Has anyone mounted their heating element vertical?

[gunner65]

I have been stepping up my equipment lately and decided to look into all electric brew kettle. I have acquired some freebies from work in the form of a PID, SSR, GFCI breaker, and 5500 watt heating element. So I guess I have no choice but to go for it.

I was thinking about mounting legs to my keggle and placing the element verticle from the bottom. I was hoping that this config will work so I can easily use the wort chiller I just made. Has anyone done a setup like this? If so pics would be cool.

 

[Pappers_]

I must be tired because the title of this thread just made me laugh out loud. For what it's worth, I'm a big fan of vertical mounting . . .

 

[gunner65]

No not mounting an elephant but element. I chuckled when I typed it but I carried on.

 

[diatonic]

I have a 2000w element mounted vertically in a Gott cooler HLT, but I don't boil with it.

EDIT:

Here's a picture. It's a "The Pol" style HLT... before he got all crazy with the Blingmanns

 

[jordanpace]

the only real problem with mounting it like vertical that i see...

you will always have to maintain that level of water in your kettle..
where as mounting it horizontal at the bottom of the kettle, you can have less liquid and the element still on.

or something like that

 

[gunner65]

the only real problem with mounting it like vertical that i see...

you will always have to maintain that level of water in your kettle..
where as mounting it horizontal at the bottom of the kettle, you can have less liquid and the element still on.

or something like that

Damn good observation that I never even thought about. Thanks you have just changed my mind in that because my bk will also be used for heating sparge and strike and may not always be able to cover the element.

 

[Whiskey]

A 5500w element is pretty long if I recall, if you are using the element in a HLT you will have to kill the heat before you can drain lowere then the tip of the element.

I have a setup like Datonics, and with a 2000w wlemnt you have to kill the power at about the 3.5 gallon mark. I rigged a float switch so when the water gets about a 1/2 inch from the element it kills the power to the element (using a johnson A419).

If you are using it for a boil, you should be ok just take some measurements and see if the volume you want to boil is well above the point where the elements tip will be.

 

[Jawbox0]

I have a pair of 1500W 120V elements mounted vertically in my brew kettle. I've had to bend both of them to allow me to boil down to about 3.5 gallons of wort for my average batches.

 

[illin8]

A 5500w element is about 13.5-14" long, but the smaller 2000w are 'stubby' and shorter (some of them surprisingly short)....but horizontal vs. vertical, I don't think there is benefit to either outside of the amount of water required in the vessel to keep them submersed.