I just started my induction build. It will hit mash temps (to go into an igloo cooler) in 36 min uncovered and unwrapped in insulation. I boiled it on a cheap kettle I bought at an outlet for $45. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462315122.597178.jpg View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1462314999.814322.jpg
Will this cheap 3500 watt induction burner work?
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Did you find something readily available as I am in the same situation you are with this.
Could one simply cut the plug end off and splice on a plug end that fits that style outlet? Or is there a ready to use adapter of some kind?
cheesecake
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I made him a adapter cord. I was making one for myself so I just went and purchased some more parts and assembled his. If you are interested I might be able to help you out
Sure, you can cut off the factory plug and wire it in a dryer plug. Or connect to a standard dryer wire in a small work box.
However, cutting the plug will likely void your warranty if anything happens with your unit. An adapter is the easiest solution in that regard.
I'm totally interested. Even if just a pic of yours or a parts list I could work from.
I'm not the most Savy when it comes to electricity but am good at following instructions and have fairly solid deductive reasoning.
Quick question. I just bought a kettle that is induction ready to make the move into using this cook top. I was just reading the manual online and saw this...
• Do not use pans with a bottom diameter greater than 10 1/4". Doing so causes irreparable damage to this induction range.
Just wonder, for those of you using the Advantco if this is really a problem or not?
Thanks
• Do not use pans with a bottom diameter greater than 10 1/4". Doing so causes irreparable damage to this induction range.
Just wonder, for those of you using the Advantco if this is really a problem or not?
Thanks
Siberian
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Not a problem. My kettle (Megapot 20g) is over 17" in diameter. I'm probably close to if not well past 100 batches on that cooktop and it's still kicking.
I did blow the fuse internally on it and have to repair that about a year ago. I don't recommend running it non-stop for 12+ hours to do maple syrup, that's what caused it to blow the first time, maybe was a co-incidence.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470587657.404600.jpg
Well ordered the burner and picked slowest shipping cause I was going to be out of town. Well it ships from within Georgia and it got here in one day and was waiting on the door step. Anyway got the future site of Halfogre Brewing Company set up in my basement.
Next step is to get the electrician out to install the outlet. You can't see it in the picture, but the breaker box is just right of the picture. Actually going to have the outlet install underneath the breaker box.
Well ordered the burner and picked slowest shipping cause I was going to be out of town. Well it ships from within Georgia and it got here in one day and was waiting on the door step. Anyway got the future site of Halfogre Brewing Company set up in my basement.
Next step is to get the electrician out to install the outlet. You can't see it in the picture, but the breaker box is just right of the picture. Actually going to have the outlet install underneath the breaker box.
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Got to say, I am pretty impressed and very happy I pulled the trigger on this bad boy. The electrician was here this morning to install my new breaker and outlet. As soon as he left, I filled up the kettle to the 10 gallon mark, bigger than anything I've brewed so far. I got to mash in temps in 30 minutes without a lid on. Then from there to rolling boil (with the lid on as it heated up) in another 30 minutes. Right now I am testing my 60 minute boil off values, and doing the happy dance.
My 8 gal Bayou Classic boil pot is non-magnetic. I've been looking in to one of those induction disks that are magnetic so they can be used with non-inductive cookware.
NOTE: Just did some Googling - these disks work on your non-inductive cookware, but they heat by thermal transfer - by some reports it takes twice as long to heat (using more power to do it) and others say about 30% longer - either way, for a large 11" one it's almost $50, so I'm either looking at a new pot if I go with induction brewing, OR, I could just buy a couple of cheap 1800W/120V cooktops for mashing and sparging (about $50 each), and go with my original intention of installing an element (or two), in the 8 gallon pot for boiling, since I've already purchased the elements, etc.! I have 2 ea. - 5 gal. pots for sparge and mash which are both tri-ply/magnetic.
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The_Bishop
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Don't let the magnetic thing sway you. My bayou classic wasn't very magnetic and the induction cooktop worked just fine.
Yeah, but mine's totally NON-magnetic :>o !!
So, I been looking at all kinds of brands, and they all have pre-set temps. With induction brewing, how do you mash @ 153 or 158? (inquiring minds, and all that) Most of them seem to jump by 40 degrees at a time - 140, 180, 220 etc.
Any idea what the temp settings are on the Avantco 3500W unit, or are they a manual set instead of pre-set?
If this is the only way to use the induction cooktop, it looks like it can only be used for the sparge or the boil!
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The_Bishop
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It's not currently feasible to do a temperature controlled operation on an induction burner, so heat your strike water, mash in and wrap the pot in a blanket or some other form of insulation. If you need to add heat you need to constantly stir, stir, stir.
Thanks Bishop, that's the conclusion I was coming to ..... the closest I could get was 10F increments, and the cooker was $229, so I guess I'll go back to my original plan .... control panel, elements and thermometers in every pot!
Now to work on a fold-up false bottom for my old Bayou Classic 8 gal turkey fryer - the indent is near the top, so the newer false bottom won't fit ...... but ...... If I cut the false bottom in half, attach a piano hinge or other stainless hinge to/between the two pieces, I can fold it in the middle to get it below the indent! Sometimes it pays to be a redneck!
Thanks again!!
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If you want to set it and forget it, then no. However I was able to keep mine at 154 running and recirculating with keeping a casual eye on it and setting it to a lower wattage.
I've been using one for over a dozen batches. It has power level settings or a temp mode. I get to boil at 3500 W but then can cut back to 2900 W and easily maintain it.
I use mine with Bayou Classic pots no problem. I did find a single wrap of reflectix gives a bit more intense boil. Makes sense, it is heating the center bottom so the upper sides would lose the most heat.
