RIMS for Dummies

[klyph]

I run my pump and PID seperately, there is a risk of dry fire, but most LWD elements can withstand dry firing. I know mine has before...

 

[Sawdustguy]

I run my pump and PID seperately, there is a risk of dry fire, but most LWD elements can withstand dry firing. I know mine has before...

I don't think that is true. I think ULWD elements can stand dry firing.

 

[klyph]

I dry fired a 5500w element that said LWD on the package and was not the squiggly shape. It got white hot before I realized what was happening and shut it down, it ran for less than 30 seconds, but it survived and I've brewed with it since.

 

[klyph]

I guess I shouldn't say most, I only use Camco elements.

 

[pola0502ds]

I'm trying to piece together my system and have read this thread start to finish a couple of times. There doesn't seem to be a concensus on the "best" element for use with Brewers Hardware RIMS tube. I spoke to Derrin and he said most are going with 4500W 240V LWD and running it at 110V. The posts on here about corrosion / gunk on element are making me think a stainless / incoloy elelment is the way to go. I found this

http://plumbing.hardwarestore.com/5...inless-steel-water-heater-element-684528.aspx

but at 13 -1/2" length it will be touching the temp probe at the other end (total length of RIMS tube from Derrin is 16") - I'm using this probe

Good luck getting an answer! If you read back i have been trying to get this same answer but I never got anything solid. I think the reason is because everyones system is so different and there really are a bunch of different options out there that will work. If people start to respond to your question there will be tons of different answers..

I have the same RIMS tube as you and i think I am going to go with a 1440w LWLD SS heating element from boston heating supply.

 

[gb043075]

Good luck getting an answer! If you read back i have been trying to get this same answer but I never got anything solid. I think the reason is because everyones system is so different and there really are a bunch of different options out there that will work. If people start to respond to your question there will be tons of different answers..

I have the same RIMS tube as you and i think I am going to go with a 1440w LWLD SS heating element from boston heating supply.

Thanks for the lead - but it looks like that is a HWD element, not LWLD?

http://bostonheatingsupply.com/rheemelectricelements.aspx

 

[pola0502ds]

There is one on there, I will try to find it. if you read back a couple pages a member posted a link to that website and another one. Thats how I found it.

 

[P-J]

It is a Rheem SP10868GL LWD 120V 2000W SS element.
Shop around.

http://www.comfortgurus.com/product_info.php/cPath/581_602_603/products_id/7068 - @ $35.71

http://bostonheatingsupply.com/rheemsp10868gl120v2000wss.aspx - @ $21.29

 

[pola0502ds]

Thanks for confirming that!

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

Hey. Need some input.

Today I got around to testing my RIMS unit.

Tested for leaks. None

Plugged heating element into control box. Set SV value to 150.

Figured out how to start Auto Tune and ran it. After about 20 minutes, it
it finished (Stoped blinking At ) In doing so. raised my "test water" from about 130ish to the 150. I let in run a while longer, and it maintained fine. Nothing seemed to be wrong at all.

Decided to test "Mash out" temp. Raised it to 170. After about 10 minutes or so it got to about 168 and I then noticed a burning rubber smell. Shut everything down. Checked inside controller, not there. None of the power chords felt warm at all. Turned out inside my "Cover" for the element was lightly smoking. Unscrewed cover and noticed The element had melted. The outlet box was HOT. Any insight on what went wrong, any idea's? It never tripped the CFCI it all was plugged into.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

If I had to guess I'd say there was an air pocket in the tube and you basically dry fired the element. How do you have the tube oriented when in operation?

Ed

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

It was horizontal while I operated it. I only ran water through it, here's what the element looks like now....



Should it look like this after 1 use, and only it water? Or does it indeed look to be dry fired?

That sucks. I made sure to run water through first for awhile, to get any air out. Oh well. Got the element from Lowe's, only 9 bucks or so.

 

[P-J]

That looks like a high watt density element and indeed it has blown. (Looking at the second image.)

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

This is the element

http://www.lowes.com/pd_26371-135-6...currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=water+heater+element

How can you tell it's High Watt? because it's shorter than most?

 

[P-J]

This is the element

...

How can you tell it's High Watt? because it's shorter than most?

Yes. It is a short element and chrome plated.

I posted a reference to this element:
Rheem SP10868GL LWD 120V 2000W SS element
That you might want to consider for your replacement. It's a few poste earlier in this thread.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

This is the element

http://www.lowes.com/pd_26371-135-6910470_0__?productId=3133515&Ntt=water+heater+element&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dwater%2Bheater%2Belement

How can you tell it's High Watt? because it's shorter than most?

