No more boil overs with electric setup

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Boar Beer

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Not sure just where to post this question.
I have switched from propane to electric and have noticed that I no longer boil over my kettle. I know I can control the heat better but something else is going on. Has anyone else noticed this? Its great but why!
 
Probably because less surface area is heating up. With gas you are heating a huge area of metal, creating points of steam to boil. With the element its just along the element.

Just a guess.
 
Boar Beer, what electric heater are you using? Im looking to upgrade my heating methods but don't really want to go the propane route (limited space/ventilation)
 
Boar Beer, what electric heater are you using? Im looking to upgrade my heating methods but don't really want to go the propane route (limited space/ventilation)


I bought a nice retrofit from Brewmation brewmation.com
In my gallery you can see some pictures in the pictures it is set up as a HLT
but you can see the controller and all but the low level controler



In addition we are in the process of setting up a 1bb system again using a Brewmation retrofit. It should be up and running in 2 weeks
 
arturo7
That should be right as we are only heating the wart. In any case it is great to use electric. Just turn a knob and set the boil and walk away.
 
Well, considering that with a propane burner you are only utilizing about 36% (ala Sacc.) of the BTUs that the burner produces... most electric elements are right up there.

I can reach a boil in under 8 minutes easy with 5500W. That equates to only 18,700 BTUs... yah, 18,700. This equates to the performance of a 52,000 BTU propane burner.

I dont know why you do not boil over anymore... because I can easily boil over my 15.5 gal sankey while doing a 5 gallon batch with electric. I have done it on my brewcasts...

I use 100% to reach the boil, 70% to maintain it at 3700W or 12,580 BTUs

People are under the incorrect assumption that electric applies much fewer BTUs than gas, when that is simply not true. There is a reason your garage heats up to 90+ degrees in the winter when boiling with gas, you are wasting a crap ton of BTUs that arent going into the wort. When using electric, you are placing the BTUs directly in the wort, super efficient, cold garage. A 52,000BTU burner is the same as a 5500W element basically. Pretty amazing.
 
arturo7
That should be right as we are only heating the wart. In any case it is great to use electric. Just turn a knob and set the boil and walk away.
Of course you mean after the boil over has passed...
 
I had the same experience going to electric. Amazing how much more efficient it is. I maintain almost a perfect rolling boil with about 3500 watts in a sanke keg. I use two 3500 watt elements to get to a boil (takes about 6 minutes), then use only one element to keep the boil going. Works very well.


Well, considering that with a propane burner you are only utilizing about 36% (ala Sacc.) of the BTUs that the burner produces... most electric elements are right up there.

I can reach a boil in under 8 minutes easy with 5500W. That equates to only 18,700 BTUs... yah, 18,700. This equates to the performance of a 52,000 BTU propane burner.

I dont know why you do not boil over anymore... because I can easily boil over my 15.5 gal sankey while doing a 5 gallon batch with electric. I have done it on my brewcasts...

I use 100% to reach the boil, 70% to maintain it at 3700W or 12,580 BTUs

People are under the incorrect assumption that electric applies much fewer BTUs than gas, when that is simply not true. There is a reason your garage heats up to 90+ degrees in the winter when boiling with gas, you are wasting a crap ton of BTUs that arent going into the wort. When using electric, you are placing the BTUs directly in the wort, super efficient, cold garage. A 52,000BTU burner is the same as a 5500W element basically. Pretty amazing.
 
Of course you mean after the boil over has passed...

Yes that is right. we bring the wart up to a nice boil and set the dial and that is it. I do slow it down a bit when i put the hops in but after 1 min i move it back to a nice strong full boil. I have not figured out the evaporation rate but is seems more than our propane set up. It is inside with no wind too which helps.
 
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