Submersible heating element vs drilling

[Jpartschjr]

So, like a few others, i am in the initial stages of planning my electrical brew system. I found these submersible heating elements from keg kits:

http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...e=W&Product_Code=240V_HEL&Category_Code=CNTRL

Was not sure how difficult, or if worth it, these would be to build rather than drilling. Would allow for easy upgrades and selling of used equipment down the line.


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[Brumateur]

Description of that submerged elemmt says " Submersible part filled with electrical grade epoxy to prevent water from reaching the internal electrical connections". As I know (though can't provide a proof) it's not recommended to have a contact between epoxy and food, especially hot.

Drilling a hole and do a weldless install is not very hard.

 

[kenh]

Description of that submerged elemmt says " Submersible part filled with electrical grade epoxy to prevent water from reaching the internal electrical connections". As I know (though can't provide a proof) it's not recommended to have a contact between epoxy and food, especially hot.

Drilling whole and do a weldless install is not very hard.

I was on his site last night and his RIMS tube element claims to be potted with epoxy that's rated for food contact. I wonder if it's the same stuff?

I mounted my elements - like Brumateur says, it's not hard to do. But I am seeing some rust start to appear on the threaded plug in my hot liquor tank.

 

[Bobby_M]

Sorry, no one is going to post a link to kegkits.com without me or someone else reminding any passers by to do at least one Google search for kegkits or tom hargrave. There PSA complete.

 

[kenh]

Sorry, no one is going to post a link to kegkits.com without me or someone else reminding any passers by to do at least one Google search for kegkits or tom hargrave. There PSA complete.

I've read the posts on this site and I do-not buy from them, but there is too much information on the site for me to ignore. I'm probably reading something on their site at least once a week. I read about the epoxy that's rated for food contact last night.

That's where I got the idea for the element interlock that a friend of mine helped me complete last night. I emailed them and they would not tell me how they do it other than "we use a relay" but bringing up the idea I got from them on homebrewtalk generated enough ideas that one finally worked!

 

[Bobby_M]

I got that impression that it was a research mission only. My beware post is for people that show up and click links without doing their due diligence.

 

[brew_ny]

Kegkits.com's Tom Hargrave gets investigated by WHNT new

 

[Jpartschjr]

This is why i ask, i did some research but obviously not diligent enough as i got caught up in the fact this may save me from drilling a pot i spent 120+ on.

I appreciate the honesty you all provide and your knowledge. I will stick to what has been posted here as successful viable builds. Thank you all again!



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[Terek]

Plus it's a lot cheaper to put a water heater element in it. Like $20

 

[iijakii]

This is why i ask, i did some research but obviously not diligent enough as i got caught up in the fact this may save me from drilling a pot i spent 120+ on.

I appreciate the honesty you all provide and your knowledge. I will stick to what has been posted here as successful viable builds. Thank you all again!



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They're really quite easy to drill. If you are worried and want to spend money, buy a punch.

 

[kenh]

You can buy a step drill bit at LOWES or Home Depot but you will need to start the hole with a standard and go slow. A battery powered drill won't make it all the way through unless it's one of the newer ones.

 

[Jpartschjr]

It was more a matter of reselling the pots down the road and not having another hole. The more i think about it, the less if a concern that truly is. Go with 24$ heating element with weld less set up, wire it into control box and get ready to brew! Now on to pumps... That is my next self-education endeavor


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[brew_ny]

It was more a matter of reselling the pots down the road and not having another hole. The more i think about it, the less if a concern that truly is. Go with 24$ heating element with weld less set up, wire it into control box and get ready to brew! Now on to pumps... That is my next self-education endeavor


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sounds like the way to go to me, I did my pots with a bi metal hole on a drill

it was painless

if you want to sell it you can sell it with the element

all the best

S_M

 

[FlyDoctor]

Also consider induction heating if it's a magnetic pot. I don't have one, but have been thinking about heading in that direction. Price is in the ball lark of the keg kits thing (cheaper) and seems a bit simpler than either drilling or the submersible unit - not problems with water - electrical connections. Unless you boil over of course.


