Finally blew my 5500W straight SS element, need some options

[homebrewdude76]

5500W ULD, I think Stainless element in my RIMS tube.
I goofed and blew it out yesterday.

I really just use it to heat mash water, then maintain mash temps. A few times I attempted to step up from mash temp to mash-out temp. 152 to 168

If I want to get more into step mashes should I look into a lower wattage element?
I built my own panel, so I guess I could look into a switch for 240v to 120v? Is it just switching off one leg??

Also not seeing where to get a straight, SS ULD element.

This one says LD
https://www.amazon.com/DERNORD-Fold...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
This one says ULD, but not SS
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-02933-...2883&sprefix=camco+5500w+240v+,aps,106&sr=8-1

 

[Broken Crow]

Here's what I personally think is the best one one earth:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500.htm...especially when coupled with the Auber DSPR320, which you can read in detail about on this site, particularly here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/understanding-the-auber-ezboil-dspr-320.699459/I got my element with the bend and it fits beautifully, and the parameters you can set on the DSPR mean never worrying about scorching.

 

[homebrewdude76]

Here's what I personally think is the best one one earth:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500.htm...especially when coupled with the Auber DSPR320, which you can read in detail about on this site, particularly here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/understanding-the-auber-ezboil-dspr-320.699459/I got my element with the bend and it fits beautifully, and the parameters you can set on the DSPR mean never worrying about scorching.

Thanks! That is where I got my first element. So now I will just get the same again.

I currently have the old school PID SYL-2362
Will look into something newer for the RIMS circuit

 

[Broken Crow]

Pretty sure the DSPR320 EZboil for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing DSPR320 EZBoil Controller for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing [DSPR320A] - $72.50 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry would work as a drop-in replacement well worth the upgrade..I'll gladly harp on about it because in my first plain-water tests with it, I wanted to push it to extremes and tasked it with bringing 58* water up to 154* at a rate that wouldn't burn wort and; having followed @Bobby_M 's above thread, set it accordingly and though it took a while, the temperature in the tube while it was ramping up never once exceeded the target, but with very slow but increasing speed, rose to it. Same thing when I tested a mini-mash with intentionally cold water....the small beer it made sucked, but it wasn't burnt..it was just an test anyway and it passed with flying colours...the full batch I later did properly came off perfect and left me with total confidence in the unit.

 

[homebrewdude76]

Pretty sure the DSPR320 EZboil for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing DSPR320 EZBoil Controller for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing [DSPR320A] - $72.50 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry would work as a drop-in replacement well worth the upgrade..I'll gladly harp on about it because in my first plain-water tests with it, I wanted to push it to extremes and tasked it with bringing 58* water up to 154* at a rate that wouldn't burn wort and; having followed @Bobby_M 's above thread, set it accordingly and though it took a while, the temperature in the tube while it was ramping up never once exceeded the target, but with very slow but increasing speed, rose to it. Same thing when I tested a mini-mash with intentionally cold water....the small beer it made sucked, but it wasn't burnt..it was just an test anyway and it passed with flying colours...the full batch I later did properly came off perfect and left me with total confidence in the unit.

Really interesting. Looking into that upgrade for my panel just for the RIMS tube control.

 

[doug293cz]

Switching to120V from 240V involves swapping one of the hot legs for neutral. Dropping the voltage from 240V to 120V cuts the element power by 4X, so 5500W @ 240V becomes 1375W @ 120V. Here's a design that shows one way to do it.

The key to this is the Auber R30A SPDT relay that does the switching of one hot leg to neutral. The hot leg needs to connect to the NO contact, as the NC contact is rated for lower current (which is fine when used for the neutral as the neutral current will only be 1/2 the hot leg current.) When the control switch is OFF, the output is 120V, and when the switch is ON the output is 240V.

Most straight leg 5500W foldback elements are low watt density. To get to ultra low watt density, you need to go to the folded, wavy elements.

Brew on

 

[homebrewdude76]

Can I add a switch to change from 120v to 220v?

 

[doug293cz]

Can I add a switch to change from 120v to 220v?

The switch and relay in the yellow ellipse allow switching the element between 240V and 120V operation when the controller is plugged into a 240V outlet. Obviously, you can't force 240V operation when you are plugged into a 120V outlet.

Brew on

 

[homebrewdude76]

I think I am going to try that other PID first. That sounds promising since have had no issues for 6 years.

Now I just need Bobby to get the element back in stock.....

 

[Bobby_M]

Should be next week

 

[beren]

Switching to120V from 240V involves swapping one of the hot legs for neutral. Dropping the voltage from 240V to 120V cuts the element power by 4X, so 5500W @ 240V becomes 1375W @ 120V.

I really like the designs that have 2 120v elements that you can plug into 2 different outlets or 1 240v and each element can get 1 leg

 

[doug293cz]

I really like the designs that have 2 120v elements that you can plug into 2 different outlets or 1 240v and each element can get 1 leg

The issue with this type of design is that GFCI protection won't work. For 120V operation on two separate circuits, the neutrals have to be kept separate, or the GFCI will trip. For 240V operation, you must have only one neutral, or the GFCI will trip. Running without GFCI can get you electrocuted. Also, to get 240V from two 120V circuits, you have to use circuits with opposite phase, or you get 0V. You might be able to design a panel with appropriate switching to get around the GFCI problem, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

Brew on

 

[beren]

2 elements on 2 circuits would be on separate circuits. I've not had a chance to play with 240v gfci and yes, 240v circuits (almost?) always run on opposite legs.

 

[doug293cz]

2 elements on 2 circuits would be on separate circuits. I've not had a chance to play with 240v gfci and yes, 240v circuits (almost?) always run on opposite legs.

Leave out the "almost" for 240V circuits in North America. In Europe, and lots of the rest of the world, 220-240V circuits have one hot and one neutral. Neither of those affect what I said in my previous posts.

Brew on

 

[homebrewdude76]

I got my mash tun upgrades from Brewhardware
New 5500w 240v element
Locline mash ring, hope to even out my mash temps in my 21gal mash tun
And Ezboil just for the rims, will start a new topic on what settings I should be using.