Burned out heater element Sediment

davidg

So, I tried to do a run today but my electric heater element burned out about 30 minutes after firing it up. This was only my 7th batch, so I wondering if anybody else has had experience with what I hypothesize happened.
I think there was too much fine particulate matter in the wash, even though I ferment in a 400-micron bag and hang it to strain the grains. I found charred 'something' on the bottom of the kettle after I drained it. The bits were curved in the shape of the heating element (a 5500w water heater element.) I think that sediment settled on top of the element and, in effect, insulated it. It seemed to just burn out after 30-ish minutes of heating.
Anybody ever experience this? Any advice on how not to make the same mistake again?

acfixer69

The bag is not allowing the heat to move circulate, letting the element over heat and burn out.

shadylane

Some heaters last longer than others.
Look for a heater that's made out of Inconel and had the metal heated when it was bent.
Many of the so-called SS elements are only plated.

NZChris

How much time was there from filling the pot to turning the heat on?

Stonecutter

+1 I fire up my element(s) the minute it’s covered.
Edit: So far that process has worked. I’ve had some scorching in the past. My elements have held up well (knock on woods). Agitating the boiler helps. All that being said, how are you controlling your element?Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
-Thomas Paine

davidg

ACfixer - the bag doesn't go in the kettle. I hoist the bag and strain the mash then pour liquid into kettle. I start heating as soon as I finish pouring. I have a 5500w element with a rheostat controller which I start off at about 7-8 amps and then step it up to about 18 until the column starts getting warm, then bring it down to about 7 until it starts running.
It appears that sediment covered the element and made it overheat. It is definitely dead.
Shadylane - thanks for the advice. I'm about to shop around for a new element.

Ben

I use 5500w Camco ULWD ripple elements, I have had the same 2 elements in my brewery and distillery for a dozen years at least (they are on triclamps, just move to whatever pot I need) I've never had one go bad. Camco claims they will fire and survive in wet sand. It's possible you just got a bum element, it happens.
Verify your wiring is good! Make sure nothing is loose in your control box or at the element connection. Bad wiring will kill one.:)

Demy

I use cheap stainless heaters (AliExpress) and they still last after a few years of service ... if there are thin sediments I don't think that's the problem ... maybe just bad luck.

Salt-Must-Flow

DavidG, exactly what element were you using that burned out?
I've been using a Camco 5500W rippled foldback ULWD element, a Dernord 5500W element and they've been functioning fine. I sometimes ferment in my stripping boiler. I typically mix it prior to firing the element to clear off any settled yeast off the element. One time I didn't and after the run the element was covered with what looked like a baked on scale. It took some work to clean it off, I it didn't cause the element to burn out and I saw no signs of scorching other than what I cleaned off the element (no off flavors).
I'm wondering if you weren't using a low watt density element element and if that is what caused it to burn out.

NZChris

It's unlikely that sediment could settle on a powered element as there is too much turbulence and convection happening.
Are you sure the element was clean before you filled the still?
Unconverted starch can burn onto an element.
Is there any chance that you could have had starch in the wash?
Had you done a starch test?

davidg

NZChris - unconverted starch can do that? Wow, I had no idea. The gravity on this batch didn't drop as much as I would have liked. I attributed it to a cool spell as my fermenter is in an unheated barn. I only got to 5.6%ABV so I certainly had unconverted starch. Good to know!

NZChris

Starch will burn on quicker than sugar.  I don't recall ever burning sugar onto an element or pot without running the pot dry.

shadylane

A burned on starch build up can kill an element.
But the scorch smell would be terrible.

NZChris

This is what makes me think it was starch.  Maybe the element blew before you noticed the smoke or the smell.