Stainless Steel Heating Element Upgrade

High Gravity 5500 Watt Stainless Steel Heating Element

After four years of regular use, I starting seeing small black specks of what I thought were burnt wort at the bottom of the kettle. On closer inspection, I saw that the hard insulator around the heating element was deteriorating. The rubber boot covering the 220-volt wire connections to the heating element had become brittle some time ago. And the electrical tape added as a quick fix didn't appear to be waterproof or safe. It was time to replace the heating element. 

I submitted a service request to High Gravity Supplies describing what happened to the original heating element. That day I received an email from owner Dave Knott letting me know what replacement options were available. The first option would be to replace the original water heater type element with a newer BoilCoil element. This option would require more rework of my kettle than I cared to. Having a removable power cord would make cleaning in place a thing of the past. But it would require drilling a new hole to allow clearance for the taller BoilCoil. Then plug the original hole used by the old element. And drilling holes for the bolts that hold the basket above the BoilCoil.

The second option would be a direct replacement of the original heating element. There would be no extra holes to drill or plug. Just remove and replace it. I decided to go with this option. The newer element design addresses issues with insulator cracking and flaking. It also replaces the rubber wire connector cover with a sturdy stainless steel cover. All of which are improvements over the original design.

The third option was to replace only the heating element. It meant rewiring the replacement element and reusing the original power cord. It was the least expensive option but not the best one. Not without having a fix for the element insulator and connector issues.

Unscrewing The Existing Bulkhead Fitting Was A Challenge

With the necessary parts ordered and waiting to be delivered, the next step was to remove the weldless bulkhead fitting. I gave the kettle an overnight soak of Powdered Brewery Wash mixed with few gallons of 170F/68C water. Hoping the combination of cleaner and heat would make unscrewing the fitting easier.  It didn't. I soon learned how difficult a four year build up of burnt wort would make this seemingly simple task.

Using two large channel lock pliers to grip both ends of the fitting and all the strength I had the fitting did spin. But to unscrew it from the kettle one end had to be prevented from turning. I sprayed both fitting ends with vegetable oil spray. I tried it again but still no luck unscrewing the fitting. Although now it was easier to spin in the hole.

Finally, I clamped one channel lock on the heating element itself and jammed the handles against the kettle wall to keep the fitting from spinning. With the kettle on its side, I cranked down on the pliers as hard as possible. After a few sharp taps with a hammer to help loosen the carbon build up on the threads. The element started to turn while the inside nut stayed put. Breaking the heating element in two in the process because of the force applied while holding it.

After A Few Choice Words And Some Sweat The New Heating Element Is Working Great

Aside from a few small dents on the bottom of the kettle from the channel lock pliers, the new heating element looks and works great. The new design has a stainless steel cover plate to protect the insulator from direct contact with the wort. And a waterproof stainless steel connector cover has replaced the rubber one. At 5500 watts it's a small but welcome improvement over the 5000 watt element that shipped with my High Gravity system as well.

Upgrading the heating element was a bit more challenging than expected. Replacing the old element with the newer version was definitely worth the cost and effort to install it. The entire process took a little over four hours to complete. Including setup and cleanup time needed to get the kettle ready for brewing. The food-safe vegetable oil used to lubricate the holes during drilling cleaned up easily. And checking the kettle for leaks after filling it took another hour. In all the upgrade cost about $120.00. And worth it to keep my brewing system well maintained and up to date.

eBIAB - Single Vessel Electric Brewing System

The High Gravity eBIAB Single Vessel Brewing System is a real game changer for the homebrewer who loves to brew indoors. This is one powerful, precision controlled brewing solution in a compact format that is incredibly easy to use. The EBC-SV electric brewery controller delivers unparalleled temperature control throughout the entire brewing process, from dough in to mash out. Keeping up with the demands of a busy brewing schedule was a very positive experience this year, thanks to the High Gravity single vessel brewing system. Brewing on this system will easily turn your most productive brew days into your most enjoyable brew days ever.

