Running a heating element without a controller: Can it be done?

[WinterWarlock]

Electric brewing novice here, please forgive my lack of knowledge. I'm looking to brew larger batches than the 35L Robobrew will allow, so I'm exploring budget friendly alternatives. I'd like to install this element in a 15 gallon kettle, is it absolutely necessary to have a controller?

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500_ripple.htm
My plan is to simply plug it in to heat strike water and/or bring wort to boil. No need for temp sensors, step mashing, maintaining mash temps, etc.
Aside from the tools needed to drill/punch a hole in my kettle, what other parts are needed?
I'm thinking a gfci adapter for a 240v outlet, a 240v extension cable, and this enclosure:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotpod-ewl3.htm
Surely there's something I'm overlooking, could it really be this simple?

Thanks!!

 

[Zemillard90]

Just started electric brewing myself and believe you will want a controller to control the power to the element. Otherwise, it will always be on 100% power.

For heating strike water that is fine, but you will want some control over your boil, especially for the hot break so you don't boil over. I also believe most controllers will have some sort of cycle time for the heating element (mine is 5 sec), meaning it will turn the element on for 5 sec, then off for 5 sec, which you can use (along with the power output) to create a consistent rolling boil.

I just started electric brewing and went with the brewcommander, which I found to be one of the more budget-friendly controller options.

 

[tdiowa]

When I started out brewing I used a Infinite Control Switch. It is very easy to hook up and I think it is a good starter to electric brewing. Basically the switch work like a magnet. Depending on the setting it is open (allowing electric current to the element) or closed. You use a the control knob to control the magnet open and close interval.

https://www.ebay.com/b/Infinite-Control-Switches/43566/bn_7023480632
I posted about this years ago

See Electric Temperature controller idea
or
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/electric-kettle-instructions.100737/

 

[Vale71]

A 5500 Watt element will boil off approximately 8 liters per hour. If you're targeting a 10% hourly boil off rate then you'll meet your target if you're starting with about 80 liters of wort pre-boil. If your batch size will be significantly smaller you'll need some sort of controller to throttle down the element's output in order to achieve the optimal evaporation rate.

 

[TheMadKing]

You sure can but you'll be sitting there with a power switch flipping it on and off like a maniac to regulate the temp. It is far better if you have a controller to set a power output/% output so you can dial in your boil

 

[RufusBrewer]

https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=53&products_id=353
You will need some other stuff, like a project box, a heatsink and some electrical hardware to finish it off.

Here is an off the shelf solution.

https://www.blichmannengineering.com/power-controller.html
I expect you will get half way through your first brew day and you will start wishing you paid more attention to those of us that said to get a controller.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Thanks everyone, things are starting to make sense. Turning the power on and off isn't the way to spend a brew day. Looks like I'll be building a power controller!

 

[beeton]

I have been using a 3000w element to boil 11 gal. batches , without a controller, for 6 years.
Nice gentle boil. Same timing as when I used to propane boil outside.

 

[estricklin]

One of the problems that hasn't been mentioned yet, if you run a 5500 watt element on 100% it's possible to get a slight scorched taste in your beer. I had that problem my first couple of batches with electric, I had a way to control but I thought going 100% was fine during the boil. If you had a smaller heating element, like a 3500 it might be ok.

 

[bracconiere]

I have been using a 3000w element to boil 11 gal. batches , without a controller, for 6 years.
Nice gentle boil. Same timing as when I used to propane boil outside.

hmmm...thanks for that!

 

[doug293cz]

I have been using a 3000w element to boil 11 gal. batches , without a controller, for 6 years.
Nice gentle boil. Same timing as when I used to propane boil outside.

If your boil off rate and heat loss to the environment are in balance with the max power of your heating element, then you can get away without a boil controller. You are obviously in that situation. What's your time to boil after completion of the mash?

Many brewers like to have excess power available so that they can reduce heat up times. If you have excess power available, then you need a way to modulate the power once you reach boil.

Brew on

 

[mabrungard]

You won’t like the results of brewing without power control. 5500w is far more than needed to boil less than 10 gal. It’s good to have access to full power while you’re heating, but you’ll need only a fraction of that to maintain a good boil.

Plan on including some sort of power control.

 

[Toto's]

A dimmer switch or potentiometer for 220V. You could control the power of you element with a simple dimmer.

https://www.banggood.com/4000W-220V...E-_iXJ5SaewCzLBU3tDcuLk8pIMkiADxoCqE0QAvD_BwE
If you go to an electronic components store you could find something.

 

[doug293cz]

A dimmer switch or potentiometer for 220V. You could control the power of you element with a simple dimmer.

https://www.banggood.com/4000W-220V...E-_iXJ5SaewCzLBU3tDcuLk8pIMkiADxoCqE0QAvD_BwE
If you go to an electronic components store you could find something.

A 4000W controller cannot be used with a 5500W element. You want the controller to be rated significantly higher than the element. A 10,000W controller would be ok.

Note also that these types of controllers usually don't have a mechanical disconnect switch for the high current path. This means if the SCR latches on (a common failure mode), the only way to shut off power to the element is to unplug the unit from the wall (or unplug the element if you have that option.) At ~20A & 240V, you will likely get some scary arcing if you have to unplug it.

Brew on

 

[beeton]

If your boil off rate and heat loss to the environment are in balance with the max power of your heating element, then you can get away without a boil controller. You are obviously in that situation. What's your time to boil after completion of the mash?

Many brewers like to have excess power available so that they can reduce heat up times. If you have excess power available, then you need a way to modulate the power once you reach boil.

Brew on

About 50 minutes. Time to empty mash tun and clean up.