New Custom Spike Kettle

[dnye]

I'm in the process of switching to electric and am looking at getting a custom kettle from Spike. I'm planning on starting with an induction burner to get my feet wet, but want to be able to use the kettle for a traditional three vessel system brew kettle down the line. So I want something that will work for now but have all the features I need later. Here is my current ideas:

1 Port in the front for dip tube and output
1 port in the side/back for a heating element down the line
1 port in the front somewhere for thermowell
1 port towards the top for doing BIAB recirculation

Can anyone think of anything else they would add? Or those that have ordered custom kettles, is there anything you would do different? Has anyone had any issues with BIAB and thermowell placement?

I think that I want to do all 1.5" TC welded connections. I know that it's probably not needed, but if I'm going to have welded connections I like the idea of not having threads or needing teflon tape, but open to other ideas?

 

[nrjones89]

False bottom or mesh container to protect grains and or bag. I personally wouldn't do a dip tube. I think they're pointless... I would rather measure boil volumes and either calculate it out or use a measuring stick. I like welded fittings, and I think they are especially important with electric because you want things to be water tight.

 

[staticfritz]

2" TC for the element will be hugely easier
their push-in diptube is pretty slick, happy w mine

Kettle3

• staticfritz
• Dec 8, 2017

 

[augiedoggy]

False bottom or mesh container to protect grains and or bag. I personally wouldn't do a dip tube. I think they're pointless... I would rather measure boil volumes and either calculate it out or use a measuring stick. I like welded fittings, and I think they are especially important with electric because you want things to be water tight.

hes talking about a dip tube not sight glass... I love my sight glasses in my BK and HLT. kettle markings are inaccurate and even more so once you add ports of gizmos that displace or add volume. sight glass you can add the markings after its all done and you measure it out.

Also just my experience here but as far as welded vs welded. I think there enough people like myself using them with zero issues for years to warrant the fact that either option will work fine if installed and left alone.. Its usually the OCD folks or people that just believe incorrectly that everything on the hot side needs to be constantly dismantled and sterilized that have issues.

right now giving that ive added a bunch of ports to my kettles over the years and reconfigured stuff already I would love welded fittings with camlocks (I feel for the hot side tc fittings are more hassle to use with no real benefit vs camlocks myself but thats personal preference.)

 

[itsnotrequired]

2" TC for the element will be hugely easier
their push-in diptube is pretty slick, happy w mine

Kettle3

• staticfritz
• Dec 8, 2017

i went with the 2" tc on mine as well, so easy to get the element in and out.

if i had to do it over again, i would have had them add a tangential whirlpool port on the boil kettle.

 

[dnye]

thanks for the replies.

@staticfritz Do you have any more pics of your kettle? Yours seems to have a lot of features I was looking into. Is the top hole you have for recirculation?

For the heating element, I have only seen 1.5" TC heating elements? like this:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500_ripple_tc.htm

is there a source for 2 inch or do you use an adapter of some kind?

Does anyone feel strongly about thermometer/thermowell? I was orignally planning having it stacked above the out port, but was then thinking having it at the same level and off to the side might keep it more out of the way if I wanted to do BIAB.

 

[staticfritz]

I have one of the ulwd ripple dernord ones from eBay/Amazon

Having an extra port low would be nice in retrospect

 

[augiedoggy]

thanks for the replies.

@staticfritz Do you have any more pics of your kettle? Yours seems to have a lot of features I was looking into. Is the top hole you have for recirculation?

For the heating element, I have only seen 1.5" TC heating elements? like this:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500_ripple_tc.htm

is there a source for 2 inch or do you use an adapter of some kind?

Does anyone feel strongly about thermometer/thermowell? I was orignally planning having it stacked above the out port, but was then thinking having it at the same level and off to the side might keep it more out of the way if I wanted to do BIAB.

heres a few, amazon and alibaba has them as well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brewing-He...628228?hash=item4b313cff04:g:5U8AAOSwDFBaJR1K

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brewing-Be...119729?hash=item4b0dbe41f1:g:uAYAAOSwCL9Zr0~O

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brewing-He...231123?hash=item4b25d48213:g:Aq8AAOSwJs1Zv6xp

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-tri-clam...633539?hash=item2cc3bef843:g:b44AAOxy14VRQWJq

 

[cyclonebeer]

If you plan on eventually brewing indoors, I'd add another port at the top for a steam condenser. Way cheaper than putting in an exhaust system.

 

[staticfritz]

Yeah, having the top port be TC would be nice in retrospect, that condenser setup is very intriguing

 

[dnye]

is there general requirements of where that needs to be for the condenser? I was planning 1.5" TC maybe 2 inches from the top on one of the sides?

Also for heating element, the 1.5" vs 2", the only difference is the size of the connector correct? and this just makes it easier to take in and out? sounds like 2" would be convenient, but I like the idea of all my ports being interchangeable. The 1.5" is still usable right?

 

[staticfritz]

I would just have them place them as high, and as low as possible.

1.5 would definitely a bit of a struggle, especially if you're adding any bends, but certainly not impossible. Part of the reason I got a 2-inch, was that I found a nice element for cheaper, only with a 2 in connector, the 1.5 was much more expensive

 

[cyclonebeer]

I would just have them place them as high, and as low as possible.

Good advice. The height of the top ports will determine the total volume that your kettle will be able to hold. I'm a single vessel brewer, so it becomes really important to me. Probably not quite so important for a 3v brewer, but yeah, crowd the top.

1.5 would definitely a bit of a struggle, especially if you're adding any bends, but certainly not impossible. Part of the reason I got a 2-inch, was that I found a nice element for cheaper, only with a 2 in connector, the 1.5 was much more expensive

I have 1.5" TC ports throughout my kettle and have no problem getting my ripple element inserted. I'd recommend going all 1.5". Then all of your clamps and gaskets are interchangeable. Makes life easier.

 

[dnye]

I have 1.5" TC ports throughout my kettle and have no problem getting my ripple element inserted. I'd recommend going all 1.5". Then all of your clamps and gaskets are interchangeable. Makes life easier.

That was my thought. I think I've got my plan. I think three 1.5" TC across the bottom for element (9 o'clock) outport (6 o'clock) and temp/whatever else (4 ish o'clock) and one at 4 ish oclock near the top.
Thanks everyone for the input.