RIMS Element?

[jgonzo108]

Was looking for some help. I'm in the process of acquiring all the parts to make a RIMS tube and was wondering about the element. I was planning on running a 4500w or 5500w element on 120v. Question is, would running these elements on 120v make it a LWD element or do I have to find a LWD element in 4500 or 5500? Reason I ask, I was at Lowes and was about to buy an Utilitech 5500w element but didn't because The packaging did not identify the element as LWD or HWD.


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[jleiii]

Was looking for some help. I'm in the process of acquiring all the parts to make a RIMS tube and was wondering about the element. I was planning on running a 4500w or 5500w element on 120v. Question is, would running these elements on 120v make it a LWD element or do I have to find a LWD element in 4500 or 5500? Reason I ask, I was at Lowes and was about to buy an Utilitech 5500w element but didn't because The packaging did not identify the element as LWD or HWD.


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A 240 volt element on 120 is 1/4 the wattage, therefore 1/4 the watt density, so a LWD becomes extra ULWD.

Calculate it:
(approx) heated length x pi x diameter = in2
watts / in2 = watt density, around 50 is ULWD, 100 is LWD (generally)

My 240 v/ 4500 w rims element (LWD) is 1375 @ 120. It's about 48" of length, 3/8" dia, 56 in2. That's 80w/in2 at 240 volts. At 120 volts it's only 20w/in2.

 

[hennja2]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UVMMWI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


What about this element? All stainless and LWD? I was going to go with a ULWD element, but if this works it is a cheap SS option. I'm putting together a RIMs tube setup from BrewHardware.

 

[jleiii]

The base is not stainless. There is another thread going about stainless elements. Lots of good info there.