Camco elements?

[mux]

How do the camco ripp elects hold up over the years? I am building an electric keggle and I'm second guessing wether to finish or not. Any advice?

 

[iijakii]

Incoloy is good stuff.

 

[mux]

Is that an element?

 

[pvtschultz]

Incoloy is a material (high temperature, corrosion resistant nickel alloy.

 

[shortyjacobs]

The Camco ripple elements are incololy sheathed, and that's a good thing. Usually if the element has that matte black look, it's incoloy.

That said, I have no idea how they hold up, I've yet to fire mine yet .

 

[Walker]

the element itself will hold up great. the BASE of the element tends to rust. it can be cleaned off pretty easily, but I suspect that time will take its toll and I will need to replace the thing.

going on 1.5 years though, and it's doing fine.

 

[mux]

Any difference in the finished beer- composited to using gas?

 

[Walker]

Any difference in the finished beer- composited to using gas?

Yeah... it cost me less to make it now.

Seriously, though.... no differences in terms of flavor. i am just more consistent with temps and more laid back when brewing since I don't have to babysit kettles for temp control.

 

[mux]

How do you clean the element?

 

[Walker]

I just use a kitchen sponge/scrubby to clean the crud off the element. It comes clean pretty easily.

This will also get off almost all of the rust with a little barkeeper's friend.

 

[mux]

Any problem with hops pellets or leaf burning on the hot element?

 

[Walker]

Any problem with hops pellets or leaf burning on the hot element?

I bag my hops, so I can't directly answer that, but I don't think it would be any problem, simply because of the fact that I know that the nylon paint strainer bags do not melt/burn when they are in contact with the element. (I tested this by actually weighting down a bag and laying it right across the element and turning it on full-blast.)

 

[mux]

I bag my hops, so I can't directly answer that, but I don't think it would be any problem, simply because of the fact that I know that the nylon paint strainer bags do not melt/burn when they are in contact with the element. (I tested this by actually weighting down a bag and laying it right across the element and turning it on full-blast.)

Wow- I'm surprised it didn't melt. I see that your an EE- did you use ssr's or contractors?

 

[Walker]

Wow- I'm surprised it didn't melt. I see that your an EE- did you use ssr's or contractors?

Single SSR on one of the hot legs for control of the element during mash/boil.
Double pole contactor as a manual 'kill' switch to cut both hot legs to the element.

 

[shelly_belly]

I bought a Camco 5500W ULWD element from Home Depot part# 15597 for $17. It's incoloy, has a straight foldback and came with a lifetime warranty. The store people said if it ever fails they would replace it with another, free of charge.

 

[Walker]

I bought a Camco 5500W ULWD element from Home Depot part# 15597 for $17. It's incoloy, has a straight foldback and came with a lifetime warranty. The store people said if it ever fails they would replace it with another, free of charge.

Cool. I got mine at HD, too.

I wonder if they will balk on that guarantee if they figure out what you were actually doing with it.

 

[shelly_belly]

Well, at the pace I'm going, It'll probably end up in the water heater before I get the keggle built. The element in the bottom of the hot water tank burns up in about 6 months time. The tank is full of mineral deposits and they are too hard to remove. Maybe the ULWD will solve that problem. Besides, no one homebrews in Alabama - that would be illegal.

 

[mux]

Home depot web site states the camco 15597 to be LWD not ULWD.

 

[bigljd]

Home depot web site states the camco 15597 to be LWD not ULWD.

I just went electric recently and bought my elements at HD, and I know the one by me does not have ULWD in stock, just LWD. I bought the Camco LWD and it works great in my kettle, but I don't think HD normally stocks ULWD elements in the store, so I'm guessing the earlier poster meant LWD?

 

[Walker]

Home depot web site states the camco 15597 to be LWD not ULWD.

I think their website is just wrong.

If you go to camco's website, it appears that EVERY element that is clad in the black incoloy material is an ULWD element.

 

[passedpawn]

I have two Camco 4500W ripple elements that have been going strong for > 2 yrs. Mine came from Ron's Hardware, online.

I rarely clean mine. If I notice plaque forming, I give it a scrub with a nylon brush. After brewing, I don't use any chems, just hose sprayer.

I have a hanging nylon bag that rests against the element. Never a problem.

 

[shelly_belly]

Home depot web site states the camco 15597 to be LWD not ULWD.

I think their website is just wrong.

If you go to camco's website, it appears that EVERY element that is clad in the black incoloy material is an ULWD element.

Yes, it says Ultra Low-Watt Density on the package.

 

[mux]

I will buy one tonight! Just waiting on some switches and Im ready to brew electric.

 

[shelly_belly]

I will buy one tonight! Just waiting on some switches and Im ready to brew electric.

Take a measurement on your kettle - this one's kind of long. It won't fit my turkey fryer pot but I think it will fit in my sankey keg. The 4500 watt one they have is shorter.

 

[mux]

It's going a sanke.

 

[thughes]

Just to confirm for y'all, I am looking at the package for the 15597 that I bought at Home Depot a few months back for my build:

"Will withstand dry-firing"
"Highest grade nickel and chromium Incoloy sheath"
"Ultra low-watt density"

 

[mux]

There you have it.

 

[Diver165]

Lots of people use the Camcorder 02963 5500W ULWD. That's what I'm gonna use in my setup. ...as soon as I get the balls to punch holes in my Blichmanns. LOL

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[iijakii]

You mean your Blingmanns?

 

[kal]

Any problem with hops pellets or leaf burning on the hot element?

No issues at all. I've done dozens of pellet and whole hop batches for 2+ years now from light lagers with 1-2 oz to heavy IIPAs with 23 oz in the kettle.

Kal