Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Stuff you should never do.  (Read 6531 times)

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Stuff you should never do.
« on: June 07, 2011, 08:47:38 pm »
Like run your elements dry.

Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2011, 11:25:26 pm »
I bet that stunk like the bejeezus! Did it with a heatstick. Freaky.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline thomasbarnes

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 415
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2011, 01:16:25 am »
And now you know . . .  :-\

Offline phillamb168

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2351
  • Lardy, France
    • My Job
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2011, 02:55:46 am »
Ah jeez, that sucks. Thankfully every time I've come "close" to this, I got to the plug before anything happened. Way too easy to have happen though. I've been thinking about installing a pressure sensor linked to a switch for turning the elements off if there's no water in them.
I'm on twitter: phillamb168
----
morticaixavier for governing committee!

Offline bluesman

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8825
  • Delaware
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2011, 05:15:04 am »
Wow that sucks. Sorry to hear about that.  :(

Ron Price

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2011, 05:55:05 am »
Sucks. I would recommend the low density elements. I have let them run dry once or twice and they survived in tact. Also much easier to clean. I stopped using the elements like you have after losing two batches due to a smoky off flavor. Thought at first it was pedio, but turned out to be improperly cleaned elements and caked on, burnt crust.

Offline dak0415

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
  • Winston-Salem, NC
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2011, 06:55:04 am »
Oops.
Dave Koenig
Anything worth doing - is worth overdoing!

Offline blatz

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3513
  • Paul Blatz - Jupiter, FL
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2011, 07:21:27 am »
but turned out to be improperly cleaned elements and caked on, burnt crust.

apologies to TM for hijacking, but being that I am switching to electric soon, is there anything special to note about cleaning the elements?
The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

BJCP National: F0281

Offline Kit B

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 607
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2011, 07:31:30 am »
apologies to TM for hijacking, but being that I am switching to electric soon, is there anything special to note about cleaning the elements?

Be sure to get the ultra-low watt density & you shouldn't have to worry about it.
If you experience mineral build-up, you may want to soak them with something to remove the deposits.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2011, 07:34:53 am »
I soak mine in hot PBW over night and most of the stuff hoses right off. But I take a thin, rectangular "scrubby" pad and run it around the elements like dental floss. I occasionally acid wash them to remove mineral deposits.

Offline blatz

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3513
  • Paul Blatz - Jupiter, FL
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2011, 07:41:11 am »
cool thanks guys.

sorry about your luck there TM.
The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

BJCP National: F0281

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2011, 08:35:19 am »
cool thanks guys.

sorry about your luck there TM.
No harm done.
I had spare elements so I am up and running.
Worst think was that I had to climb into the HLT to pick small copper nuggets.
I am thinking of installing a float switch that would prevent this.

Saniclean do the trick of cleaning the elements.
It is acid thou so do not soak it overnight.
It would eat your element.
Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com

Offline SpanishCastleAle

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 272
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2011, 10:12:02 am »
Quote
Stuff you should never do.

Try to catch a falling glass carboy full of sanitizer.  As they said in one of my favorite movies; "Run away!"

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2011, 10:19:17 am »
Ah jeez, that sucks. Thankfully every time I've come "close" to this, I got to the plug before anything happened. Way too easy to have happen though. I've been thinking about installing a pressure sensor linked to a switch for turning the elements off if there's no water in them.
As mentioned by TM above, I think I'd go with a float switch over pressure sensor/switch.

Sorry about the elements TM, but this just goes to show why heating elements are bad, and we should only use one of these:
Tom Schmidlin

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Stuff you should never do.
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2011, 10:50:32 am »
 ;D
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell