Using Cheap Electric Kettle Element for Hot Liquor Tank

[Brewmegoodbeer]

Hello all,

I have been exploring options that are 1) cheap 2) safe 3) productive to heat my HLT on a 120v circuit. I recently discovered a Youtube video where it's demonstrated how to get a heating element out of a cheap boiling kettle (to boil water for coffee or tea) and to install it into a brewing kettle. The link is here: . I found a very cheap electric kettle on Walmart.com that contains a 1500 watt heating element that I am going to try to install in my HLT. Here is the link to the product: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-1-7-Liter-Plastic-Electric-Kettle-Black/456841290 . It is less than 9 dollars! I am currently using a 1000 watt immersion bucket heater to heat my HLT and it gets up to and maintains temp (is not food safe though so can't use the water within for sparging). Have any of you gone this route? The electronic kettle contains an on and off switch, and I am pretty sure I can just remove this from the power circuit instead of worrying about it. I'll follow with pics and info from my build.

 

[augiedoggy]

This are just my thoughs so take them for what they are worth and please dont take offense,
I think its more work than its worth vs just installing a simple 1500w hot water tank element which only need one hole drilled in the kettle... plus then what happens when the element burn out? you hope walmart still carries that same chinese electric kettle... That would be unlikely. plus those elements are not really designed for the amount of use that a hot water tank element would see... I doubt it would last as long.

 

[lump42]

This reminds me of the old adage; fast, good, or cheap, pick 2. I wouldn't call what the video did 'safe'. An electric element was added to the kettle but the ground was not connected to the element. Using tea kettle elements seems to be more common practice in UK where the electricity is all 220V.

You could go with a hot pod from brew hardware https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotpod-ewl3.htm
Or you can build your own that will keep you safe, be effective, and long-term be cost-effective.
Instructions here http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/heating-elements
and herehttp://www.brewunited.com/index.php?blogid=101

 

[kh54s10]

I have a hard time believing that something designed to heat 1.7 liters of water to drinking temperature will be adequate for heating a HLT to strike/sparge temperature.

 

[augiedoggy]

I bet it would, just not very quickly. We dont know what size kettle hes talking about here or if its insulated.

 

[lump42]

I was curious, checked UK amazon, many of their electric tea kettles are 2200- 3000W. It could do it if you used the UK version, US versions are probably not over 1500W. That puts them in line with the Grainfather/ Robobrew. I think the other hurdle in the US would be that most electric tea kettles no longer have exposed elements. They're soldered/thermal pasted outside the bottom plate. Gives them the shiny 'seamless' look.