Electric Brewery Controller- Single Vessel [EBC-SV]

At the heart of the EBC-SV controller is the ubiquitous Auber PID Temperature Controller. The Auber PID is a high precision controller with features that include 0.02% accuracy, enhanced fuzzy logic stability control and a bright LED display that is easy to see. Programming the temperature could not be any easier to do, just press the up or down arrow buttons to set the target temperature on the lower green LED display. The readout from the temperature probe is then displayed on the upper red LED display. Once setup the PID controller does the rest, it energizes the heating element inside the kettle as needed to accurately maintain the target temperature.

The Auber PID Temperature Controller

The EBC-SV comes in both 110 volt and 220 volt models, making it the perfect brewing solution for every home brewer. Whether you install a new 220 volt 30 amp circuit, or use an existing one, you will have enough power to brew 10 gallon batches with ease. Built from high quality, readily available components, you can expect this eBIAB system to provide you with years of reliable operation. The temperature controller display comes preset to display in degrees Fahrenheit and using the controller to accurately maintain mash temperature is simple. Just press the up and down buttons to set your target temperature, add your mash water to the kettle and then turn on the Chugger pump.

Wort Going To Spray Nozzle And Temperature Probe

The wort is pumped from the bottom of the kettle, where the electric heating element is located, up to the spray nozzle mounted underneath the kettle lid. The threaded end of the spray nozzle screws into a tee fitting where the temperature probe is mounted. As liquid flows around the probe on it's way to the spray nozzle, the temperature data is fed back to and monitored by the controller. The controller then energizes the heating element as needed in order to maintain the mash set point temperature. 

The Round Knob Is Used To Regulate The Power Going To The Heating Element

The round knob on the side of the controller adjusts the power output to the heating element. When turned fully clockwise the heating element receives the most power, this setting is used to quickly raise the temperature of the liquid in the kettle. Once the liquid reaches a boil turning the knob counter clockwise reduces the amount of power sent to the heating element. To prevent boil overs it is a good practice to reduce the power to the heating element, by turning the knob counter-clockwise, until the wort maintains a steady rolling boil.

Gravity Primed Chugger Pump Setup

The Chugger pump is not self-priming, instead the pump uses gravity to prime itself, as long as the inlet to the pump is positioned lower than the kettle valve. The orientation of the pump head can be changed by removing the four screws that mount the front of the pump head to the pump body. With the screws removed, the pump head can then be rotated as needed to position the inlet below the center line of the pump. To use the pump open the kettle valve then turn on the pump switch, the pump will prime and begin pumping almost immediately.  

Disassembling And Cleaning The Pump Impeller Shaft

Chugger pump impellers rotate around a stationary shaft that is mounted to the pump body. The design uses very close tolerances between the shaft and the impeller bushing, for both maximum performance and quiet operation. If too much sticky wort builds up between the shaft and the impeller, the impeller will bind on the shaft stopping the pump. The magnetic drive on the pump motor turns the impeller. The magnetism used is also strong enough to stop the motor from turning when the impeller binds to the shaft. More detailed instructions on how to disassemble and clean a stuck Chugger pump impeller can be found here.

Cleaning The Heating Element Maximizes Efficiency And Life

At the end of the brewday the kettle, tubing, pump, chiller and spray nozzle is easily cleaned by mixing a spoonful of Oxi-Clean Free in 2 gallons of water and heating it to 140F. Add the water to the kettle then mix in the Oxi-Clean Free and run the pump with the controller set point temperature set to 140F. Use a bristle brush and sponge to clean any heavier buildup from the kettle and then empty the kettle and repeat the process using clean water. It is important to remove all debris from the system before it has time to dry and to then flush the system with clean water until it runs clear. Thoroughly clean the system after each use, to prevent the pump impeller from sticking, and to make sure it is always ready to go.   

Clogged Shut Off Type Disconnect (On Right)

The HFC 35 Polysulfide High Flow Quick Disconnects that shipped with the system are easy to use and make connection changes a snap. Unlike metal disconnects that transfer heat quickly after hot wort has been run through them, polysulfide disconnects will not burn your hand when changing connections. The HFC 35s are rated for safe operation with liquid temperatures up to 280F. Their large easy to press thumb latches make them perfect for use in brewing systems, especially when used with high quality 1/2" ID food grade silicone tubing.

