Electric burner

[Southpawdownhiller]

I have a 10 gallon copper pot with thumper. Has anyone had success cooking indoors with an electric hot plate? I'm seeing a few on the net that are 2000watts and 220 volts. Would one of these be worth spending hard earned cash on??? Do they work for a 10 gallon pot?

[NineInchNails]

Internal electric heating element is the way to go. You'll need a proper controller box to run the element.

[aquavita]

SPD -

It a bit of math and physics...

1 watt = approximately 3.41 BTU/hour

So your 2000 watt plate "should" be able to generate 6,820 BTUs per hour.

You really shouldn't fill the pot to "max" (10 gallons), but to make the math easy let's keep it at 10 gallons.

To move 1 lb of water 1 degree = 1 BTU. So you have roughly 80 lbs of water - let's pretend it is at a room temp of 70 degrees, and you need to move it to roughly 180 degrees or so. 180 - 70 = 110 degrees of movement or 110 BTUs per pound. 110 x 80 lbs of water = 8,800 BTUs. 8,800 BTUs divided by the capacity of your plate 6,820 = your will hit 180 degrees in roughly 77.5 minutes.

The above calc of course does not take into consideration the room temp "leach" of the pots temp - so it will most likely take longer than the 77.5 minutes - I'd guess closer to 90+ minutes.

So sure, it should work. Just takes time.

Please keep in mind that I do not even have my still built, I've just been researching this "hobby" for a good bit and have a decent grasp (I think - wife tells me I am frequently wrong, but I think that's debateable )

Have a good one.

[aquavita]

Internal electric heating element is the way to go. You'll need a proper controller box to run the element.

I bet Southpaw has one of those beautiful Alembic Stills... Works of art they are!

Tough to mount an internal element in one I'd bet. But I am sure that one of the resident copper smiths could figure it out.

[Prairiepiss]

Hot plates usually use a thermostat to control them. This is not what you want. So they need to be modified and a controller added. There is a thread in the must read new distiller reading lounge. Explaining what you need in a controller. It will explain it Mich better then we can post here in your thread.

[MitchyBourbon]

I have a Cadco hot 2000 watt plate. I use it to heat a ten gallon mash tun. It brings 9 gallons of water and corn t other boil without any problem. I wouldn't use it to run a still though. It cycles on and off unless it's turn on full. You need your heat source to be steady. If it isn't steady you can have problems with puking (boil over into your column/riser). You will als offers have problems getting any out of your still that tastes any good. I have used propane and I have used internal electric. Both work great but I prefer the internal electric.

[pounsfos]

grab a hot water element, get the correct thread for it (about 32mm is standard I believe, but coukld vary between coutries)

cut a hole and weld the S/S thread into side of the still (try mount it as low as possible, so it is always covered by water

insert element and wire it up
this is what I have done, great poart is, if you wanna move up to a bigger element, take the old one out, put the new one in....

[BoomTown]

I've a SS pot, same diameter as a 5 gall bucket (11"). I've been looking on line at 'pail heaters' that wrap around the bucket, and have thermostats controls.

They come as belts for metal or plastic buckets, and I'm thinking about trying one out for a plastic mashing bucket and fermenter controller. Typically, they run on 110V, draw less than 800amps, are about 4"x32", and are made of silicone.

It's lit says you can set for low temps and maintain +/- 10F to the setting, so I was thinking about a reverse steeping process where by I'd steep the corn at 180F, chill it down to 100F and add in malted grain and other grains like wheat, rye and oats, then lifting the temp back up to 134F for hold then up to 150F for a hold, then set it to a fermenting temp of about 80F.

If the temp control is right, and I were to use a SS bucket, would I be able to do it all in one bucket, maybe use that same bucket for my 'pot' by just amping the heatbelt back up to 190F after the ferment finishes, and put my still head on the top of the can. In my operation, that would simplify my process a lot, but eliminating a lot of shuffling between containers, straining grains, and cleaning.

Any thoughts?

Boom

[NZChris]

The sizing of your condenser is a limiting factor and more important than the size of the still when calculating your heat requirements.

Use the calculator at http://homedistiller.org/calcs/cond_calc to work out the maximum heat input you can get away with. Say for example your condenser's limit is 800w, you could go shopping for a 750w element and not require a controller.

