Heatstick = awesome!

[sethga]

If you could take a picture I'm sure it would benefit more than just me as I know a lot of people have built these or will be building one. Thanks!

Ok.. here is the piece I used instead of the cap. I am sure there is a proper cap that fits, judging by everyone else's pics.. but damned if I could find one in the parts bins. I'll have to find the receipt to get the exact size... but you can just walk around with your extension tube and keep trying.

This piece fits snugly w/out any adhesive



And here's the stick

 

[95747brewer]

Has anybody accidently dry fired one of these. I am wondering because I have a 5500 watt 240 element that I built into a 120v heat stick. I didnt think of it while buying the pieces, but the element is really long and I am worried that if a little element is sticking out of the water it will burn out. Does anybody know if it needs 100% water coverage?

 

[mx5red]

Awesome thread guys. I'm gonna build one soon, I'll look for that cap that sethga showed. I just bought all the stuff tonight that Scut_Monkey mentioned and had the same problem fitting the end of the PVC extension tube.
Also, I liked this idea from Cpt_Kirks that I saw in another thread. Gives you an extra cord, and an on/off switch for the heat stick, instead of having to unplug it. I bought a 15A GFI single outlet with rocker switch instead, but same idea..
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finished-heatstick-99750/

 

[bakins]

Has anybody accidently dry fired one of these. I am wondering because I have a 5500 watt 240 element that I built into a 120v heat stick. I didnt think of it while buying the pieces, but the element is really long and I am worried that if a little element is sticking out of the water it will burn out. Does anybody know if it needs 100% water coverage?

Yes it needs 100% coverage during normal use. I have accidentally dry fired one and it survived. I would always make sure it is completely coverage at all times.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

Awesome thread guys. I'm gonna build one soon, I'll look for that cap that sethga showed. I just bought all the stuff tonight that Scut_Monkey mentioned and had the same problem fitting the end of the PVC extension tube.
Also, I liked this idea from Cpt_Kirks that I saw in another thread. Gives you an extra cord, and an on/off switch for the heat stick, instead of having to unplug it. I bought a 15A GFI single outlet with rocker switch instead, but same idea..
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finished-heatstick-99750/

I would imagine the problem I ran into is rather common as I bought all the pieces from Home Depot. Thanks sethga for posting the pictures. If I build a second one I'll use your idea but I already had the pieces epoxied and I can't get the pvc pieces off now unless I cut the male plug on the extension cord.

I'm planning to use the pieces I have and use some silicone/glue to seal the remaing gap between the pieces. Everything will be sealed in epoxy anyways and this portion of the heat stick will not be submerged or under heat.

 

[Pickngrin]

I retract my earlier suggestion to use the 9 foot air conditioner extension cord from Lowes. I was just going to test my new heat stick when I realized that this cord uses a *different* 20 amp plug! One of the prongs is horizontal. It's a "T-blade" plug.

Damn!

I'm glad that I kept the female end of the extension cord. I just made a T-plug to standard 20 amp plug with it. The heat stick works!

 

[RJSkypala]

I have a 2000W heatstick I just built.

Do y'all think that I could do 5-gallon AG batches with the heatstick for mash/sparge water and the heatstick + stove for boil?

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

I have a 2000W heatstick I just built.

Do y'all think that I could do 5-gallon AG batches with the heatstick for mash/sparge water and the heatstick + stove for boil?

Yeah, it will take about a 40 minutes to heat your strike water.

I use a banjo burner and a 2kw stick to boil. When it gets to jumping, I cut the propane and just use the stick, but hit the burner every now and then when the boil drops.

 

[mx5red]

I retract my earlier suggestion to use the 9 foot air conditioner extension cord from Lowes. I was just going to test my new heat stick when I realized that this cord uses a *different* 20 amp plug! One of the prongs is horizontal. It's a "T-blade" plug.

Damn!

I'm glad that I kept the female end of the extension cord. I just made a T-plug to standard 20 amp plug with it. The heat stick works!

Good MacGyverism Pickngrin! Your original idea is still good, I used a 15A AC cord (bc my kitchen outlets are only 15A) w/the female end cut off... Although cheap, these AC cords did not have hot and neutral wires marked and took me a second to research which each one was (large blade side of outlet is neutral).
I also used a similar cord I bought which was a replacement cord for a power tool, ~$10 at HD, already had bare wires on the end and wires were color coded.. more fool-proof..

