Electric heat controller?

[west1m]

remember KISS... this is what is used for controlling stove top type elements.
https://www.grainger.com/product/ROBERTSHAW-Electric-Cooking-Control-6KXF1
available from Grainger in many ratings

 

[Hawkbox]

I'm very much on the simple side of the planning. I could make a digital rig but I don't really want to. I know just enough about electrics to be dangerous.

 

[Mase]

Realizing that it would be convenient or as I get older, a requirement to brew inside. But for me to do that, I’d have to install a vent hood in the brew room and re run 220 to the same area. I know it’s coming, but for now, it’s the propane burner in the detached garage. And you know what... I actually enjoy brewing outdoors and living in the mountains, it’s hard to beat.

sorry to stray a bit off topic

 

[Hawkbox]

I'm kind of the same boat, brewing in my basement would remove the most hazardous part of my day (carrying wort and water up and down stairs) and I have 240v down there and could easily make it work. But I like brewing in my garage and I don't mind propane, but I'm curious now about tinkering with this setup even if I end up not really seriously using it.

 

[Nosybear]

Realizing that it would be convenient or as I get older, a requirement to brew inside. But for me to do that, I’d have to install a vent hood in the brew room and re run 220 to the same area. I know it’s coming, but for now, it’s the propane burner in the detached garage. And you know what... I actually enjoy brewing outdoors and living in the mountains, it’s hard to beat.

sorry to stray a bit off topic

I don't need a vent hood with the induction burner, just open the basement door!

 

[Craigerrr]

I have been thinking about adding an element to my HLT with temp control and timer. It would be nice to be at strike temp when I am ready to brew. Be it a Friday night when I get home from work, or a weekend morning.

 

[Mase]

I don't need a vent hood with the induction burner, just open the basement door!

Just out of curiosity, are you getting about a gallon an hour boil off rate with induction? Just curious as I typically run a moderate boil and adjust up or down to achieve 5.5 gallons (6.5 gallon preboil) prior to ice bath for a 5.25 gallon yield.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I'm kind of the same boat, brewing in my basement would remove the most hazardous part of my day (carrying wort and water up and down stairs) and I have 240v down there and could easily make it work. But I like brewing in my garage and I don't mind propane, but I'm curious now about tinkering with this setup even if I end up not really seriously using it.

I brew out on my patio same place I used to on gas. But plugs are 240v 10amp standard in Oz. Also now that I've got 6.5KW of solar on the roof i can pretty much power my rig for free if I brew at the right time of day.
Also last brew day I actually set and forget my brew mostly now went inside and was watching a movie most brew day.

 

[Nosybear]

Just out of curiosity, are you getting about a gallon an hour boil off rate with induction? Just curious as I typically run a moderate boil and adjust up or down to achieve 5.5 gallons (6.5 gallon preboil) prior to ice bath for a 5.25 gallon yield.

Depends. If I run 5 gal (6.5 gal boil start) at 2.8 kw, boil-off rate is about 1 gph, depending mostly on ambient humidity (which generally isn't much here). If I run lower wattage, the boil-off rate is lower. Thing I love about induction is the heat load is never much over boiling - the pot is creating the heat. Little risk of scorching, although I do have a bit of "caramelization" on the bottom of the pot when I run at 2.8 kw.

 

[Mase]

Depends. If I run 5 gal (6.5 gal boil start) at 2.8 kw, boil-off rate is about 1 gph, depending mostly on ambient humidity (which generally isn't much here). If I run lower wattage, the boil-off rate is lower. Thing I love about induction is the heat load is never much over boiling - the pot is creating the heat. Little risk of scorching, although I do have a bit of "caramelization" on the bottom of the pot when I run at 2.8 kw.

The one future deterrent was always where to put the vent with our house layout. With only a wiring need to change over, definitely makes the transition in the future a lot more palatable.

 

[Nosybear]

If you'll check out my "Show Us Your Boil" post from yesterday, I shot the pic so the induction unit would be in it. It seems to work pretty well, I'm happy with it!

 

[Hawkbox]

I have been thinking about adding an element to my HLT with temp control and timer. It would be nice to be at strike temp when I am ready to brew. Be it a Friday night when I get home from work, or a weekend morning.

That's sort of where all this got started.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Any joy with you electric brewing ideas hawkbox?

 

[Hawkbox]

I ended up just plugging them both into different circuits and tracking it. To heat 8 gallons of water to 75C took nearly an hour which is probably twice as long as using propane so I kind of lost interest in it after that. I will probably rig it up to a timer or wifi plug at some point to start heating before I go out but I think I'm gonna need 240V if I'm going to seriously do electric brewing.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I ended up just plugging them both into different circuits and tracking it. To heat 8 gallons of water to 75C took nearly an hour which is probably twice as long as using propane so I kind of lost interest in it after that. I will probably rig it up to a timer or wifi plug at some point to start heating before I go out but I think I'm gonna need 240V if I'm going to seriously do electric brewing.

Yeah that's too long. On brew day I'll use both 10a 240v elements to bring water to strike temp. I havnt timed it but by the time I've weighed milled added salts it's ready to mash in about half hour.

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah I put one of them on an inkbird this morning so I can heat water while I play Sea of Thieves but propane is what I'll be doing the boil with for sure.