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Element Material Safety

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:14 pm
by artooks
Hi Everyone,

I have been looking to find the correct element for my boiler, I have found one, the length, Watt, Volt everything is suitable,it is also a low watt density the only thing that I am not sure of is its material it says that the sheath material is copper and the plating is zinc is it safe to use this element ? I was looking for Stainless Steel but could not find it.

Re: Element Material Safety

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:06 am
by Still Life
Check this out, Artooks.
Looks like a sacrificial run or two and a scrubbing will take care of the zinc, leaving your copper.

Re: Element Material Safety

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:39 am
by Windy City
Check these out.
They are all stainless steel and have given me great service.
I truly like how the base does not rust between runs like my old ULWD elements from Camco would

https://ebrewsupply.com/collections/elements" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Re: Element Material Safety

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:56 am
by artooks
Hi,

I think I have found what I am looking for:

4500 Watt Straight (LWD) Stainless Steel Heating Element
Camco 02929

The site link is: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/stain ... g-elements" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Camco 02929: 4500W (240V), straight, low watt density (LWD), 10.375" long from flange base to tip (9.875" long from end of threads).

These new heating elements are the same, but now with a stainless steel base that will not rust so it is safe to leave water in your kettles for extended durations without using a magnesium anode. Straight (higher watt density) versions are also available for RIMS based setups, small kettles, or where ripple elements will not fit.

These heating elements include important features a brewer should look for:

UL listed for use in the US and Canada.
Ultra low watt density (ULWD) or low watt density (LWD).
A stainless steel base that will not rust.
Better sheath (tube) material made from a high performance nickel-chromium stainless steel (804) alloy with much better temperature and corrosion resistance than standard shiny 2xx/3xx stainless steel.
ULWD elements prevent the wort from being scorched or caramelized as the heat output is only 50W per square inch (7.8W per square cm) or less. ULWD also provides added safety as the element will not break instantaneously if fired "dry" (not immersed in water) by accident. Mistakes do happen so we recommend that ULWD elements be used whenever possible instead of LWD, especially when the element is in contact with wort. The high performance nickel-chromium 804 stainless steel alloy sheath (tube) used on these elements provides additional strength to resist dry firing.


Just sharing the details, it looks like these do not rust which is a good thing. only thing I wonder is this is not ULWD it is only LWD, but this is the only one thay can fit, and will need a controller to dial it down.

Re: Element Material Safety

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 11:28 pm
by NZChris
Zinc plated was what was easily and cheaply available when I started. The zinc got eaten off very quickly and I doubt any zinc compounds made it into the first spirit run, but if they did, I'm still distilling with the same type of elements thirty years later. Once the zinc is gone, you are heating with copper elements, and copper is much better for removing nasty flavors than that crappy stainless steel stuff.

it might be possible to remove the zinc with an acid/vinegar run, but I've never bothered to try that.

Re: Element Material Safety

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 11:05 am
by artooks
Thanks NZ Chris I found an incoloy one which seems to be more suitable.