If you wanted more watts for a quick startup you could use two 1500w internal elements and have them switched to give you the choice of 3000w, 1500w and 750w. http://homedistiller.org/equip/control

[aquavita]

They come as belts for metal or plastic buckets, and I'm thinking about trying one out for a plastic mashing bucket and fermenter controller. Typically, they run on 110V, draw less than 800amps, are about 4"x32", and are made of silicone

Boom

Boom -

800 amps @ 110/120V is something like 80,000+ watts or so. That's smokin hot - think the average hair dryer is only 1,200 watts or so.

Did you mean 800 watts not amps? That would make sense.

To be honest, I really can't see 800 watts being able to do much beyond "warming" something - like a blanket.

I think that those belts are really designed to ensure a solid/even ferment temp.

[Southpawdownhiller]

I found a 5500 watt element on eBay with a controller for 350 bucks. But I'm somewhat hesitant about poking a hole in the side of my copper still. I have a beer keg and being a master tig welder, I guess I'll get crackin on that project for inside boils and keep the copper pot for outdoor use. Thanks and good luck!!

[Jimbo]

you can buy that element and controller for less than 50 bucks read the electric thread in my signature. information on soldering is also there

[BoomTown]

Did you mean 800 watts not amps? That would make sense.

Gulp, yep watts it was. Thanks....
Will review the specs, the indicated that the heat could be very hot...so I may have really screwed that rating up...

Thanks for making me take another look...

Boom

[BoomTown]

Did you mean 800 watts not amps? That would make sense.

Gulp, yep watts it was. Thanks....
Will review the specs, the indicated that the heat could be very hot...so I may have really screwed that rating up...

Thanks for making me take another look...

Boom

Here are the actual marketing specs on the bucket heater: BriskHeat® SILICONE RUBBER PAIL HEATER

This pail heater is designed with two extra-thick layers of 20 mil fiberglass reinforced silicone rubber for excellent strength, durability and flexibility. Patented 360° grounded, multi-stranded heating element is uniformly placed to maximize heat distribution, and provides an extra-wide 4" coverage area. Moisture and chemical resistant heater includes an adjustable thermostat control (displays in °F and °C), spring closure that can be expanded to 3", and a 6' L power cord. Dielectric strength of over 2000 volts and maximum exposure temperature on heating surface is 450°. 120V model has a standard 3-prong NEMA 5-15 plug. Meets NEC 427.23.

Has anyone tried anything similar?

Boom

[rad14701]

BoomTown, that heater is thermostatically controlled, meaning that it controls temperature, not heat input... It's On - Off, not proportional... Several members have used industrial heat belts with mixed results for heating fermenters and boilers...

[Jimbo]

Boom,

Are you talking about these? http://www.doversaddlery.com/water-heat ... MgodGzAAqw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

My brewing friend has one and uses it to help heat up his mash and sparge water. He uses propane otherwise. I dont think they work very fast, he said he drops it in the night before he's gonna brew. He's one of those people that has a herd of people over for every game and suck down gallons a week of his beer. He brews 10g pretty much every single saturday morning of the year LOL. Anyway I digress, that has nothing to do with the bucket heater haha.

[Tater]

Did you mean 800 watts not amps? That would make sense.

Gulp, yep watts it was. Thanks....
Will review the specs, the indicated that the heat could be very hot...so I may have really screwed that rating up...

Thanks for making me take another look...

Boom

So that only pull around 6.6 amps then

[BoomTown]

Boom,

Are you talking about these? http://www.doversaddlery.com/water-heat ... MgodGzAAqw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

No, actually it's one of these: http://www.globalindustrial.com/searchR ... ail+heater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[BoomTown]

BoomTown, that heater is thermostatically controlled, meaning that it controls temperature, not heat input... It's On - Off, not proportional... Several members have used industrial heat belts with mixed results for heating fermenters and boilers...

OK, I see that. Not long ago, I bought one of those current controlling boxes you'd recommended, and use it on a hot plate. In your experience, would that not be applicable here too?

Boom

[rad14701]

BoomTown, that heater is thermostatically controlled, meaning that it controls temperature, not heat input... It's On - Off, not proportional... Several members have used industrial heat belts with mixed results for heating fermenters and boilers...

OK, I see that. Not long ago, I bought one of those current controlling boxes you'd recommended, and use it on a hot plate. In your experience, would that not be applicable here too?

Boom

Yes... When used with a hot plate, however, you need to bypass the thermostatic switch so the hot plate doesn't cycle...

[BoomTown]

Yes rad, I did that on the hotplate…and now I can control the actual heat much more closely than before. I've looked at the spec drawings of the heat belt, and suspect that with some modification to the connections to the heating elements, a similar 'rig' that by passes its thermostat will be possible. If not, I'll end up with a very expensive fermenter warmer.

