Heat Stick to Assist With Electric Stove

[KennyPowers55]

I have an electric stove. The first time I tried to do a full boil, I could not get a rolling boil going. Still made the batch anyway but I am not sure how it will turn out.

Anyway, would something like the brewhardware Hot Rod heat stick help me get to where I need to be? Also for anyone familiar with it...how does it "mount" to your kettle? Does it just float around in the kettle? I would only be using this for the boil, not for the mash.

Does it just sit inside? This would be for making 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon kettle. Once the weather warms up I will be back outside on propane.

 

[McKnuckle]

It can sit inside, leaning against the rim. Or you can use the adjustable clamp that it comes with to anchor it. It's not critical either way. It works well, especially for augmenting another heat source.

 

[RM-MN]

Since your stove got you almost to a rolling boil the heat stick will easily put you over that hump.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

I use a combo propane burner and homemade heat stick. I have a 10 gal pot that's too big to get to a boil. But once the heat stick is in it boils fast. I usually suspend the heat stick so the element is right in the middle of the liquid.

 

[smagic14]

At one point I used a hot rod with a 1500 watt heater and my electric stove top to do 10 gallon batches

 

[KennyPowers55]

So this is probably another dumb question but when you are done using the heat stick, what do you do with it while it cools down?

 

[z-bob]

I've been thinking about getting some kind of heat stick to use with my gas stove that will *almost* boil 5 gallons. It will bring 4 gallons to a slow boil, and so far that has been good enough.

So this is probably another dumb question but when you are done using the heat stick, what do you do with it while it cools down?

It's not that hot. Just make sure you unplug it before you take it out of the liquid.

 

[McKnuckle]

Right. I unplug it, and set it on a concrete floor with the handle leaning against something. It's odd but it doesn't stay particularly hot (not that I touch it directly).

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Yes. ALWAYS unplug it before removing from the liquid. Otherwise you WILL burn out the heating element.

 

[KennyPowers55]

I finally received the stick today. The element looks like it was already used (discolored at the end). Is this just from it being tested after being built, completely normal? The wires were also already connected which seems to disagree with the instructions.

 

[Bobby_M]

The element is not used. It's from the manufacturing process.

 

[RM-MN]

So this is probably another dumb question but when you are done using the heat stick, what do you do with it while it cools down?

I'd probably pretend that I was Harry Potter and the heat stick was a wand and I'd do some magic, like convert starch to sugar or some such.:fro:

If you unplug the wand before taking it from the wort, the wand will be at the temperature of the wort within seconds so you just set it in a bowl so it doesn't leave a puddle on the counter top.

 

[KennyPowers55]

The element is not used. It's from the manufacturing process.

Thank you for quelling my worries. I went back and looked at the picture of it online and it shows the same "markings".

 

[KennyPowers55]

I'd probably pretend that I was Harry Potter and the heat stick was a wand and I'd do some magic, like convert starch to sugar or some such.:fro:

If you unplug the wand before taking it from the wort, the wand will be at the temperature of the wort within seconds so you just set it in a bowl so it doesn't leave a puddle on the counter top.

Sounds reasonable enough. I look forward to trying it out.

Thank you for all of the helps.

 

[RM-MN]

Sounds reasonable enough. I look forward to trying it out.

Thank you for all of the helps.

Which are you going to try out? The Harry Potter part?