Some help please!

[nigebeer]

Hi,
I have just completed my first BIAB brew which was a Hobgoblin clone, my efficiency was higher than all my brews using a cooler type mash tun.
However I had problems with the heater element cutting out and then coming back on again.I have had this in the past when I didn't clean it properly, but this time it was cleaned and de scaled before the brew.
I did notice that there was a lot more trub in the bottom of the boiler and have attributed this to more getting through the voile mesh, could the extra trub cause the element to trip out by overheating? Has anyone experience this? And if so what advice can you give.
Thankyou

[killer]

This can happen with BIAB. Without the grain to act as a proper filter bed you get a whole lot more crud left for the boil, relative to 3 Vessel brewing. The only advice I could give you seem to have already tried... I clean after every brew. I usually let the element sit for a little while in a solution of citric acid. Doing this has stopped any cutouts (which I had fairly often before).

[nigebeer]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply killer, as I had already thoroughly cleaned the element I wondered whether the crud/trub would have caused the element to overheat just by it being immersed in it.

[Fil]

what boiler are you using?? you may be able to upgrade the cut out thermal switch for one with a slightly higher tolerance or simply by pass it.

Im not endorsing this ebay link its just an exapmle, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONEYWELL-S-C ... 19e9367ea4

beer boils at a higher temp than water so even if your boiler will allow a water boil without cutting out the temp of the boiling beer could be on the periphery of the current thermal switch operation range.

[nigebeer]

I am using a 50 ltr stainless steel stockpot, with a kettle type element like this one:- http://www.thebrewshop.com/contents/med ... -spare.jpg

I understand that there is some type of overload cutout built in, but not sure if it can be overwridden?

[Cpt.Frederickson]

Many have got cut outs that can be disconnected, depends on the make and model of element I believe. Many use LWD elements as they are less prone to scorching (someone smarter than me will explain why).
I haven't used mine yet (I just upgraded to a custom stockpot with two elements from homebrewbuilder) but I upgraded the bits in my buffalo boilers to combat this problem and it worked a treat.
One other thing I found (that may be specific to the Buffalo type boilers) is when you power on after mash, if you haven't stirred there is a lot of crud settled on the element which burns on pretty quick. Solved this by stirring first, seemed to work well.