Wort burning with heater elements/pots ?

[brewman !]

I am throwing around some ideas for equipment changes for my mash tun setup.

I've heard that some of the rims systems like to burn the wort on the heating element. Does anyone know at what temp that happens or how much power per square inch that happens at ?

If one boils wort on a stove burner, does it burn ? A stove burner is about 8 inches in diameter and 1.5KW or so. That is about 30 watts per square inch.

McMastercarr has long, flexible, submersible heating elements also at 30 watts per in^2. If I put these in the bottom of a mash vessel, under a false bottom, would they burn the wort ?

www.mcmastercarr.com Item 3540K42

They also have these in 2.5,5 and 10 watts per in^2, but I'd have to use a SS mash vessel to use them. 35765K125

One could get 7.5 watts per in^2 by running the flexible tube elements at half voltage.

So at what temp/heating density does wort burn ?

How many watts of heat does one need in a mash tun ?

Anyone see a problem with putting a couple of these in the bottom of a plastic cooler ?





Thanks

 

[zoebisch01]

Anyone see a problem with putting a couple of these in the bottom of a plastic cooler ?

I dunno, personally I wouldn't do it. I saw a system like that (the guy called it IHOP with a water heater element). Kind of hazardous if you ask me. While you probably won't encounter problems with it, there is always the 'what if' factor, which for me, is more than enough not to try it.

As for scorching wort that is a good question, to which I do not know the answer.

 

[brewman !]

I guess I should confess that my first brewpot was an electric element mounted in a 5 gallon plastic pail. It worked. But this will be a bit different.