Boom

[Coyote]

Your running a copper boiler,

Get a 1" female coupler, solder it in
get a 220 volt water heater element
screw it in, wire for 220 and/or 120 volt
fire it up

Problem solved

I have a 220 volt in one side, and a 120 volt
in the other side. I run them both to heat up,
first drips. Then I plug the 220V into a 120V
specially wired plug and finish the run on 120V
No controllers, no fanfare, no bulls__t.
Works just great on my pot still.

There is my 3 cents worth

Coyote

[chevyrestore]

Your running a copper boiler,

Get a 1" female coupler, solder it in
get a 220 volt water heater element
screw it in, wire for 220 and/or 120 volt
fire it up

Problem solved

I have a 220 volt in one side, and a 120 volt
in the other side. I run them both to heat up,
first drips. Then I plug the 220V into a 120V
specially wired plug and finish the run on 120V
No controllers, no fanfare, no bulls__t.
Works just great on my pot still.

There is my 3 cents worth

Coyote

Coyote thanks for that post, I have a s/s 5 gal pot but no access to a 220v outlet (its going to be used on a ranch in Mexico and only 120v outlet is available at that building). What watt element(s) would you recommend to hook up into the pot to use 120v outlets? I was thinking either drilling a hole close to the bottom and welding in a nut since it would be a twist in element or if its acceptable I could drill just a hair larger than the threads and wrap the element threads in PTFE tape. My hardware store has 2000w and 1500w screw in high-density water heater elements. Trying to stay electric to be as safe as possible. Thanks for any ideas you have

[BoomTown]

BoomTown, that heater is thermostatically controlled, meaning that it controls temperature, not heat input... It's On - Off, not proportional... Several members have used industrial heat belts with mixed results for heating fermenters and boilers...

OK, I see that. Not long ago, I bought one of those current controlling boxes you'd recommended, and use it on a hot plate. In your experience, would that not be applicable here too?

Boom

Yes... When used with a hot plate, however, you need to bypass the thermostatic switch so the hot plate doesn't cycle...

Thanks Rad, sorry I dropped this thread, have been battling the flu at my house. I plan to use the controller on the heat belt, just as if it were the hotplate. I will be doing a tiny bit of soldering to set it up, taking out the belt's thermostate and putting in the rheostat. I got a 'motor control' switch, alleged to control current/volt flow through the circuit. I'm hoping it wll set up a contolled heat within the belt. What do you think?

Boom

[BoomTown]

Yes... When used with a hot plate, however, you need to bypass the thermostatic switch so the hot plate doesn't cycle...

Hey Rad,

I just bought a 9761EPC Electronic Stepless Speed Control (http://www.amazon.com/STK-9761EPC-Elect ... B00HV2QHS4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow)

It has it's own 15amp fuse, and I tested it out. I have an unaltered Cadco Hotplate, and I put this gizmo in between it and the outlet, turned to Cadco ot max and set the EPC to mas. The burner got red hot, then I switched the EPC to the II setting and backed the potentiometer in the EPC down, and the burner lost heat....

I'm making a trial run with it now, to see if it actually works with my pot. The cost was $28 and it is 'plug and play'.

Boom

[rad14701]

Sounds good, BoomTown... Some hot plates stay on when turned up all the way while others will still cycle... Keep us posted on your progress... That controller works for both resistive and inductive loads whereas some only work with resistive loads... The major difference being an additional circuit with a resistor, capacitor, and choke coil/inductor...

[BoomTown]

Sounds good, BoomTown... Some hot plates stay on when turned up all the way while others will still cycle... Keep us posted on your progress... That controller works for both resistive and inductive loads whereas some only work with resistive loads... The major difference being an additional circuit with a resistor, capacitor, and choke coil/inductor...

So far, this is working flawlessly. The ramp-up from 70 degrees f, to when the drip started is the same. Apparently, it works as well as the unit I bought earlier, and had to tinker with all those internal wires with on the other hotplate. In my mind, that's a significant bonus relating to safety. This plug an play unit does get a little hot, it has sort of a clip on piece attached to an aluminum bottom, so I clipped it to a 2" copper collar, and feel very comfortable about the heat being dissapated. Having finished the run, I detect no difference between how this worked and the other unit I installed the other product on. I like this better, it's separate from the Cadco, and easier to install and use.



Boom