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have a 2000W heatstick I just built.

Do y'all think that I could do 5-gallon AG batches with the heatstick for mash/sparge water and the heatstick + stove for boil?

absolutely...no doubt. 2000w will do quite a bit, i think you will be pleased. I feel I could do 5 gallons w/ just a 2000w element.

 

[sethga]

Yeah, it will take about a 40 minutes to heat your strike water.

I use a banjo burner and a 2kw stick to boil. When it gets to jumping, I cut the propane and just use the stick, but hit the burner every now and then when the boil drops.

X3, the man is correct. Heat stick alone on my stove can hold an OK boil... electric burner turned on, a very violent boil.

I did swap out to a "canning element" on my stove, found info on that on these forums. It's nice because it can hold my big 10gal pot w/ 7 gal of wort and doesn't fall through to my oven

 

[speedyox]

I retract my earlier suggestion to use the 9 foot air conditioner extension cord from Lowes. I was just going to test my new heat stick when I realized that this cord uses a *different* 20 amp plug! One of the prongs is horizontal. It's a "T-blade" plug.

Damn!

I'm glad that I kept the female end of the extension cord. I just made a T-plug to standard 20 amp plug with it. The heat stick works!

Uhh.... if you had to modify the "T plug", then you DONT have a 20A outlet. All 20A outlets have a "T" on one leg to accommodate both "normal" plugs and horizontal 20A plugs.

Don't use a 2000W heatstick on 15A wiring!

 

[Jersh]

Uhh.... if you had to modify the "T plug", then you DONT have a 20A outlet. All 20A outlets have a "T" on one leg to accommodate both "normal" plugs and horizontal 20A plugs.

Don't use a 2000W heatstick on 15A wiring!

Agreed... My house has 15A outlets on all the 20A circuits... So just because it's marked 20A on your breaker box, it doesn't necessarily mean the outlet is 20A

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Uhh.... if you had to modify the "T plug", then you DONT have a 20A outlet. All 20A outlets have a "T" on one leg to accommodate both "normal" plugs and horizontal 20A plugs.

Don't use a 2000W heatstick on 15A wiring!

A 20A GFCI outlet has a standard layout.

 

[Pickngrin]

Just to clarify... the circuit is on a 20 amp breaker. I had changed the existing 15 amp receptacle to a 20 amp. However, the plug on the end of the air conditioner cord is the inverse of a standard 20 amp plug; the wrong blade has the T. I'm not sure how common those T-blade outlets are, but it would do me no good to install one in my kitchen.

BTW, someone previously mentioned how they figured out which is the hot and neutral on their cord... but the heating elements are not polarized, are they?

 

[bendavanza]

I think the AC unit's cord may be 240, they look like a goofy 20a 110 outlet. At least mine does.

 

[erikrocks]

Just to clarify... the circuit is on a 20 amp breaker. I had changed the existing 15 amp receptacle to a 20 amp. However, the plug on the end of the air conditioner cord is the inverse of a standard 20 amp plug; the wrong blade has the T. I'm not sure how common those T-blade outlets are, but it would do me no good to install one in my kitchen.

BTW, someone previously mentioned how they figured out which is the hot and neutral on their cord... but the heating elements are not polarized, are they?

Beware: you MUST make sure you have 12 gauge wire going from your 20 amp outlet to the breaker box. 15 amp outlets usually are wired using thinner 14 gauge wire. 14g wire will not be able to carry 20 amps sufficiently, and might even overheat and cause a fire.

 

[RJSkypala]

It was my understanding that many 20AMP circuits are wired to 15A outlets if they are duplex and that there is no functional difference between 15A and 20A outlets save for the configuration of the connector.

 

[flyerwire]

It was my understanding that many 20AMP circuits are wired to 15A outlets if they are duplex and that there is no functional difference between 15A and 20A outlets save for the configuration of the connector.

thats true, but i think erikrocks is just throwing out a word of warning to anyone who was going to swap in a 20A... I would assume that it would only MAYBE be the case in old houses anymore because if it isnt code, its good electrical practice to have outlets be 12g and lights be 14g... so you shouldnt run in to it very often, but it just takes one time to burn a house down!

 

[Gritsak]

I have a 2000W heatstick I just built.