I retrofitted my BC with a dome false bottom connected to the valve with a reinforced high temp hose. Causes enough tension that it stays in place without a problem. Only about a 1/4 gallon dead space and doesn't impede induction heating. My 10 gallon BC had the indent at the 2 gallon mark so this is a much better setup.
I just bought a 20gal Spike Brewing kettle and am ready to move indoors. I BIAB, so I full volume mash and may need to boil as much as ~16 gallons. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with a 5000W unit, but they seem to be at least several hundreds more, even via Alibaba. I had been planning to convert an existing 20g brewpot to electric using internal elements, but induction seems so much easier and doesn't screw up my beautiful new kettle. I also have a 1kW heat stick I could use to augment the 3.5kW or 5kW induction burner. Any recommendations for whether to go with this relatively inexpensive unit, or if I really need 5kW. I'll soon have to put any cost savings into an exhaust system to be able to brew indoors anyway.
Right after I got the outlet installed, I filled up my kettle with 12 gallons of water, first brought it up to 154 mash temps and then to boil. I did it without the lid on and no insulation on the pot. I honestly don't think this burner would have a problem with 16 gallons.
If you want, bring your pot over and we can test.....
Dude you need to stick with the cheap avantco 3500 watt induction burner just go with a Hotrod heat stick (I went with 1500 watts) from brewhardware. I only have a 15 gallon kettle though. Works great for me. Was $175 for the 3500 watt and $150 or so for the heat stick. But the components of the hotrod are upgradable. You can use larger elements over time.
I second the hot rod. I brew in the basement and have 2-20 Amp GFI outlets on separate circuits and the 220V for the Avantco. Heatstick and a Neuwave to get mash water up to temp. SS Mash Tun. Then the heatstick heats sparge water during mash. After lautering, I use the Avantco with the heatstick to help speed up the the time to boil. Avantco does fine to boil on it's own.
Thanks everyone for the feedback. Sounds like it makes sense to get the 3500W Avantco. The hot rod looks like an awesome future option. I'll stick with my 1000W bucket water heater for now (which I got for $30 a year ago).
I'll PM you to see if there's something that works.
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DevilsCups
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Read so much through this thread. Awesome information all around.
I'm looking for the most simple way to graduate from 2.5 gallon stove-top batches to full 5 gallon BIAB batches indoors in my apartment.
I was thinking an Avantco IC3500 paired with a Bayou Classic tri-ply 10 gallon kettle, like this one : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PS0EMY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Is this something that should work pretty well for me? Anything I should be aware of from an equipment point of view?
I'm looking for the most simple way to graduate from 2.5 gallon stove-top batches to full 5 gallon BIAB batches indoors in my apartment.
I was thinking an Avantco IC3500 paired with a Bayou Classic tri-ply 10 gallon kettle, like this one : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PS0EMY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Is this something that should work pretty well for me? Anything I should be aware of from an equipment point of view?
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Yes, that kettle will work with it just fine. Remember you will have to get an outlet installed for that burner.
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DevilsCups
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Very cool.
Yeah, I have an outlet that might work in the apartment. Not sure. I have a good friend that is an electrician, so I'll refer to him for guidance on that front.
DevilsCups
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Will do. Thanks very much, it's appreciated.
I'll have to pull my range to see what that looks like, but I know i have a 220v outlet in my living room for my wall-mount A/C unit. Not sure of the amperage though.
That pot would do, but this Bayou Classic 16 gallon kettle was as low as $124.41 on Monday. It's ideal for relatively low cost BIAB, but is back up to $229, so you may want to keep an eye on it. I have no clue what Amazon's pricing logic is.
The A/C power may be the correct 20A outlet, but not sure you want to be brewing in the living room. There are posts in here about making adapters from standard 30A range or dryer connections to the 20A connection the Avantco needs.
DevilsCups
Well-Known Member
For sure. If anything I would run an extension to use the burner in my kitchen, or even out on the small patio I have.
The IC3500 is wonderful!
I use it for much more than just brewing and making starter wort, like stir frying, soup stock, sauces, Indian dishes, you name it.
Just make sure you hear the internal fan run smoothly while operating it. I heard mine slow down, apparently caused by a film of grease and dust, so I opened it up and cleaned it. The fan is a cheap POS, everything else looks very good.
If you stay indoors, you'll need a decent ventilation system too. I open the top half of a double-hung window behind the induction plate and kettle and hang a box fan in front of it. It sucks all the steam out, very efficiently, you can see it.
The big pro of indoor brewing is you can brew any time, any season. The cons are it can be messy and the whole house smells of mash and boiling wort for a day.
I've not been able to brew or handle beer transfers yet without splashing, leaking, dripping, overflowing something, being it raw wort, boiling wort or beer. But I like the kitchen with the countertops and a good sink nearby. I always have towels laying on the floor to soak up any mishaps.
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A'int that the truth.
I forgot to mention water spills, they tend to be more voluminous but less sticky...
The towels, not a bad idea. Might stop by Walmart on the way home and buy some cheap Wally World towels to add to my brew equipment...
DevilsCups
Well-Known Member
Failing to see the con here....haha.
Thanks for the input! I'm giving it a serious look as the easiest option for full 5 gallon batches indoors.
Exactly what I use.
DevilsCups
Well-Known Member
Nice. Thanks for the feedback.
Spoke with my good friend who's an electrician. He said he can build an in-between for my range outlet to legally/safely bring the amperage down safely to the necessary output for the IC3500. This way nothing is modified and I can bring it with me should I move to another apartment/house.
Looks like I might be seriously looking into this.
