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Stainless Element

Like many brewers, and assuming distillers, a low cost stainless element is the holy grail of the electric setup. I run 5500w camco elements, but have to coat the base with silicone to avoid rust. While some use galvanic anodes to avoid rust, the ideal solution would be an ULWD element that had a stainless base. Has anyone found one on the distilling side? Us brewers have yet to find one that is affordable. If not, I implore SD to use its production savvy to develop one. I assure you that if it were available in the price range of a camco that us brewers would make it worth your while, of course I only ask 5% for the idea :).

Comments

  • We are generally useless with electrical gear and the minimum order is typically in the thousands of pieces so combining the two equates into thousands of expensive, useless pieces. We are kind of OK at developing distilling gear though.

  • @Grudaire - If you want a replacement for the Camco, but with a stainless base, you just need to be better at googling or talk to more homebrewers...

    Edit: I think they can be had cheaper, I had a friend tell me he got the ripple ones for a little over $30.. Edit.. nope, he paid $60

    *** OUR HEATING ELEMENTS HAVE STAINLESS BASES. NO RUSTING!! 5500w & 6000 watt elements are 430 Stainless 15000w elements are 316 Stainless

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    5500 Watt 240V single phase Heating Element. 
     14" element length.
                         $60.00
    
    6000 Watt 240V single phase Heating Element. 
     22" element length.
                         $75.00
    
    5500 Watt 208V single phase Heating Element. 
     22" element length.
                         $75.00
    
    15000 Watt 208V 3-phase Heating Element.  
    31" element length.
                         $350.00
    
  • The ones i stock have brass bases.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • @CothermanDistilling that is the one element I know of. But at twice the cost of the camco I and most others opt for the camco and high temp NSF silicone dappled into the base. So I was hoping someone knew of something in the camco price range. If not it would be a good product for someone to make if they can get the price down.

  • $60 is way cheaper than that $350.00 one... I don't see enough profit in it for anyone with a $60 option existing now...

  • edited August 2014

    @CothermanDistilling said: $60 is way cheaper than that $350.00 one... I don't see enough profit in it for anyone with a $60 option existing now...

    I assume if it happens it would probably be from Camco

  • edited August 2014

    @punkin said: The ones i stock have brass bases.

    +1 =))

  • Bobby M of Brew Hardware announced that in 3 or so weeks he will be stocking stainless elements. No word on price or wattage yet so fingers crossed. But I'm guessing if they look like good numbers he will have a cash cow between homebrewers and small breweries and distilleries.

  • The way we fix this, SD, makes the element guard with a 1.5" pipe capped off that houses the element and oil, think mini bain marie style, fill it with oil and screw in the element, i had a friend tig one on for me, it more than doubles the surface area of a uld element

  • How do you account for thermal expansion?

    We are talking sizable temp swings in that oil bath.

    If you had a leaky seal, and the thermal expansion pushed some oil out, and then pulled in some other liquid, you could be in a position where that might be dangerous.

  • Well the only place where it could leak is where the element is screwed in, theres no liquid that can get in there, unless a weld blew, the quality of welds that sd has i doubt it, All that being said mine has been working fine and havent noticed any leaks...

  • Then you are probably not filling it full of oil? Maybe allowing 10 to 15% air space in the chamber for fluid expansion?

  • Ill pull it out and put up a pic, the only reason i bring all this up, is the milk can setups would be a great addition, grain in is my thoughts for the home distillers

  • I do agree IF we could standardize on what the optimum element size is physically.
    I've seen a few different sizes and its not clear if the wavy element would work or not.
    Other advantages of your idea is that it could minimize the risk of a dry fired element, provide a much greater heating surface area with less chance of scorching and far easier to clean than an actual element.

  • This needs to be with the straight element only, the wavy wouldnt work

  • I would suggest a vent tube port, possibly with a thermocouple/thermistor, and you could drive the element to a certain oil temperature, say 300-350... I think driving it with the DIY controller will lead to scorched oil... I also would suggest a finned tube for double the area... I think some tinkerer out there could determine the feasibility, much like Telluride has with the steam generator...

    Then again, why not just make the steam generator, and then replace the element guard with a steam loop that inserts through a 2" TC? ;-)

  • Just received my 200L SW boiler, looking to see what size elements (length wise) others are running with? The price list @CothermanDistilling provided from Brewmation seems within reason and will be more than likely where I be looking to purchase elements from them. Since I have a multiple 4" LM/CM column test rig and a 60 amp circuit to work with I plan on running it via 2 elements besides my existing PID controller is designed for 2 element operation.

    The day you quit learning is the day you start dying!

    "I am an incurable gadgeteer, and I like enormously to set up a theory and then track down the consequences" Murray Leinster youtube.com/watch?v=08e9k-c91E8

  • The incolloy coated elements i stock are very popular here. They are low density and used by some people for grain based stuff. Apparently the trick is to keep stirring till it boils. The 2400 watt is the most popular due to circuit restrictions here in normal households but it's only 120kw m2.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • @tellluride, sounds interesting, if it can be done safely. I'd just worry it's blow up if I inderstand the design correctly. But the thought of easier element cleaning is nice. So far Bobby is saying under $40. No word on watt density or wattage though. Sorry SD for talking up someone else's pending product, just keeping to my threads focus and my brewing desire to have an economical stainless element.

  • All good mate.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

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