Do y'all think that I could do 5-gallon AG batches with the heatstick for mash/sparge water and the heatstick + stove for boil?

I do just this. I can get a strong boil of 6.5g with my 2000w heat stick and a little help from the stove (turn it to about 1/2 heat)

 

[erikrocks]

thats true, but i think erikrocks is just throwing out a word of warning to anyone who was going to swap in a 20A... I would assume that it would only MAYBE be the case in old houses anymore because if it isnt code, its good electrical practice to have outlets be 12g and lights be 14g... so you shouldnt run in to it very often, but it just takes one time to burn a house down!

Yeah--Just make sure that anytime you wire 20a outlets, you are using 12g wire. My house is older, and most of the wiring is 14g.

 

[Pickngrin]

The term "older" for a house is of course relative. My house is 50 years old... yet relative to my previous house, which was 150 years old, this seems pretty modern. Anyhow, even though the breaker is a 20 amp, I am going to take the receptacle out to check the gauge of the wiring. I believe that it was 12 gauge, but this conversation is giving me reason to check...

 

[mx5red]

Just to clarify... the circuit is on a 20 amp breaker. I had changed the existing 15 amp receptacle to a 20 amp. However, the plug on the end of the air conditioner cord is the inverse of a standard 20 amp plug; the wrong blade has the T. I'm not sure how common those T-blade outlets are, but it would do me no good to install one in my kitchen.

BTW, someone previously mentioned how they figured out which is the hot and neutral on their cord... but the heating elements are not polarized, are they?

The heating elements are NOT polarized.. can be wired either way but being grounded is important.
I was trying to figure out the wires on my cord because I was running that cord to wire a standalone GFI outlet in a box... basically a GFI extension cord similar to what Cpt Kirk made and I referenced earlier.

 

[RJSkypala]

I could check if the 20AMP outlet in my apt is 12awg by going into the basement and looking at the breaker, correct?

 

[flyerwire]

yes (you can also check at the outlet, if you just want to take the outlet off), if your home was built to spec if you have a 20amp breaker you should have 12awg wires, but its always worth it to double check if you never had a 20A outlet on it before.

 

[RJSkypala]

Just pulled the outlet off, there are no marking on the wire but the wire is very rigid. Not sure exactly how to tell the guage of the wire.

 

[flyerwire]

have any wire strippers? Some are marked with the different gauges, dont want to tell you that if its rigid its def 12, but most likely.

of course throwing wire strippers around on a live circuit is not the best idea so if you wanted to do that, you should flip the breaker first. Generally if your wiring was certified/inspected, if you have a 20A breaker on the run where the outlet is, you have 12AWG wire

 

[RJSkypala]

OK. Just pulled the strippers out and everything looks good--it is almost definitely not 14AWG. I did not check the breaker to make sure, but it is a GFCI outlet mounted above the stove, so I thought it would be @ a higher current for kitchen appliances. Plugged the 2000W heat stick in with no pop and ran it for a little bit, so I should be good to go right?

thanks for all the help.

 

[ThreeDogsNE]

Has anyone dealt with rust on the face of the base of the element? I don't know if that's the correct name for that part - the part that the heating element is mounted in, which is threaded at the back. I thought it was stainless, and did not cover that part with the RTV silicone (previously described) I used to seal the stick. After the test boil they started showing some rust on that exposed face. I presume I can avoid further rusting by extending the silicone up there. My questions is what to do with the rust that is there now. I can't really get a wire bush in that spot very well. Suggestions?

 

[passedpawn]

Has anyone dealt with rust on the face of the base of the element? I don't know if that's the correct name for that part - the part that the heating element is mounted in, which is threaded at the back. I thought it was stainless, and did not cover that part with the RTV silicone (previously described) I used to seal the stick. After the test boil they started showing some rust on that exposed face. I presume I can avoid further rusting by extending the silicone up there. My questions is what to do with the rust that is there now. I can't really get a wire bush in that spot very well. Suggestions?

high-temp paint. auto stores, and probably home depot.

 

[Pickngrin]

I had read previously (not sure if it was in this thread or elsewhere) that someone assembled a heat stick without permanently sealing (ie, no JB Weld) so they could disassemble it in the event something went bad. Has anyone found a reliable to do this without leaks? I'm about to build my 2nd heat stick. With my first one, if something goes wrong, I'd have to toss it due to lack of access to the wiring.

