Dirty element? Is this normal?

[sablesurfer]

Ok, so before you ask, I really kind have forgotten what watts this is. I want to say it is a 1500watt element, it is a RV water heater element.

But, after my first brew this is what it looked like.



Spraying with sink hose didn't do anything. I took a scrubby to it and it all rubbed off, just hadn't read about this before.

 

[heckels]

That's perfectly normal. A green scrubby pad does the trick.

 

[sablesurfer]

Thanks for quick response heckels!

Found this thread that also discusses elements in different brews. Good to know about the wheat, that might a worried me.

www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/clean-your-elements-403916/

(edit, forgot to post the link to other thread, sigh)

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

How long did you let it sit after your brew? Mine looks like that after I drain the BK, but it'll wash off easily while still wet. If it dries out, it gets a little harder to clean up.

One pro-tip I've found - go to an aquarium store and get an aquarium cleaner like one of these

You can use it to easily scrub the sides of the keggle and it'll get in between the element assuming you've pulled it apart a little. A super helpful tool.