SS Brewtech 2v System - rolling boil

[SkinnyPete]

Just a quick question for anyone who uses the SS Brewtech controllers/elements. I just received a 20 gallon, 2v system. I'm replacing a 15 gallon Brew-Boss single vessel electric system. It's running on a dedicated 30A GFCI breaker. During my initial water-only tests, I'm only able to get 8 gallons to about 210.6 degrees, which results in a fairly weak/medium boil. I left it for 15 minutes at 100% power and it bounced between 210.5-210.6. I'm in a finished basement at about 65 degrees. My old system was able to get to 212 and cause a pretty violent vigorous boil. I'd always have to bring it down to 75%. I'm going to reach out to SS Brewtech and ask if this is expected but I'm just surprised I can't get to a crazy boil.

And, I'm not concerned with the number itself. I get that elevation, barometric pressure, and maybe the temp probe is slightly off. I'm more concerned with not being able to hit a vigorous boil regardless of the number reading. Maybe the boil level is misleading in just water and could appear more vigorous with wort? Any thoughts?

 

[Rob2010SS]

There's nothing wrong with a gentle boil. Some people prefer gentle boil over vigorous boil.

What are the electrical requirements of that system? Did it require a 240 plug? What wattage is the element that came with the system?

 

[RufusBrewer]

Maybe there is something about the extra density of wort compared to plain water. If you want to explore further, sacrifice some plain old table sugar and see what that does to the boil's performace.

Or, If you stil have the old equipment, do a plain water test on it. See what kind of boil you get with it. Is the same underwelming moderate boil?

If it were me, I would wait until my next batch and see what happens. If all you get is a moderate boil, it won't be the end of the world. You wil still make beer. I doubt that it will taste bad due to a not so busy and dramatic boil.

 

[SkinnyPete]

There's nothing wrong with a gentle boil. Some people prefer gentle boil over vigorous boil.

What are the electrical requirements of that system? Did it require a 240 plug? What wattage is the element that came with the system?

It's a 5500 watt halo element on a 240v plug running on a 30A dedicated breaker.

If all you get is a moderate boil, it won't be the end of the world. You wil still make beer. I doubt that it will taste bad due to a not so busy and dramatic boil.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll be able to produce perfectly fine beer with a gentle boil, but I'd be surprised and a little disappointed in general that a pretty expensive 20 gallon system from a reputable company like SS Brewtech is not, by design, capable of bringing 8 gallons of water to a vigorous boil. Also, not sure how a 15 gallon boil will go. I might try that next actually. My understanding is that wort takes more to boil than water, but maybe that's my misunderstanding.

I did do a water test with the old system about a week ago after I cleaned everything out and got it ready to sell. Eight gallons, very vigorous boil.

I also did reach out to SS brewtech to see if they think this is surprising or expected.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I'm using a 5500 watt standard element on a 240v / 30 A as well and our boil gets ripping at full power on 20 gallons so I would think yours would too.

I'd be curious to see what SSBT says. Maybe it's the way that halo element is designed?

 

[SkinnyPete]

The plot thickens. The element power, apparently, goes to 105%(?) Seems very Spinal Tap. I thought that did the trick as it got 8 gallons up to 211.0 but then immediately retreated to 210.6 and a soft boil and stayed there for 15 minutes.

I’ll await SS Brewtech’s response and I’ll try a full brew day this weekend and see how an actual boil looks.

 

[Jeremy W]

I had a very similar experience with my homemade 3V e-herms system. In my water-only test I was concerned about the vigor of my boil (seemed very weak). During an actual brew day, once I get the wort up to boil temp, I can maintain a rolling boil at about 65-70% output power. I think the wort composition has something to do with it.

 

[ajm163]

I have the 20G SS brewtech Electric kettle with the 2v controller. i can easily boil 15 gallons of wort (or water) although at my elevation i boil at 204 degrees. i can maintain a gentle boil at about 75% output on the controller

 

[Rob2010SS]

could go the steam condenser route... Using that, my boil is maintained at 45% power.

 

[duncan.brown]

I’m close to sea level and I maintain a roiling boil with a 240V 5500W ULWD element at 55% duty cycle on my PID. This is in manual mode, not with the PID control enabled.

Is the controller in a temperature feedback mode or can you set a fixed on/off duty cycle?

 

[SkinnyPete]

Thanks, all, for the feedback. Hoping to have time to do an actual brew day this weekend and see how it goes with wort. I got an auto-reply from SSBT saying they're behind with support responses and they'll get back to me as soon as they can. So, I'll keep an eye out for that.

Is the controller in a temperature feedback mode or can you set a fixed on/off duty cycle?

It's in manual mode at 100% (well, 105 for some reason). I can't find good online manuals for this thing so I actually don't know really what fixed on/off duty cycle or temp feedback is. I attached a screenshot a couple posts up of what I'm seeing, if that helps.

EDIT: Ah, in context I assume you just mean auto - set to a temp, or manual - fixed duty cycle set to a percentage.. Then it is in manual. Sorry, controller newbie.

 

[JeffersonStateBrewing]

My understanding is that wort takes more to boil than water, but maybe that's my misunderstanding.

PURE water takes more to boil than any other water dominant liquid. this is the reason you (might) add salt to water to help it boil when making noodles or spaghetti noodles. The easiest way to explain this is that the salt in your water is actually a contaminate. the more contaminate in the water the lower the boiling point. I dont have exact numbers, but an example would be: A ~10% alcohol mash will boil at roughly 172F verses pure water at 212F.

I have received my SSBT 3v system. have not yet set it up. But i am wondering if i will have similar issues with the straight water boiling. I intend to use my system to brew beer, obviously, but i also plan to use my system for OTHER than brewing beer where boiling water is necessary.

I know its an old thread but hoping you have more info on your experiences.

 

[doug293cz]

PURE water takes more to boil than any other water dominant liquid. this is the reason you (might) add salt to water to help it boil when making noodles or spaghetti noodles. The easiest way to explain this is that the salt in your water is actually a contaminate. the more contaminate in the water the lower the boiling point. I dont have exact numbers, but an example would be: A ~10% alcohol mash will boil at roughly 172F verses pure water at 212F.

...

This is false. Dissolving any solid in water raises the boiling point. This is referred to as "boiling point elevation." The bit about lowering the boiling temp is an old wives' tale.

Also, your temps re: ethanol/water solutions are incorrect. A 10% ABV ethanol solution is about 8% by weight (because ethanol is less dense than water), and that solution will boil at 91.5 - 92°C (196.7 - 197.6°F.) Pure ethanol boils at 78.4°C (173.1°F), and the azeotropic mixture (95.5% by wt ethanol) boils at 78.1°C ( 172.6°F.)

Brew on

 

[Mac MacFarlane]

When I first got my brewzilla i did a test boil with just water could hardly get a boil. But will boil wort no problem.