Opinions... Electric HLT using 100q cooler...

Have access to a brand new Igloo 100q for free... Since moving up to the 10g batches, the old HLT ain't cutting it...

Also have two Sankes I am waiting to figure out what to do with....

Thinking of going electric since I have a "spare" 220v outlet I can use...

Cooler:
Pros - Better heat retention, free, easy to modify (so I think), more volume...
Cons - Plastic + heat = bad juju, worries about high temp water leeching out some bad things from plastic...

Keg:
Pros - Durable, leech free, already have it...
Cons - Little more difficult to modify, heavier, less volume...

Any other ideas to roll with?

TIA

If you end up doing this, let me know I have a cooler I am in the process of converting as well. We could make a day of it.

Con: Water + Electricity
Pro: Saves propane

I guess that goes for both though.

So you are going for an E-HLT cooler?

Game on...

yeah, still need a heating element though. I'm going to try to stay with 120V for convenience sake.

Cool... At least when you cross the hots you can pull yourself off... Maybe I will make sure you are there when I try mine... That and to call 911 when I stop sizzling...

nealf said:

I'm going to try to stay with 120V for convenience sake.

Click to expand...

Yea, me too, even a tiny 1500w element will heat a large tank, especially a cooler. Put it on a timer, and no waiting required. Downside is you need to fill the HLT in advance of the brew session and set the timer.

wilserbrewer said:

Yea, me too, even a tiny 1500w element will heat a large tank, especially a cooler. Put it on a timer, and no waiting required. Downside is you need to fill the HLT in advance of the brew session and set the timer.

Click to expand...

I have begun filling my HLT the night prior and heating to about 170F... then turning it off. When I wake up on brew day, it is still 150F, so it only takes like 25 minutes to finish heating it.

Well the 240v outlet is now in the garage and I just put a sight glass on my cooler HLT... I got a 4500W element... Trying to figure out how to situate my element for a future HERMS coil in it when I get the chance... Will get some pics tomorrow for reference...

I am very interested in seeing this....


Any updates?

Dunno, hows the build?

I am brewing on my electric HERMS tomorrow, via brewcast on LiveStream.

1500W heats my 10 gallon HLT cooler pretty nicely. It takes time, but I can heat it the evening before, turn it off, and wake up the next morning to a temp drop of maybe 10F or so.

The Pol said:

Dunno, hows the build?

I am brewing on my electric HERMS tomorrow, via brewcast on LiveStream.

1500W heats my 10 gallon HLT cooler pretty nicely. It takes time, but I can heat it the evening before, turn it off, and wake up the next morning to a temp drop of maybe 10F or so.

Click to expand...

Sounds pretty good to me!

I have been brewing extracts, BUT have been slowly gathering items for AG. I'd love to make the switch, but I want to do it right. I don't want to go automated....yet, but I want a good set up.....I'm thinking gravity right now.

I just picked up a 10 gallon cooler, an 85,000 BTU propane burner, and a 7 gallon kettle......I'm getting there!!!!!

I would not mind making my 10 gallon an E-HLT......I'll try the search, but how do you have yours hooked up?

Hunlock said:

Sounds pretty good to me!

I have been brewing extracts, BUT have been slowly gathering items for AG. I'd love to make the switch, but I want to do it right. I don't want to go automated....yet, but I want a good set up.....I'm thinking gravity right now.

I just picked up a 10 gallon cooler, an 85,000 BTU propane burner, and a 7 gallon kettle......I'm getting there!!!!!

I would not mind making my 10 gallon an E-HLT......I'll try the search, but how do you have yours hooked up?

Click to expand...

1500W element inserted through the bottom of the cooler, it plugs into an A419 controller. There is also a stir motor on the lid to stir the water for my HERMS coil. If you arent going HERMS, no need for the stir motor.

The Pol said:

1500W element inserted through the bottom of the cooler, it plugs into an A419 controller. There is also a stir motor on the lid to stir the water for my HERMS coil. If you arent going HERMS, no need for the stir motor.

Click to expand...

Gotcha.
:rockin:

Thanks!

OK... Long time, too many other projects...

Sight glass is in and finally sealed tight (thank you Bobby_M's leakproof bulkhead design)...

Having a brain fart kinda moment though... Since I am using a 100qt Igloo Sportsman, anyone have an opinion on where to put the element?

Here is the cooler:


Original plan was to put it in the end opposite of the sight glass and outlet... Now I am wondering if I should just in from the side?

Any thoughts?

I would put the element in the cooler wall oppisite the drain.

Wow... Due to the overwhelming number of responses, I think I will stick with plan A...

LOL... Guess everyone is brewing today...

