120V Setup

[taylor1354]

I searched this forum a little bit and I couldn't find any info on the project I've started.

In my attempt to avoid propane expense, and outdoor winter brewing, I attached 120V water heater elements to my brewpot and HLT. I use them in conjunction with my stove top elements to reduce brew time. The elements are hardwired to power cords and they have pvc elbows to cover connections to prevent accidental grounding. My questions are-

1- I have burned through two 120V elements, could the covers combined with boiling temperatures be overheating the elements? (since they are meant for heating water to 165)

2- Is there a better way to connect the wires to the elements, more of a quick connect style?

3-Is there a better method for accomplishing this?

 

[jeffmeh]

http://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotrod.htm

 

[PlexVector]

@taylor1354,
Once you reach boiling use one or the other to maintain boil and be sure to use ultra low density heating element in the BK.

 

[Homercidal]

I can't imagine covers on the wiring doing anything to help burn out elements. Frankly, as long as the element is covered in water and not allowed to overheat, it should be fine. Maybe they were crappy elements?

I've been using 220V elements threaded into a nut welded onto the side of my kettle. It screws through a waterproof box and hold the box in place. The wiring is inside the box. Never had a problem with the element burning out. I've had the element REALLY scorch maple syrup one year when I boiled it down without a float valve and the element was fine after some serious scraping.

Maybe the 160F elements aren't supposed to handle more than that?

 

[dmcman73]

Heating elements inside the pot will heat the wort directly, making the pot hot to the touch. Any other type of heating (gas or electric) will heat the pot directly to heat the content of the pot and in turn transferring that heat directly to the element that's screwed into the side of the pot causing the burn outs.

If you have an electric stove, why not brew with 220v? You could always plug into the stove outlet so you don't have to run additional lines in your house/apartment.

Also, if you do go with two separate 120v elements, like the hot rod and your element mounted on your kettle, make sure you plug them into two different outlets that are on separate circuit breakers and make sure those outlets are GFCI or the breakers themselves are GFCI.

 

[taylor1354]

I thought about 220V, but the stove is hardwired into a box, there isn't an outlet. I did my homework on how not to overload the system. I haven't had any issues since I pulled the cover off, but now I have exposed connections where the screws hold the plug to the element. Really wondering how big of a risk it is.

 

[bradleyhunt]

If you take a 220v 5500 LWD element and use it on 120v (1/4 the power), that lowers the watt density, right? Less watts over same surface area = lower watt density?

 

[WI_Wino]

If you take a 220v 5500 LWD element and use it on 120v (1/4 the power), that lowers the watt density, right? Less watts over same surface area = lower watt density?

Yep, exactly.