Building a boiler

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Mike Palmer
Posts: 339
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 7:41 am
Location: Shatton

Building a boiler

Post by Mike Palmer »

Afternoon chaps, the girlfriend's off around Europe for a few weeks so I want to build a boiler. I've had a look for an element, and I think a 3.5kW titanium one ticks all the boxes, so now I need to:
1. figure out how to drill a 70l pan and attach said element
2. insulate the bugger

Any and all advice appreciated, I'd also be keen to have a look at one if anyone's built something similar.
Long live SHA(T)!
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I_used_to_brew
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Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:06 pm

Re: Building a boiler

Post by I_used_to_brew »

A single 3.5KW element will draw too much current for a 13A domestic connection, unless you are making special provisions for this I'd go for a lower power element. I boil in a 70 litre vessel with a single 2.4KW element, you could use two but you would need to make sure each was plugged into a seperate socket - not both into a twin socket for example.

Silver backed camping mat makes an excellent insualtor, shiny side in for efficiency and outwards for looks, I went shiny side out and it's working fine.

What's the pan made from?
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Mike Palmer
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Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 7:41 am
Location: Shatton

Re: Building a boiler

Post by Mike Palmer »

I was considering stainless steel - easy to clean but perhaps a bugger to drill. I hadn't considered the power usage, so thanks for that. How long does your 2.4kW take to boil, say, sixty litres?
Long live SHA(T)!
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Building a boiler

Post by I_used_to_brew »

Difficult to say as I don't boil from 'cold'. 45 minutes to get to strike temp (77c) from 15c and a little longer to get from sparge temp - say 65c to boiling. Then the boil is a nice rolling boil.
tim__k
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:59 pm

Re: Building a boiler

Post by tim__k »

I've got a similar set-up. A 70 litre stockpot with a 3KW immersion heater element. That's the limit for normal electrics, and it's running on a 20A circuit that has nothing else on it, no cr@ppy extension leads!

I haven't insulated my pot, I was planning to but I think if I did it would be too fierce on a smaller boil. As it is it works well for 25 to 50 litres.

You'll need either a holesaw or a q-max cutter to for the hole. The size will depend on what element you're using. Stainless steel is very hard, normal drills won't really do it, you need the ones with 5% cobalt.

Hope that helps.
The Terrace Brewery - brewing on terraces since 2009
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I_used_to_brew
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Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:06 pm

Re: Building a boiler

Post by I_used_to_brew »

I went plastic when I went increased my brewlength, much easier to bang a hole in.

http://www.copperkettlehomebrewing.co.u ... pp-buckets
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