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  • Cleaning Electric Element

    I am commissioning a wee 4.1 HL brewkit for a brewpub.

    The thing is that I've never used an internal electric element before in a kettle. Can you give me advice on cleaning? Unfortunately, it has to be an element and not direct fired, steam, etc

  • #2
    Get your elements to connect to the kettle via tri-clamp or other such fittings so they are removable for cleaning. Reaching into a tank to clean elements is a b*tch and you can't see the underside of the elements.

    We do an initial rinse and scrub, PBW soak, scrub, and rinse. has worked fine for 2+ years, although the elements are certainly getting to the end of their service life.

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    • #3
      We've had good luck recently doing mostly CIP on our 3bbl with 4 elements (I know this is a bit bigger, but it's in the same league at least). We were initially rinsing in the kettle, and then pulling each element out, soaking in PBW and then scrubbing them relentlessly between every batch. We still do this a little bit on double batch days when we don't clean the kettle between batches, but on just regular brew days, 175 degree caustic with an oxidative additive (we use Lerasept-O) followed by a rinse and then acid rinse and then rinse again does a great job on it's own. Take them out and inspect them randomly afterwards and we've had spotless elements with very little elbow grease.

      They suck to clean no matter what and I look forward to the day we don't have them in there, but this protocol seems to get them clean, and also gets the kettle spotless (inside at least!) as well.

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      • #4
        Elements on tri-clover fittings are the way to go. Turn them through a quarter turn at each CIP cycle.
        We soak our elements in caustic or peracetic acid and give them a good scrub often. High pressure water can also do wonders. The best advice is: get good & proper low heat density elements and clean them as often as necessary


        Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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        • #5
          Thank you very much for all of the advice! I'll let you know how I get on.

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          • #6
            All of this is good advice.
            Definitely get removable (triclamp) elements. And definitely don't skimp on cleaning frequency. Early on I had to dump a batch because I looked at the elements and thought "yeah, those look okay. Let's not bother cleaning them this time," which led to burnt-tasting beer.

            As for specific cleaning process, we soak ours in caustic overnight, then use a high pressure washer on them. This process gets them pretty much spotless.

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