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[rgauthier20420]

It was more a matter of reselling the pots down the road and not having another hole. The more i think about it, the less if a concern that truly is. Go with 24$ heating element with weld less set up, wire it into control box and get ready to brew! Now on to pumps... That is my next self-education endeavor


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Pumps

 

[Pappers_]

I've read the posts on this site and I do-not buy from them, but there is too much information on the site for me to ignore. I'm probably reading something on their site at least once a week. I read about the epoxy that's rated for food contact last night.

That's where I got the idea for the element interlock that a friend of mine helped me complete last night. I emailed them and they would not tell me how they do it other than "we use a relay" but bringing up the idea I got from them on homebrewtalk generated enough ideas that one finally worked!

kenh turned out to be another alt id for Tom Hargrave. He's been permanently banned and kenh was his third alternate id since his banning. If you didn't already have reason to avoid his site and business, you may add this to the list: Hargrave came on HBT and pretended to be a site user and tried to direct people to his site.

 

[Bobby_M]

haha, he's getting more clever about how he posts tphjr was way easier to spot. How did you guys figure it out this time? IP address?

 

[Pappers_]

haha, he's getting more clever about how he posts tphjr was way easier to spot. How did you guys figure it out this time? IP address?

He reported the post above with the video in it, saying that the post was old news and off topic. Who else would report that post other than Hargrave? A quick check of his posts showed that he was encouraging members to visit the kegkits site and then a look at his IP address confirmed it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yea, I bought a pound of hops off him on his ebay store back during the "hop crisis" around 5 years ago or so. Nothing arrived after a couple weeks, so I emailed and emailed, then finally called, he said he mailed it but would mail again, after about 6 weeks and a bit of effort I finally got my hops...sheesh!

Seems like if you buy something, you end up having to beg to get it, then consider yourself lucky if he delivers! I'll never forget his cavalier attitude on the phone when he said he would ship again....yea right BS!

 

[Jpartschjr]

I'm sorry i ever posted a link to his site... Definitely did not know the trouble or data behind it.

I have looked at the induction route, want to be able to upgrade in future to more automated system but you guys have given me tons to go off.

Those pumps listed, are they food grade and can they handle the water temps of a recirc system? Was figuring save the money and get has been proven. Cheap alternatives typically do not turn out to be viable replacements.




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[iijakii]

This forum software has global filter options built in, if it's that big of a problem where the guy is banned-on-sight. You can filter it so kegkits comes out as asterisks or "*********".

 

[augiedoggy]

hmmm I wonder if his middle name is Kenneth...

 

[Bobby_M]

His name is Tom P. Hargrave Jr. which is how I figured out that his previous shill username TPHJR was him. Who knows how many aliases a con artist has though.

 

[rgauthier20420]

I'm sorry i ever posted a link to his site... Definitely did not know the trouble or data behind it.

I have looked at the induction route, want to be able to upgrade in future to more automated system but you guys have given me tons to go off.

Those pumps listed, are they food grade and can they handle the water temps of a recirc system? Was figuring save the money and get has been proven. Cheap alternatives typically do not turn out to be viable replacements.




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Sorry. I missed this reply. Yes they are food grade, and a number of members here have used them for 2+ years. The pump is slower than the March/Chugger options, but in my opinion this isn't a huge deal as home brewer. I do 5 gallon and the occasional 10 gallon batch. I recirculate 100% of the time with this pump during a RIMS mash and use it to re-circulate from BK through plate chiller and back to BK after the boil for chilling. You won't get the normal whirlpool effect though with this.

My biggest plus on this pumps is there's really no priming like my March. I have it connected directly to a QD that connects to my valves. When I need it, I attached it to the valve, open the valve to fill the line, and then turn it on. No relief valve for air purging or anything like that.

 

[FrogCreek]

Sorry, no one is going to post a link to kegkits.com without me or someone else reminding any passers by to do at least one Google search for kegkits or tom hargrave. There PSA complete.

I was just starting to look into this and stumbled into this post. Thanks for the PSA. (kinda sad this is my first post)