The watt density has nothing to do with the element burning up. Theoretically it could cause scorching but not element failure. With the tube mounted horizontally is there any chance you had an air bubble trapped inside? I still think this may be your problem.

 

[P-J]

Ed,
Another possibility with my warped thinking: The element is really short (6 inches?) and most of it would be in an area where there is low or no flow within the RIMS tube. It failed when he jumped the temp so the element was at full power for some time.

Don't know. Just thinking out loud.

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

I guess it could've gotten air in it. It just seemed to work fine. Then I raised the temp to 170, and maybe ten minutes later it bonked out. Seems like maybe what P-J says. Seemed to wig out then.

Might just buy another one, do the same thing and see if it does it again. Keeping an eye on the outflow back into the tun. 9 bucks isn't to much. I'll take a video when I do so you get more info on my "test" setup......

 

[Nail]

Is there something against mounting the unit vertically with the heating element on the bottom? I am new to the RIMS system but I do work at a power plant so I do have some experience with heating liquid. That way your element would always be submerged. The hot wort should also move to the top of the RIMS so that your cooler wort coming in would travel over the element. By the way your element has blistering on it which indicates that the area with the blistering probably had air around it. It happens to boiler tubes here when the tube loses contact with the cooling medium, in your case wort.

 

[pola0502ds]

Wouldn't mounting it vertically work be better since all the air in the tube would want to rise to the top or "get out of the tube"

 

[Ohio-Ed]

I guess it could've gotten air in it. It just seemed to work fine. Then I raised the temp to 170, and maybe ten minutes later it bonked out. Seems like maybe what P-J says. Seemed to wig out then.

Might just buy another one, do the same thing and see if it does it again. Keeping an eye on the outflow back into the tun. 9 bucks isn't to much. I'll take a video when I do so you get more info on my "test" setup......

Are the input/outputs of the tube pointing in the same direction (Up or Down)? It is possible that you can have air in the tube and still have flow.

If the element is submerged in liquid, it will not get hotter than the liquid. My suspicion is the the element or part of it was in an air bubble and was in trouble the entire time and it may have eventually failed even at the lower temp. Raising the temp may have hastened it's demise or the temp change may have just be a coincidence.

Ed

 

[Quaffer]

Wouldn't mounting it vertically work be better since all the air in the tube would want to rise to the top or "get out of the tube"

That's my opinion too. Perhaps it is unpractical or inconvenient to have it vertical in some circumstances, for example when mounted on a tool box. I would at least have a slant on it with the element at the lower end and the outlet at the highest point.

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

Are the input/outputs of the tube pointing in the same direction (Up or Down)?

No, didn't think about that. =(

Here's how I had it

 

[Ohio-Ed]

No, didn't think about that. =(

Here's how I had it

That orientation is not bad (better than both input and output pointing down). I think vertical with the element and Input on the bottom and Output near the top is best but not required.

I think your tube should be below the liquid level in both your input and output vessels to prevent it from siphoning dry.

Based on the looks of your element, I'm still thinking part, but not all of the element was in an air pocket inside the tube. But the way you have it oriented, its hard to see how you could have enough air to cause a problem and still have liquid flow.

Ed

 

[dutch101st]

I think vertical with the element and Input on the bottom and Output near the top is best but not required.

Thats how I roll...I really stay mindful of keeping the element covered...in fact I don't switch it on until I know it is completely submerged (i.e. strike water is flowing out of the outlet and into the MLT)

 

[stlbeer]

I swapped out a tee for a cross to hold the element, the inlet, and a dump valve. This ensures I can empty the tube after cleaning. Also mounted it at an angle with the outlet up so air bubble buildup is at a minimum.

 

[klyph]

I would think a horizontal tube with I/O pointed up would be best. If the tube is vertical, you'll always have a bubble at the base of the sensor. And if the sensor isn't submerged, you'll have problems as well.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

I would think a horizontal tube with I/O pointed up would be best. If the tube is vertical, you'll always have a bubble at the base of the sensor. And if the sensor isn't submerged, you'll have problems as well.

Just my opinion, but I/O both pointing up make it difficult to drain the tube. You are correct that there is a good chance of a bubble at the top if mounted vertically, but should not be a problem (depending on the length of temp probe).

 

[klyph]

It'd be optimal to have a drain, or some sort of toggle clamp on the U-bolts so you can turn the I/O downward to drain.

 

[stlbeer]

It'd be optimal to have a drain, or some sort of toggle clamp on the U-bolts so you can turn the I/O downward to drain.

If you're referring the pic I posted, there is a cross on the left hand side. The bottom opening of which has a ball valve on it. This works great for draining the tube.