Can 1500W heat stick plus electric stove boil 7 gal?

[smerta]

I was wondering if making a heat stick is worth it to move me indoors. Has anyone had any experience using a 1500W heat stick to supplement their electric stove to boil 7 gallons?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Should work, however we have no idea what stove or pot??? If you have a 20 amp outlet, I would go with a 2000w stick.

 

[thargrav]

I was wondering if making a heat stick is worth it to move me indoors. Has anyone had any experience using a 1500W heat stick to supplement their electric stove to boil 7 gallons?

Yes it will.

 

[smerta]

How do I tell if I have a 20 amp outlet?

 

[porcupine73]

The 20amp outlet has one of the blades the other way. Usually you will see them as a 15/20 amp receptacle, which looks like this, normal 15 amp on the left, the one on the right is actually a 15/20 amp outlet: Image found on ebay.

 

[DustBow]

check your breaker box....I believe current code is 2 20-amp GFCI circuits it kitchen but older homes might just be 15

 

[thargrav]

All homes in the US built since the early 1970s have two 20 amp circuits in the kitchen.

 

[smerta]

All homes in the US built since the early 1970s have two 20 amp circuits in the kitchen.

I live in an apartment, but it was built in the 90's so hopefully I am good. I will check tonight after work. Thanks!

 

[thargrav]

Apartment kitchens were built to the same code. You should have two 20 amp circuits in your kitchen.

 

[wilserbrewer]

The 20amp outlet has one of the blades the other way. Usually you will see them as a 15/20 amp receptacle, which looks like this, normal 15 amp on the left, the one on the right is actually a 15/20 amp outlet: Image found on ebay.

Maybe it is just me, but I very rarely see the 20 amp receptacles w/ the horizontal blade? Is this a newer style...all of mine, and most other 20 amp receptacles I see look typical like the 15 amp shown???

 

[thargrav]

Back when I was a electrician wiring houses 15 Amp and 20 Amp outlets used in houses looked the same from the front. You had to look at the markings on the package or on the back of the outlet to see what you were installing. The 20 Amp outlets were marked 15/20 Amp while the 15 Amp outlets were marked 15 Amp. We only installed the special outlets with the turned blade for single ended 20 Amp circuits like window air conditioner outlets.

So if your house was built even 5 years ago the kitchen will only have outlets with the two verticle blades. Pull one of the kitchen outlets and it should be marked 15/20 Amps on the back.

 

[Malticulous]

I see a lot of them but I practically never see the male plug. Technically it should be used on any 20a circuit. I've even seen them in work wired in the sixties. They cost a little more. Some electricians might skimp. I'm not so sure they are any better but if it's a 20a circuit the receptacle should be rated for full current. Any 20a receptacle will accept the turned neutral.

My electric stove top will boil 6.5 gallons in my 30 qt. pot reasonably well with only one 2300 watt coil. I have boiled more in my 60 qt. pot over two burners. I'm tempted to upgrade my stove top and move older coil burners outside to use in my brewery.

 

[porcupine73]

I have a 40qt stockpot that I sit on a 1300 watt hotplate (but for making broth, not beer, at least not yet ;-) To take water from 50F to 190F takes it about 4-5 hours. The temp rises quickly at first then really tapers off as it starts getting near boiling. I don't know if it would actually be able to boil it or not. It might if the water was already boiling going in to keep it boiling. I have four of the cordless like tea kettles that I run when I need to boil water, they're each around 1500 watts I think.

I think the equipment that actually has the turned 20A blade is more likely to be commercial or industrial appliances. I've never seen a home appliance that has the 20A blade. I do know for short term loads, some appliances far exceed the permitted 'continuous' draw. I was having trouble with a certain brand of laser printer some years back, and when I asked them about it, they told me it draws 40A for a few seconds at startup to get the first page out faster.

 

[lordhazard]

Don't neglect evaporative / radiative losses!

At boiling they exceed (slightly) 1kW/ft2... the area being the opening of your kettle exposed to the air. I lose 1500 Watts to the air at boiling in my 15gal system which I've also verified experimentally by doing time-to-boil measurements and including non-insulated surface area losses (kettle sidewall). Take how much power you impart to the water, subtract the losses and that's how much you'll be heating the fluid which further increases the evaporative losses. In other words, if you're just at bit over those losses you'll asymptotically approach boiling in a very, very long time. That being said - kettle lids can help get you there, but be mindful of DMS.

 

[Sippin37]

Are there pre-made heat sticks available to purchase anywhere? 1500W or 2000W would be just fine for me.

Thanks!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Are there pre-made heat sticks available to purchase anywhere? 1500W or 2000W would be just fine for me.

Thanks!

They are called "bucket heaters' and go around 1100w and $40.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...i&srccode=cii_184425893&cpncode=30-73767657-2

 

[HatcherBrewer]

I've got a 1500w ULWD element mounted in my 8 gallon boil kettle that I use to supplement my gas stove. Works like a charm, I keep the element full on and throttle the stove back to medium or medium/low to maintain a boil.

 

[Sippin37]

Thanks guys. Hatcherbrewer, do you have a link to the element you have? I am looking to do the same exact thing.

Thanks!

 

[HatcherBrewer]

www.amazon.com/Camco-02853-Heater-Element-Foldback/dp/B000KKVZUO/ref=pd_2

Used a bargain fittings element mount kit, i dont have pictures handy but could snap some if you want...