Can only bring myself to talk about it now

1 year ago | Bazza (Member)

Aright there.

This happened on Tuesday night but I can only bring myself to talk about it today:-

I was sparging away at my latest effort - a Hobgoblin clone. I'd collected about 18 or so litres in the boiler and was trying to get up to 27L and then boil down to 23L. I had the boiler turned on too, to get a good jump on the boil, so the hot break wouldn't be too long after sparging finished. All of a sudden I heard the telltale loud click of my little kettle element cutting out in the boiler. This hadn't happened with the kettle element before so I figured it was not going to start up again. So I decided to empty contents of the boiler into the HLT and stick my old (shite) Electrim element into the boiler. Unfortunately the required element was in the HLT, so I had to take it out of the HLT and replace that with an older (and shite-r) Electrim element.

(You may ask why I didn't just finish the boil in the HLT. The answer is that the HLT is home made and I only trust it enough to boil water.)

This is where things went horribly wrong. Once I'd taken the element I needed out of the HLT and replaced it with the older one, I started to pour the wort from the boiler to the HLT. I soon discovered that there was a leak around the element in the HLT, so I tightened it. However little did I know how awkward and unreliable the threads are on these elements are. After all the contents of the boiler were emptied into the HLT, I decided to power it up to heat the wort while I replaced the element on the boiler. As soon as I insterted the lead into the element, this action pushed the whole element into the HLT, leaving a sizeable hole for all my lovely wort to gush out. I couldn't see how much was coming out because the element and lead falling into the wort caused the power in the garage to trip leaving me in darkness with wet feet. By the time I'd restored power and light a good 8-10 litres were all over the garage floor. I managed to save about 10L. Lovely. I got about 20L of wort in the end; I sparged a bit longer than normal, deciding to take the hit of a weaker brew. My efficiency is usually around thr 85% mark too, so that helped.

I haven't boiled it up yet; it's just sitting in the boiler slowly going off. I haven't had the heart to go near it. (plus I was out on the pi$$ last night)

This, only 2 weeks after another almost disaster with my previous brew, where the weight of the wort cooler caused it to bring the boiler crashing to the ground. Luckily that time, there were only about 3 litres left in the boiler as the rest had been transferred to the FV. But there was a lovely mess of sticky wort and hops all over the garage floor.

So, 2 brew and 2 disasters and I'm only now getting over the depression enough to decide what to do next. I'll probably boil the salvaged wort tonight, though this will take ages with the Electrim element, and the rolling boil I was used to getting with the wee kettle element will be a figment of the past.

I don't have the money for a decent boiler but the kettle element in the Electrim boiler only lasted a few brews. Granted, it was a high gravity brew and the element was completely caked when I looked at it. So how do you other lads with the improvised boilers deal with caked elements? Another thing putting me off buying something like the Brupaks boiler is that the element is exposed and I can see me having similar issues with it.

I didn't clean the kettle element after the previous couple of brews, which might have been a contributing factor, but I think it would still have happened. Has it happened much to any of the rest of you?

My idea is this:- I'm going to bore a hole in the boiler for a second element, a backup element. If, during a brew, the primary element cuts out like it did on Tuesday night, I'll just switch to the backup element, which should hopefully bring the brew to completion. What do you think?

I'd love to hear any of your experiences with element-caking and boils cutting out?

Cheers,

-A slightly disillusioned Barry.

P.S. I do feel a little better having gotten that off my chest

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

Read responses...

Responses

Nath:

Posted 1 year ago by Moderator

Ouch.

Bad times Bazza. Ive never really had a problem with my kettle elements getting caked in my homemade boiler. I used it for around a year without a problem then 1 day I noticed a small drip coming through the side of 1 element. I tried swapping them to and fro and nothing would stop it. I ended up buying a new element and I found out it was the seal inbreween the boiler and element (rubber o ring thingy). It must have disfigured a little from the previous years usage.

I reckon your idea of a second element in the boiler is a good one. I used 2 in mine, 2 to heat the bugger then just on 1 for a nice rolling boil (it was like a volcano with 2 on!) So is this boiler homemade that your using as well as your homemade hlt?

Drinkin' - nowt, it's all gone

Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!

nathbrew@gmail.com

Bazza:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

Hi Nath,

That's funny that you never had the caking issue. I don't know what I'm doing different to get this layer. It was an element from an old kettle and wasn't in the greatest of nick, so maybe I'll have better luck with a brand new shiny one.

Did you clean your elements after every use? I hadn't cleaned this one after the last 2 or 3 brews.

My hlt is home made but the boiler is one of those plastic Electrim boilers with the crappy element removed and replaced with the above-mentioned kettle element.