I am still going to need some type of stirrer to keep temp strat from getting too bad, but I am in the mood to get this thing done...

With something that large, you will need one heck of a prop on your stirrer, OR you could use a pump to circulate the water.

Why bother with stirrer? IME about a 3 second swirl w/ a large spoon or paddle will mix the HLT. Just doesn't seem worth it to me, or maybe I prefer a real simple approach. Am I missing something here? Not real sure, but I think I have noticed that the heat of the element will slowly move the sparge water around the tank, no?

edit...sorry just saw Pol's comment regarding no need for a stirrer unless using a HERMS system...makes better sense.

The Pol said:

I have begun filling my HLT the night prior and heating to about 170F... then turning it off. When I wake up on brew day, it is still 150F, so it only takes like 25 minutes to finish heating it.

Click to expand...

Pol,

W/ all the bells and whistles on your system, I'm kind of surprised this process isn't automated to reach to reach temp and hold.

wilserbrewer said:

Pol,

W/ all the bells and whistles on your system, I'm kind of surprised this process isn't automated to reach to reach temp and hold.

Click to expand...

It is automated...

In fact that is what I did this past week when I made my Oktoberfest. Just turned it on at midnight, awoke at 6am to a preheated system.

Previously I just didnt want to leave it on all night, but I am over that now. I set the temp (178F) and go to bed. Once heated, with a differential of 1F, the element only runs once every 30 minutes.

Stirring the water continuously isnt an issue either if you are not using a HERMS. Electric heating elements will cause some serious hot and cold spots that need to be stirred out, but a stirrer isnt needed unless you are running a HERMS type system.

A pump wouldn't be a bad idea... Just not sure I wanna spend that kinda $$$ on one at the present time...

As far as the stirrer, well that is kinda the thing I was wondering... I haven't really decided on HERMS or RIMS at this point...

Duckfoot said:

A pump wouldn't be a bad idea... Just not sure I wanna spend that kinda $$$ on one at the present time...

As far as the stirrer, well that is kinda the thing I was wondering... I haven't really decided on HERMS or RIMS at this point...

Click to expand...

If you have an electric HLT... you could easily make a HERMS with a simple coil insalled. IMHO, RIMS and HERMS are equal in utility, just depends on what you want to do.

I did the HERMS because I had an electric HLT anyway with temp control. The HLT can STRIKE, RECIRC, MASHOUT and SPARGE for me with one element and one controller. Didnt make sense to do a whole other element and controller.

OK... Element is in... Leak tested it over a day or two and no leaks... However, I noticed what appears to be rust on the element.. Is this normal?

TIA

Where did you end up putting it? More pictures please! I am really curious how well this will work in such a large cooler. I am contemplating this seriously.

Duckfoot said:

OK... Element is in... Leak tested it over a day or two and no leaks... However, I noticed what appears to be rust on the element.. Is this normal?

TIA

Click to expand...

Normal................

I read up that an anode can help stop this? Is it worth the time and effort?


(btw - pics soon...Lemme get a cup of coffee...)

Pic by request...



Element sits about 2 - 2.5 inches from the bottom... Figure I will either use the manual stir method and eventually use a pump when I get to that point to avoid temp strat....

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!

Made all my electrical connections and fired it up... From 83*F to 150*F in 42 minutes... 175*F in 55 minutes... Held temp for 20 minutes unplugged before I drained it to clean out some cornies... Found a small leak in the sight glass connection... Torqued it down and will make another "wet run" tomorrow...

All in all, I am pleased at the moment... Will get to use it in two weeks for my next brew.... Will post up results...

(truth be known, I was just happy the 240v outlet I installed in the garage worked... and I didn't even get shocked when I fired it up...)

Duckfoot said:

I read up that an anode can help stop this? Is it worth the time and effort?


(btw - pics soon...Lemme get a cup of coffee...)

Click to expand...

It will work, but the anode sacrifices itself too... into your brew.

That is awesome! I found a 120qt cooler on craiglist for sale. I'm going to see if I can pick it up for less than $20. It's a bit big, but I may try and use it for a MLT for 10g batches. Anyways, I'm thinking I can turn my 48qt cooler into a E-HLT like that.

I'm going to keep asking questions too, sorry!

I'm curious how much water you were heating up in the cooler, and if you think the extra air space in the cooler adds to the heating times significantly? You used the 4500w element right? As it is it sounds like it will work perfectly for heating up strike and sparge water (right at the hour mark, nice!). Can't wait to hear how the first real test goes.

That was somewhere around 20 gallons... Haven't really measured out for my sight glass yet, but it was near the top for the test...

Yes it is a 4500W element... Running 240v to it...