Is this scortch?

[ChemEng]

I am using a stainless 240v 5500w element in my rims system at 120v.

I just completed my first brew with it a day it worked great.

This is what the element looked like when I pulled it to clean it.

Is this normal or am I scorching my wort?

 

[Hello]

That looks like the wort scorched on the element to me, if that is through your RIMS. My element has hop gunk on it after use, but it hoses off fine.

 

[Homercidal]

I wouldn't think running an element that size with 120V is going to scorch your wort, but that does look like some scorching. I get similar when I cook down maple syrup in my eKettle. Normal brewing I just wipe off the little bit of gunk that gets on it.

Of course I'm not running it in a RIMS tube. If you turned off your pump before the element had a chance to cool down a bit you might end up with some crusty stuff (or a burned out element...)

 

[FloppyKnockers]

That's what my element looks like afterwards as well. Nothing a sponge won't take care of. I never noticed any off flavors.

 

[wilserbrewer]

That looks like it scorched to me. I typically have a white tab haze on the elements. Any black may be scorching.

Can you taste or smell any burnt favors in the wort.

 

[BrunDog]

If it's burnt on then yes. If it comes clean with a soak and gentle wipe, then nope - just normal protein buildup. Did you monitor tube temp near the exit?

 

[ChemEng]

I smelled the element and it didn't smell burned. The wort didnt taste burned either but it did appear a little darker than i was expecting. That could just be me being paranoid.

Wiped clean easily with a sponge without soaking, in fact the element is extra shiny under the darkest portion of the "scortch". It looks like the element isnt heating up evenly.

I had good flow during the entire mash, but I did turn off the heater and the pump simultaneously at the end. Next time I will run the pump for a while to cool down the element.

I have bobby's rims tube with an RTD at the outlet. Using an Auber PID. I did use it for stepping, maybe the high duty cycle in between steps caused a some local overheating.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[ChemEng]

Duplicate

 

[BrunDog]

Sounds like you are fine and it's not scorched.

 

[atoughram]

If soaking and scrubbing down take of that gunk (Caramelized sugars), you can carefully dry fire it long enough to where it just quits smoking and then try cleaning it again. Thats what my element looked like when I scorched a batch. Make sure your flow through the RIMS tube is high enough and your temp probe is as close to the end of the element as possible. If the temp probe is too far down stream from the element and the flow is slow enough, the PID wont see the temperature fast enough and it can scorch the wort.

 

[ChemEng]

If soaking and scrubbing down take of that gunk (Caramelized sugars), you can carefully dry fire it long enough to where it just quits smoking and then try cleaning it again. Thats what my element looked like when I scorched a batch. Make sure your flow through the RIMS tube is high enough and your temp probe is as close to the end of the element as possible. If the temp probe is too far down stream from the element and the flow is slow enough, the PID wont see the temperature fast enough and it can scorch the wort.

It wiped clean easily with one swipe of a sponge, no scrubbing or soaking.

The tip of the probe is 1.5" from the end of the element.

I had good flow the entire time, but i did turn off the pump and element together at the end. I am hoping that this is what caused the darkening of the build-up that was already stuck to the element.

 

[BrunDog]

I think dry-firing is a bad idea. They were not made for that purpose and you can never control how much damage you are really doing to the element.

If the gunk wipes off easily, then wipe it off and move on. Its either not scorched, or not badly enough to worry about it.

 

[atoughram]

It wiped clean easily with one swipe of a sponge, no scrubbing or soaking.

The tip of the probe is 1.5" from the end of the element.

I had good flow the entire time, but i did turn off the pump and element together at the end. I am hoping that this is what caused the darkening of the build-up that was already stuck to the element.

It wasn't scorched then, that's good. 1.5" should be close enough.

 

[augiedoggy]

Did you turn off your rims pump or stop the flow at any time with the element still on? That can cause scorching quickly. Normally, if it wipes off easily with a wet rag your good..if it required effort you may have problems

EDIT sorry just read your last post...