Burnt/scorched element: what happened?

I was making a Winter Warmer, which included adding 1lb of dark brown sugar to the boil.

Knowing that it could possibly scorch the element, I added it to the side of the kettle, away from the element.

About 45 minutes later, I heard a POP, and the top of the wort splashed out. Thinking that the seal between my element and it's enclosure had failed, or been breached, I flipped the circuit breaker for my rig.

After draining the kettle, I found the scorch area in the photo below.

Fortunately, as I'm dealing with 220V, the seal between the element and it's enclosure was bone dry.

I'm thinking that the added brown sugar scorched and formed some sort of connection between the 2 parts of the element.


Opinions or any advice (already figured any added sugars in the future will be made into a simple syrup first, before adding to the BK).

Faulty element, I'd say. It definitely had a hot spot.

if you can make it work I would spring for an ULWD element so you dont have to worry about scorching.. I know it makes TC setups like yours less convenient to remove the element.
I wonder if the sugar built up at the base there caused the element surface to be hotter this time around in that spot and it was just enough to cause it to fail?

augiedoggy said:

if you can make it work I would spring for an ULWD element so you dont have to worry about scorching.. I know it makes TC setups like yours less convenient to remove the element.
I wonder if the sugar built up at the base there caused the element surface to be hotter this time around in that spot and it was just enough to cause it to fail?

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I've got 5500W ULWD ripple elements through my TC (HLT and BK). My TC's are 2". They go through no problem.

That one above might be a 1.5", which could make it difficult. Not sure.

That is a hot spot failure which typically happens when the core wire gets a little too close to the sheath and starts shorting out creating a very hot spot like a weld. It is noticeably more common with Chinese manufactured elements. I don't mean it's common for any elements but I've seen it ZERO with U.S. elements and a few on the Chinese ones.

I agree. Replace that element.

trnitz said:

Fortunately, as I'm dealing with 220V, the seal between the element and it's enclosure was bone dry.

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Curious, is your setup GFCI protected?

angrybits said:

Curious, is your setup GFCI protected?

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Oh, hell yes!

Not going to mess around with 30A !!

I have a 5500 watt stainless ULWD ripple and it fits fine through my 1.5 TC.