Looks like it's off to Tesco at the weekend for a couple of kettles

-Barry

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

Nath:

Posted 1 year ago by Moderator

Yeah I cleaned em a few times, but I didnt find they caked up that much. A second element never fails to impress. So much so I think im gonna convery my gas boiler to 2 leccy elements, so much more power. the gas seems to boil but its never what I would call a mega rolling boil.

Drinkin' - nowt, it's all gone

Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!

nathbrew@gmail.com

Hamish:

Posted 1 year ago by Moderator

Sorry to read about your woes Baz, a second element sounds like a good idea.

I very rarely clean the HLT elements but have to clean the boiler elements after every other brew, the limescale builds up otherwise and trips the thermal cut out. An overnight soak in vinegar or coke normally does the trick.

Planning: Wheat beer fermented with Schneider Weisse yeast, a Stout, lots of hoppy pale ales
Fermenting: Marynka pseudo-lager
Maturing/Conditioning:
Drinking: Wheat beer, ESB, Vienna lager & shop bought stuff

Bazza:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

Quicck question- how long does un-boiled wort keep? this stuff smells funny after 2 days - almost like rocket or corriander that's gone off and soggy in the fridge. Do I chuck and save my hops for another time?

-Barry

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

Tony:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

I cried reading that.

I wouldn't keep it longer that 12 - 15 hours to be honest. I've heard that off flavours develop quite quickly. On the other hand, you could just go ahead and hope for the best, after all, you are going to boil the f'ck out of it

Beer will get you through the times of no money better than money will get you through the times of no beer
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)

Bazza:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the sympathy.

In the end I just chucked the whole lot down the drain. Even when it started to boil I just couldn't get the smell of rotting vegetables out of my nose. I'll just put that one down to experience. A few lost grains isn't too big a thing. The hops are still all measured out for attempt #2 next week.

Turns out the threads on the plastic bolt which holds the old Electrim element in place had worn away, which is why I had the large spill. That's getting chucked too.

Last night I tore my Electrim bin a new hole and the missus kindly picked me up a budget kettle from Tesco, so I'll see how I get on next week with 2 elements in the mix.

Thanks,

-Barry

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

Nath:

Posted 1 year ago by Moderator

Good luck, break a leg etc etc!

It'll be fine!

Drinkin' - nowt, it's all gone

Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!

nathbrew@gmail.com

Greg:

Posted 1 year ago by Admin

Bad luck Bazza but it happens to all of us and to be honest the earlier in the brew process the better as less time, effort and ingredients are used.

Get back on that horse ASAP.

Bazza:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

Okay, so Hobgoblin attempt #2 happened last night, with my now twin-element boiler.

Still experimenting with the best way to use the elements, but this time I used just the electrim element, which got the wort up to about 95 degrees until she started cutting out. I then switched over to the kettle element, which carried things over into a nice rolling boil.

Only problem was, it took almost at hour to get back to the boil from finishing sparging. I'd been previously starting the boil about 1/4 way into sparging, so that the wort's almost boiling by the time I've finished sparging. Does anyone else do this?

Another minor-ish issue; in my nervousness to get things absolutely right, I forgot to throw in the post-boil hops until I'd already cooled the whole thing down to under 50 degrees. I'm a little concerned with possible infection. Should I be okay, given that dry hopping is done at a much lower temperature?

I'd made up a yeast starter last week for the first, failed attempt. that was still under airlock and although it had stopped bubbling for smome days, I just chucked it in. Anyway, upon checking this morning, there are definite signs of life. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement, guys, I'm deffo back on that horse!

-Barry

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

Greg:

Posted 1 year ago by Admin

Good stuff. We all have problems. I went into the garage this morning to find one of my cornies had sprung a leak through the beer outlet and covered the floor with beer. I only lost a few litres but still annoying. :cry:

Steve_K:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

I'd been previously starting the boil about 1/4 way into sparging, so that the wort's almost boiling by the time I've finished sparging. Does anyone else do this?

Absolutely; as soon as the elements in my boiler are covered by liquid it's on full blast.

Good to hear you weren't too perturbed by the *ahem* experience.

Planning: Hardcore IPA clone
Fermenting: Damson pale
Conditioning: Morello Cherry Lambic 2
Drinking: Schneider Weisse Tap 7 clone, Morello Cherry Lambic 1, Rauchbier

Nath:

Posted 1 year ago by Moderator

I'm a little concerned with possible infection

Nah, I reckon itll be fine matey, well done on the brew.

Drinkin' - nowt, it's all gone

Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!

nathbrew@gmail.com

Bazza:

Posted 1 year ago by Member

Cheers, Nath.

It's amazing how jittery you can get after a couple of bad experiences.

-Barry

Planning: More SNPA, more experimental cider
Fermenting: Marston's Pedigree
Conditioning (Bottles): Warsteiner Lager Clone
Drinking (King Keg): Fullers London Pride

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