5000W BoilCoil 20 won't go past 209!

[TexasWine]

If you are using the PID controller in manual mode, it shouldn't matter where the temperature probe is located. When boiling, the controller should be in manual mode and you should be requesting the output to 100% till the boil is rolling, then throttle back.

In manual mode, the controller does not use PV to control the output. Basically ignores the temperature probe until its switched back to auto mode.

This^^^^ The probe has no impact on the boil if you're in manual mode, which I thought you were because you had set bAST to zero. You could completely disconnect it and it shouldn't have any impact.

 

[WI_Wino]

This^^^^ The probe has no impact on the boil if you're in manual mode, which I thought you were because you had set bAST to zero. You could completely disconnect it and it shouldn't have any impact.

Pretty sure my mypin pid won't work if the temp sensor is disconnected, even in manual mode. Not sure if that's all pids though.

 

[ba-brewer]

My Ezboil cuts power if the temp transducer is disconnected in boil mode.

 

[TexasWine]

My Ezboil cuts power if the temp transducer is disconnected in boil mode.

Didn't know that, and I have an ez boil. I'll have to try it next brew day.

 

[passedpawn]

My auber PID works just fine in manual mode without a temp sensor. I use it this way all the time to clean my equipment.

Good discussion guys.

 

[ZmannR2]

how long does it take to go from ambient temp to 208?

VERY quickly....did a full brew this weekend boiling 13 gals for a 10 gal batch and it boiled well at 100% but not super hard or anything and never felt the urge to turn it down from 100% power....just a decent boil. My boil off rate is 1.5 gal/hr though so it's doing it's job

 

[ZmannR2]

Btw I cleaned those filthy coils after seeing those pics I posted....little bit of stainless mesh does wonders!!

 

[augiedoggy]

VERY quickly....did a full brew this weekend boiling 13 gals for a 10 gal batch and it boiled well at 100% but not super hard or anything and never felt the urge to turn it down from 100% power....just a decent boil. My boil off rate is 1.5 gal/hr though so it's doing it's job

I think people have different opinions on what a strong boil is... I had to turn my 12.5gallon boil down to 70% this last thursday... still got 1.5 gallons boil off in 90 min but if I put it at 100% the boil is so strong it splashing out of the kettle. 500w shouldnt make that big of a difference...
Hav you checked the resistance on your element to see what its really drawing?

 

[ZmannR2]

Ya 12 ohms which should draw 20 amps and it does

 

[ZmannR2]

However that equates to 4800 watts and not 5000. But 200W shouldn’t be making that much a diff

 

[Bobby_M]

If you have 236v actual on 12 ohms, that's only 4640 watts. I always wondered why it was spec'd to only 5kW in the first place. 10 amps of head room seems so wasteful.

 

[passedpawn]

Measuring 12 ohms is likely be off due to instrument offset and cal, probe resistance, oxidation on surface of contacts, etc. Far better in this case to measure voltage and current to get watts. I think those both were posted earlier.

 

[augiedoggy]

If you have 236v actual on 12 ohms, that's only 4640 watts. I always wondered why it was spec'd to only 5kW in the first place. 10 amps of head room seems so wasteful.

my 4500w element I ordered from kals site thru spike is really only 4042 watts at 240v... The truth is if they fall between two sizes they round them up and sell them as that for safety reasons... If more people here measured the actual output with a meter they would see quite a few elements fall short of advertised output. I have bought a good number of different elements and found this to be true for about half of them.

 

[ZmannR2]

Being Blichmann I figured it's probably this case with many elements then.

It's a new element and I'm using a $300 Fluke that I use daily at work (electric company) so my measurements are accurate. I think it's just as said above, most elements ovverrate their wattage as "best case scenerios"...just like HP in a car, or mileage

 

[Bobby_M]

My actual point was about why they were designed for 5k in the first place. 5500 or even 6000 leaves plenty of headroom for a pump or two. It's for a 20 gallon pot which you might conceivably try to boil 18 gallons in. Every stinkin watt counts but then again I'm a yank in a big damn hurry.

 

[user 125772]

Here's another data point. I generally use less than 3500 watts to maintain a boil for an 11 gal batch on my system. (starting with about 14 gallons of wort)

(I've been wondering if you have a bad connection at the boil coil terminals)

 

[ale_man]

My 5k boilcoil with High Gravity controller on a 240v/30A GFIC breaker boils 9 gallons quickly and vigorously. I even dial back to 75-80% and it boils great. I cooked the sap out of a pine table knot on the table. Was thinking of a metal top. Will now consider ceramic.

 

[augiedoggy]

One possible reason for 5k vs 5500w would be you can use 20a rated wiring and components... this allows the cord to be more flexible, the plug to be smaller and relays and contacts as well as power requirements to be less and cheaper. (for manufacturer anyway)
I purposly still use that 4500w (4042w) element in my HLT so I can still run my control panel, pumps as well as 1800w rims (240v) at the same time as im heating to sparge temps in the HLT while doing it all on a single 30a circuit.
I agree that while I use the full 5500w (ironically the cheap chinese TC elements I have put just shy of 5500w but damn close) I turn it way down in pwm mode to around 70% when Ive reached 209 degrees.