Thanks

 

[millstone]

I'm following Pete's advice - http://hbd.org/pcalinsk/HeatStk3.htm - on how to build a heatstick. I did email Pete to make sure of the DAP silicone rubber sealant he used. He reassured me that this stuff works.
Part of Pete's response..
.....
The sealant works great. Just be sure to get every part.

I am having a hard time finding the 8641 sealant. I have some that
is 4 years old. Other sealants that old have failed for me but this
8641 seems fine. The others that failed seemed ok when applied but
actually didn't bond and could be removed easily later.
.....

The sealant is DAP 8641, I found it in stock at Menards for less then $4 a tube
I did epoxy (JB Weld) the wires to the element, I cut a piece a this board (toilet paper roll) to go around the electrical connection. I also put a strip of 3M tape on the inside so I could remove the paper roll after the epoxy dried. I also epoxied the brass screw. I went with silicone for the same reason, if it fails, I want to get into it for repair and not have to toss all.

tom

 

[Pickngrin]

I'm following Pete's advice - http://hbd.org/pcalinsk/HeatStk3.htm - on how to build a heatstick. I did email Pete to make sure of the DAP silicone rubber sealant he used. He reassured me that this stuff works.
Part of Pete's response..
.....
The sealant works great. Just be sure to get every part.

I am having a hard time finding the 8641 sealant. I have some that
is 4 years old. Other sealants that old have failed for me but this
8641 seems fine. The others that failed seemed ok when applied but
actually didn't bond and could be removed easily later.
.....

The sealant is DAP 8641, I found it in stock at Menards for less then $4 a tube
I did epoxy (JB Weld) the wires to the element, I cut a piece a this board (toilet paper roll) to go around the electrical connection. I also put a strip of 3M tape on the inside so I could remove the paper roll after the epoxy dried. I also epoxied the brass screw. I went with silicone for the same reason, if it fails, I want to get into it for repair and not have to toss all.

tom

Thanks... but I'm confused. You epoxied the wires to the element and to the grounding screw... how would you be able to repair it if it failed? If the terminals are covered in JB Weld?

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have removed and replaced the elements even though the stick was sealed in epoxy. Just apply a little heat and "norwegian steam" to disassemble. For ten bucks any service usually warrants a new element.

 

[millstone]

I assumed if there was a failure on the heatstick is was going to be the element. Epoxy on the wires is a second defense on the possibility of the strain relief failing and the wires being tugged loose on the element or ground screw.

tom

 

[Pickngrin]

Makes sense, thanks.

 

[mx5red]

I just had to replace the element in mine. It lasted about 5 seconds before it started crackling and burned out - since I plugged it in while it was exposed to air (duh).

Similar to millstone and Pete, I JB Welded wires but used blue RTV silicone to seal the element in the drain pipe. It was easy to cut some silicone away, and twist the nut off to pull the element out. Then, you can just cut and strip some more wire to connect another element..

 

[Walker]

Reading over this thread... considering building a 1500W stick for use in a HERMS exchanger.

Anyone know about the safety of the chrome plated pipe?

I am fine with the electricity part of all of this (BsEE), but I am ignorant about the safety of the metals and epoxy used for this thing.

 

[hammacks]

Probably mentioned before but..

Treat your heatsticks like a loaded gun if you have kids. Keep them up and away from the youngsters. A plugged in element in air can easily start a fire.

 

[mx5red]

Well said, hammacks.. I burnt out my first one and it got red hot, kinda scary holding it!

Just used my (second) heatstick. Simply a beast, and it's only a 1500W element for my wimpy kitchen wiring.
Here's a simple test while oxidizing my aluminum pot:
My decent electric stove w/big burner vs my stove plus heatstick

Stove on High:
time temp
0 119.8
10 136.4
20 153.4
30 167.3
40 180.2
50 191.4
60 198.5
70 204.4
80 209 boil

stove plus heatstick:
0 112.1
10 139
20 165.8
30 187.9
40 205.0 strong boil ~209 shortly after
pretty impressive! The heatstick halved the time it took to get to boil compared to stove alone, and it will allow me to go All-Grain on my stovetop without splitting boils.

I wanted to try the heatstick by itself but I had a cloud of condensation in my kitchen and it was starting to run down the walls =T