Another Electric Convert!!

[Jknapp]

I did my first batch solely on electric the other night. I love it. I can boil in my garage, with my garage door cracked. No more inclement weather or peering neighbors. I love it.

I also did the batch No Chill. Shaved a bunch of time off the brew day - I'm hooked on both.

Receipe was The Pols Holiday Spiced Ale. Smelled like Christmas in my garage!

Fyi - I installed 2 x 2000w heatsticks in by kettle. If anyone else is thinking about this but doesn't want to run 240v - this set up works great! I left both elements running 100% of the boil using the Biermuncher Fan idea to keep the boilover down. Worked like a charm.

I also made 2 x 2kw heatsticks to heat my mash tun/sparge water. I can add a 2k heatsick to my boil kettle to augment the 2 installed elements to get to boil quick - thats 6000 watts! Simple set up, but works very well.

 

[passedpawn]

3 separate ckts?

 

[Jknapp]

Yes, I installed 2, 20amp circuits in my garage for power tools & what not. The 3rd is from a 20a GFCI circuit in a bathroom just inside - I run an extension cord.

 

[passedpawn]

That's a pretty sweet pot. Nice job.

 

[BulldogBrewer]

You said you ran those 2 elements 100%. Do you mean no PIDs, or On/Off manual switching?

I'm really liking the idea of going electric and would like to be able to step into it like this instead of the whole ball of wax at one time.

 

[Jknapp]

Yeah, I meant: both elements on the entire boil 100%. No PID. I didn't turn either off until I turned both off at the end of 60 min boil.

The fan really helps keep the boil over in control, since the boil is pretty aggressive. Search out Biermunchers post on boilover control.

I have a very wide pot - 16" - and I boiled off 2 gallons in 1 hour. Alot, but the same boil off that I used to get using a propane burner.

 

[Dgonza9]

I have a similar setup with just heat sticks, but considering the cost of the elements is quite low, mounting is much simpler.

Last week I did a 12.5 gallon boil with just the two heat sticks. I use the fan, too. You probably don't need a third, but it is helpful to get the strike and sparge water up to temp.

You must've gotten quite a boil with 4k watts on a five gallon batch. Or was it 11 gallons?

Nice job. I love electric brewing.

 

[BulldogBrewer]

I think I'm going to have to take the plunge and get my HLT/BK setup. I've been worried that I have to jump all in with the control panel, but if I can just run them 100% for the boil and turn off the HLT when I'm at temp that's awesome.

I really want to go electric to get out of the elements... mostly the 100+ degree direct sunlight during the summer ;-)

 

[Jknapp]

I have a similar setup with just heat sticks, but considering the cost of the elements is quite low, mounting is much simpler.

Last week I did a 12.5 gallon boil with just the two heat sticks. I use the fan, too. You probably don't need a third, but it is helpful to get the strike and sparge water up to temp.

You must've gotten quite a boil with 4k watts on a five gallon batch. Or was it 11 gallons?

Nice job. I love electric brewing.

I run the two installed-in-pot 2k elements 100% for the duration of the boil. Most of my batches are 5.5 gals, so I start the boi with about 7.25 gals. Its a pretty strong boil, but with my wide pot & fan, it never threatens a boilover.

I add a 3rd element (heatstick) to quickly get up to boil, the turn it off and remove it.

For someone wanting to get into electric brewing, if you already have 20amp circuits (or know how to install them), the 2kw elements are a very simple & effective way to brew with electricity.