HLT sizing.

[bsfixit]

I am trying to decide to go with a small HLT with electric elements, Or save for a red hat solenoid and another burner and run
propane on a Sanke keg. I found this .pdf http://www.artisan-distiller.org/design ... rMount.pdf
But what I don't understand is how to heat all the sparge water I would need , seems like I can only to 5 gallon batches with with a small HLT and heating elements. I have a 1500W and 2000W 110v elements I was planning on wiring them up and I am going to run them with dedicated 20 amp circuits each. How would I heat sparge water with a small HLT ? The heat transfer of a large HLT to a 3/8" copper coil. wouldn't be very efficient. If I manually raised the temp or the HLT with another burner it really wouldn't be very automated. Sorry for the one long sentence too much coffee.
Brett

[mpilchuk]

Brett, not sure what you are asking. I have built a HTL with a keg. It has two 1500W elements. Why do you want a small HTL? Once you get the BCS online, you can start your water hours before you show up to brew? So my two cents says go larger. Am I missing the point?

Is that a Boston in your avatar? I have three of them.

[bsfixit]

I was referring to this guys page. link: http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/HX.html
If I decided to go HERMS instead of RIMS the HLT should be small. This makes it more efficient. but I am leaning away from this design. Using 2 2kw elements in a 8-9 gallon SS pot. which gives me plenty of sparge water. I was confused how people with a HERMS would make enough water to batch sparge. but
I guess if you are doing HERMS you dont batch sparge you recirculate . duh? Sorry about that.
And your are right. I can set it up to have strike water ready when I get up .
Thanks

[mpilchuk]

I am going to build a small hot water tank also for my heat exchanger. Small is better on a tank for this purpose. It is separate from my HTL which I'll use for strike and sparge water. My first foray into the BCS world is my HTL. I am about to test it with my box today if I don't get any more calls to run today. I will brew a few batches of beer with that as the only new thing in the system, then I'll move over to the heat exchanger. I have a Chillzilla ready to go for the heat exchanger, already have the temp probe in it, just need to figure out what kind of thing I'll use for the hot water heater.

If you are looking for a way to mount heat elements in a keg or other thin walled vessel, check out http://www.greatbargain.net/order/shop2.html look at the 8th item down on that page. 1 inch nut for a heat element add a heat washer and maybe a metal washer and after drilling the whole, you're done.

[bsfixit]

actually this is much cheaper from Morebeer for the 1" SS coupler I ordered 2 today.
https://morebeer.com/view_product/17446 ... upler_1%22
I also found a thread that states the hole size to be 1.315? I am shooting for 1 1/4 and filing larger as needed

Brett

[ECC]

I used a 1" electrical conduit nut to fasten my element, less than $1. I built an external exchanger, actually inspired by the sdcollins link below. So the conduit nut never come into contact with wort or sparge water, not sure it its food safe (probably not).

[bsfixit]

Thats good idea I never thought of the conduit fittings.. I also heard of PVC in 1 " sizes also works on the threads of the element. but your are right both are not food safe.
with a HE thats not a worry .. I dont have much heat loss while mashing in my keggle down here in Florida. I think I will mash, set a timer that starts the pump near the end of the mash, then recirculate for a bit, then pump the cleared wort into the boiling kettle.
I will however put a SS coil into this 8 gallon pot and see how well it heats water in the mash tun .. if it does well I will switch to copper and possibly to a HERMS.
Brett

[mpilchuk]

actually this is much cheaper from Morebeer for the 1" SS coupler I ordered 2 today.
https://morebeer.com/view_product/17446 ... upler_1%22
I also found a thread that states the hole size to be 1.315? I am shooting for 1 1/4 and filing larger as needed

Brett

You missed my point. The thing I directed you to is a weldless solution. The nut screws onto the heat element.
Drill hole, stick heat element through hole from inside of your keg, put heat washer on threads protruding out hole, thread nut on heat element, etc.

I have not done this yet (I welded 1 in. Couplers to keg) so you may need rubber O-rings and washers on both sides of keg wall. Next keg I'll do this.

[bsfixit]

the SS 1" half couplers I ordered are weldless or you can weld them on if you want.. just cheaper.. I found high temp O rings at the local ACE store.. I plan on keeping it weldless myself.. I did however order the SS "T" fitting .. for my temp probe. much cheaper than the other site I was looking at
thanks!

[mpilchuk]

the SS 1" half couplers I ordered are weldless or you can weld them on if you want.. just cheaper.. I found high temp O rings at the local ACE store.. I plan on keeping it weldless myself.. I did however order the SS "T" fitting .. for my temp probe. much cheaper than the other site I was looking at
thanks!

Let me know how that works out. I got the full coupler from more beer to weld to my keg. I found that the heat element didn't thread so well. I tried to get a tap for it to clean up the threads, but it was 150.00. I welded two on and forced the heat elements to thread. They start to thread buy then got real hard to turn. I used a breaker bar that was 3 feet long to get them seated. I hope if I cross threaded, it messed up the heat element rather than the coupler.