just stir the wort up prior and while turning the element back on..

augiedoggy said:

This happened mainly because you turned the element off and back on again... the worst part is you cant always taste the off flavors until the fermentation is completed due to all the sugars in the wort... The ULWD element will help but it could still happen... its better to just stir the wort up prior and while turning the element back on..

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips. I'll be sure to do that from now on. Do you think the element would be okay to keep using, or should I replace it?

I had a blackened 2KW 240V element on my RIMS tube - I dry fired it just long enough for it to start smoking, burning the carmelized sugars on it, then I shut it off. It cleaned right up and still works well. The trick is not to dry fire it too long.

hannibalmdq said:

Do you think the element would be okay to keep using, or should I replace it?

Click to expand...

No way I'd brew another batch with that stuff caked to the element.

This exact thing has happened to me on a couple of occasions with my Hot Rods. I just soaked them overnight in a percarbonate based cleaner like Oxyclean. Next day I took a steel scrub pad from the kitchen and with some elbow grease the stuff came off. Had to use a knife to get between the element legs.

And not sure if it matters, but mine are stainless.

If you can get Acid #5, it will clean it up.

Well, I dry fired it a little this morning and a lot of the crud came off. It's not shiny new, but I've got it in an oxisoak now and I'll see how that works. I've also got some Barkeepers Friend on the way.

Is that 1500W element a 120V element?

If yes, I would replace it with a 5500W element meant to be run at 240V, but run it at 120V instead for 1375W of power.

You'll get a lot less watt density that way and never have any issues. Cleaning is also much easier. I use a 5500W element in my boil kettle (but running at 240V so actually 5500W) and cleaning it is as simple as wiping it down with a sponge. No scrubbing required.

Kal

Have you tasted this beer yet?

Soak it in star san.

kal said:

Is that 1500W element a 120V element?

If yes, I would replace it with a 5500W element meant to be run at 240V, but run it at 120V instead for 1375W of power.

You'll get a lot less watt density that way and never have any issues. Cleaning is also much easier. I use a 5500W element in my boil kettle (but running at 240V so actually 5500W) and cleaning it is as simple as wiping it down with a sponge. No scrubbing required.

Kal

Click to expand...

Yeah, it is a 120V element. I've though about replacing it witha 240V liked you outlined, but I'll probably wait on that. This was the first time I'd ever had a issue. Like you, it normally comes clean with a light wipe from a sponge.

I actually had a ton of tomatoes and peaches to can last week so I was running the kettle almost ever day to hot water bath process my jars. The element came fairly clean after dry firing it and scrubbing with barkeepers friend, but it's now back to completely shiny after boil a ton of water over the last week.

TexasWine said:

Have you tasted this beer yet?

Click to expand...

I tasted it before I tossed it in the fridge last night to cold crash. No burnt flavors, thanks goodness.

I've had good luck removing the black nasties from a few elements after scorching them. I found that a soak in muriatic acid works wonders. The crud will fall off with little persuasion. Then clean it up with PBW and it's as good as new.