Short elements available?

[beeton]

I've recently added the electric option to my keggle, by installing the kit from
Brewhardware.
I find that using my immersion chiller will no longer be possible, due to the weight of it resting on, and the immersed height of the element, if only brewing a 5 gallon batch.
Has anyone found short, 2" or 3" elements, as found in a kitchen kettle, that screw in?
Thanks.

 

[JoshuaW]

The problem with short elements, they will either not have enough wattage to achieve a boil (at least not quickly) or they will be extremely high density, and have the potential to scorch wort.

I would recommend you add a support for your chiller over your element, rather than switch elements.

 

[augiedoggy]

How much does your immersion chiller weigh? Usually its not a problem...

 

[beeton]

How much does your immersion chiller weigh? Usually its not a problem...

I've not weighed it. 20' of 3/4" copper

 

[Helper]

Like JoshuaW said, is there any way you can make a false bottom to go over your element that your immersion chiller can sit on? Something like a pizza cooking rack or wire rack with as many holes as possible with some stainless steel carriage bolts on the bottom as feet to elevate it over the element and then rest your IC on that. I'm thinking something like eBIAB brewers do with mashing. Its essentially a false bottom that allows the boil to come up and the IC to sit on top without touching the element. This might be a cheaper option than getting a new element or having to go to a CFC as long as a sufficient portion of the IC remains immersed in the wort.

Hope this helps.

 

[jwalkermed]

i have a blichmann boilcoil. my immersion chiller fits inside the coil and avoids this issue. you may want to see if that'll work for you.

 

[raysmithtx]

Can you attach some hooks to the side of the IC to attach and hang on the kettle rim?

 

[beeton]

Can you attach some hooks to the side of the IC to attach and hang on the kettle rim?

This may be what I end up doing, but, a small 3000w element
would be preferable.

 

[augiedoggy]

This may be what I end up doing, but, a small 3000w element
would be preferable.

As mentioned the smaller the element the hotter the surface area which equals an element that more likely to scorch...
I know many people that just rest the chiller on top of the elements and have never heard of an issue... The element would be fairly tough to damage this way..
If you do a search here for resting the chiller on the heating element you will see this question comes up quite a bit.

 

[isl247]

I've not weighed it. 20' of 3/4" copper

...minus the weight of the wort it displaces.

Have you tried bending an element? It's not that easy. I seriously doubt you would have a problem resting it on the element. But if you're really that concerned, you could just hook it over the kettle rim, as mentioned.