How to treat and maintain properly my heating element?

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Put enough water in the kettle to cover the element, and add a bit of whatever cleaner you use. Optionally, you can warm it up a bit in the water as well. Let it soak for a few minutes, then those deposits should wipe right off.
 
Put enough water in the kettle to cover the element, and add a bit of whatever cleaner you use. Optionally, you can warm it up a bit in the water as well. Let it soak for a few minutes, then those deposits should wipe right off.

Thank you the bishop! I did exactly what you recommended and it went off easily. I got a bit worried too fast. Do you know what it is though?
 
More than likely, a mix of proteins and sugars from the last brew. Glad it cleaned up easily!
 
If it's residual protein and/or sugar you definitely want to clean it off unless you're looking for a distinctly 'smokey' flavor in your next brew. Calcium generally doesn't easily wipe off.
 
pretty positive that is just calcium carbonate and not sugars, nothing a little low ph soak wont take care of, star san or vinegar should get it off fast.
 
Yeah I have never let sugars stay on the element. They get a good rinsing after the boil is drained. But even then there is some white residue left on the element. Now that said I only have 3 batches in this new electric boil kettle. My electric HLT however is about 13 years old and those elements have been ABUSED ABUSED! They always have that white residue on them and I never touch em.

Cheers
Jay
 
Could you please elaborate?

If you leave a coating of protein and/or sugar on the element and it gets dense enough, it will actually impede heat transfer. That will cause the element to get hot enough to scorch the coating. That'll cause a burnt flavor/aroma in your wort that never goes away.
 
I am not a fan of heating my element outside of the water, is there another way of cleaning it off then? I obviously cant scrub it when its installed...
 
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