Replace Shut Off Connectors With Straight Thru Connectors

The shut off type connectors that came with the system are prone to clogging whenever a large enough piece of grain enters the tubing. With brew in a bag brewing grain can escape through a hole in the grain bag and then get sucked up by the pump. Once enough grain gets lodged inside the shut off valve the tubing will become blocked and wort circulation will stop. Replacing the shut off type connectors with straight thru type connectors will prevent the connectors from becoming blocked. To eliminate any chance of blockage the connectors can be positioned so the interior cross bars are aligned, providing the largest open area inside the connectors.    

Indoor Electric Brew In A Bag Brewroom

A few months from now I will be installing a 220 volt recirculating infusion mash system (RIMS) in my new brewroom, I've already said goodbye to my old natural gas powered system. My previous brewroom was awesome I brewed over 100 batches in there, it was located indoors in a well ventilated basement and was powered by two natural gas burners. For me at the time this was a really beautiful setup, after some initial trial and error in the layout, it became a very efficient brewroom that was a lot of fun to use. The brewroom was big, it included enough space for a yeast lab, storage area, beer conditioning and an awesome brewing setup. I brewed on that all grain setup for three years and produced some of the greatest tasting beers ever. I looked forward to my time brewing there and inviting fellow brewers over to share recipes, beers, new ideas and to lend a hand from time to time. 

High Gravity Electric Brew In A Bag

Being only months away from moving into the new place I decided that building my next brewroom around an electric brewing system would be the best way go. I'll admit at first I had no idea exactly what the pros and cons of using electric were versus gas powered brewing systems. I soon found myself doing a ton of research to learn everything I could about the electric option and it's benefits over gas. Understanding the power line size was pretty straightforward, there's a lot of useful information on the manufacturer websites to help with that and other concepts. 

A dedicated 220 volt 30 amp GFIC is used to power a 4 wire 30 amp receptacle located near the brewing area and as with any indoor brewroom setup adequate ventilation is an absolute necessity. With electric brewing though we only need to exhaust boil vapors and brewing aromas to maintain a safe and comfortable working environment. Unlike gas powered systems electric brewing systems don't consume oxygen and they don't produce poisonous carbon monoxide so there's no need to worry about exhausting poisonous fumes too. There are other things to consider when comparing electric verses gas like the lower installation cost of a 30 amp 220 volt electric line compared to installing a gas line to power the brewing system.

Indoor brewrooms powered by gas burners have to be well ventilated to quickly remove poisonous combustion gases and replace them with fresh makeup air. As the volume of air required to maintain a safe and healthy brewroom environment gets higher the more cubic feet per minute (CFM) of fresh air the exhaust system will need to remove and replace. In my gas powered brewroom I used two 7,000 btu gas burners to heat the mash and boil the wort for a combined rating of 14,000 btus. 

Using the same cfm calculations published by John Blichmann in BYO Magazine for their November 2012 issue the 14,000 btus created by the gas burners divided by 30 require approximately 450 cubic feet per minute of make up air to change the air in the brew room. The electric powered brewroom will measure approximately 20 feet by 20 feet by 10 feet high and hold nearly 4,000 cubic feet of space. When 4,000 cubic feet is multiplied by the 8 air changes per hour it comes out to 32,000, then further dividing 32,000 by 60 produced the 533 CFM needed to change the brewroom air about 8 times every hour.

Room Dimension	Change Room Air
Length   Feet	Every  Minutes
Width   Feet	Size   Cubic Ft.
Height   Feet

As far as heating efficiency goes a gas burner loses about 50% of it's BTU rating because the heat produced by the flame rapidly radiates outward and away from the wort in the brew kettle. Electric powered kettles are 100% efficient because the heating elements are in contact with the wort at all times. Due to these major differences in heating efficiencies an electric heating element rated at 5,000 watts is capable of heating wort at the same rate as an 18,000 BTU gas burner. The standard calculation used to convert watts to BTUs per hour is to take the wattage of an electric heating element and times it by 3.412, the answer represents the number of BTUs. (Example: A 220 volt 5,000 watt heating element times 3.412 converts to 18,766 btus per hour.)