Heating element stretched.

[Onthebrew]

Hi guys, open to any advice here. See attached pic. Essentially the heating coil has stretched( most likely from pulling it about to clean the underside after 30 or so brews). The middle row nows sits naturally above the top row if the top row didn’t block it. Not sure a stopper in between them would work or a wire or string loop anchoring it is position either, because of the direct contact with heating element. This is a Braumeister by the way.

Any ideas?

 

[Onthebrew]

Anyone?

 

[Gruel]

The picture I can see only shows what seems to be the interior of a vessel, with a line/tube entering axially through the bottom(?) surface, making a 90 degree turn, and then maybe touching a white cylindrical surface. I don't see any 'rows' or coils.

 

[Onthebrew]

Ok to clarify, the picture should be rotated 90 degrees, and I put a white sheet of paper down the side for clarity. Essentially the coil enters at the bottom and circles 3 times increasing height.

 

[itsnotrequired]

what is the concern?

 

[Onthebrew]

The element pressed together could be an issue I would have thought during the boil.

 

[Gruel]

Are they touching just in a few spots, or pretty much solid all the way around? You could try a silicone spacer (whittled from a commercial spatula, or baking implement, or what have you).

 

[itsnotrequired]

the element touching itself is not a problem. what is a problem (maybe?) is how it ended up stretching in the first place.

 

[Gruel]

I think (but I might be wrong) by 'stretching' the OP means that he distorted the helical coil slightly in the axial direction. I don't think the actual heating element got stretched (as in, the length of the wire/tubing changed), he just moved one of the windings around a bit.

 

[Onthebrew]

I think (but I might be wrong) by 'stretching' the OP means that he distorted the helical coil slightly in the axial direction. I don't think the actual heating element got stretched (as in, the length of the wire/tubing changed), he just moved one of the windings around a bit.

that’s it, I should have said bent out of shape. The coil starts at the bottom and as it rises it curves round 3 times before finishing higher up, effectively giving three rows. The middle row as such now sits higher than the top row.

 

[Kickass]

Can you manipulate it back into place?

 

[jcav]

Yea can you push down on the middle one so it returns to its rightful place, as you pull up a little on the top one. It may go back where it should then......

John

 

[Onthebrew]

No it won’t go back, tried weights on it to bend it back but it seems to have permanently shifted shape.

 

[Gruel]

I wouldn't worry too much. These things are probably designed with a lot of margin. Also, if you get to the point where the liquid starts boiling at the hot spots (where the coils touch), the heat transfer coefficient actually goes up with heat flow. At least it does for CO2. I'm pretty sure the same is true for water. A quick google might help.

 

[Onthebrew]

Did a brew with it and all seemed