Band heaters for mash tun & brew kettle

[SimonB]

I'm currently starting upgrading my current 28 liter electric BIAB system to a 46 liter BIAB setup.

I've been wondering about the suitability of band heaters for this, bearing in mind the mash tun and boil kettle are the same. The one I have in mind is similar to the one in the like http://www.unitemp.com/catalogue/industrial-heaters/band-heaters/mica-band-heaters

They are rated up to 380 degrees C, generally used for the plastics industry.

Has anyone thought of using something like this? In my mind it would be perfect for use for a MLT, but I'm not convinced about its suitability for the boil kettle, especially considering there might be a bit of mess.

Thanks.


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[kal]

What's your budget? My understanding is that band heaters are (relatively speaking) very expensive, thus out of the price range for most home brewers.

They are not as efficient as immersed heating elements either as (similar to adding fire from below), a percentage of the heat is lost outwards and not directed into the wort. A submerged heating element is close to 100% efficient at transferring the heat into the wort.

I guess my question is: Why do you want to use a band heater? What benefits do you see it providing?

Kal

 

[SimonB]

Kal

Thanks for the response.

I was originally planning a 4kw hot water heater element similar to yours at the electric brewery. The problem is I'm really struggling to source one locally that will fit in my brew pot (they are always too long). To get one sent to us from the States is not cheap.

I am now trying to find someone locally who will custom make these elements for me.

In the meantime however, a local engineering firm suggested I could look at these band heaters. So the question was really more of academic interest. They suggested it might be better than immersion heaters due to the very low watt density and hence lower wort caramelization. To me that and the fact you don't have the (slight) complexity of holes and elements are perhaps the only advantages.

As I said, I'm not convinced that band heaters are of much use, and the fact that I can find almost no-one using one perhaps bears this out.


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[kal]

Having a couple heating elements shipped from Amazon.com to you has to be cheaper than custom making one or spending the many hundreds or even thousands on a band heater.

Worst case, use a package forwarder like shipito.com. Shipping to them from Amazon will be free or very low, then you pay maybe $20-30 to ship USPS to you.

Kal

 

[kona_dude]

If you can actually get a 4kW element over there you might want to search the forum for how to bend them. I believe a lot of people have had success bending them a bit to get them to fit into smaller kettles.

I decided I was going to try one of the straight short camco elements (I believe it is 11.5" long) that would fit my small-ish Bayou classic pot and if that didn't work I would give bending a try. The straight one seems to work for me though. Good luck!

 

[SimonB]

Having a couple heating elements shipped from Amazon.com to you has to be cheaper than custom making one or spending the many hundreds or even thousands on a band heater.

Worst case, use a package forwarder like shipito.com. Shipping to them from Amazon will be free or very low, then you pay maybe $20-30 to ship USPS to you.

Kal

Kal

I've had a quote for about a locally made 4kw custom heating element for the equivalent of US$40, so that works