Heating element

[BigWilley]

I want to add a Caustic resevoir to my Keg Washer. I currently have the IDD Squire which just doses caustic and then sends it down the drain. I want to modify it to work like a Miniking with a resevoir. I'm wondering 2 things. How big a resevoir for a single head machine, and what kind of heating element will work in a caustic environment (and where to get one, I guess thats 3 things). Thanks.

[porter]

heating element

Willey-
I have used several 3 head semi-automated keg washers that have 10-15 gal. reservoirs and we only refreshed the caustic after 10 cycles or 30 kegs. As for the heating element, check out mcmaster carr. Search for "screw plug immersion heater" -they have a bunch of info and a good selection. Don't know about the prices though...

[gitchegumee]

I agree that McMaster should be the first place you look. Even if it's just to get a price. Don't use chlorinated caustic with a stainless element. The chlorine rips through it fairly fast. If you are using non-chlorinated caustic, then you can use a stainless element. Good luck!

[beertje46]

I want to add a Caustic resevoir to my Keg Washer. I currently have the IDD Squire which just doses caustic and then sends it down the drain. I want to modify it to work like a Miniking with a resevoir. I'm wondering 2 things. How big a resevoir for a single head machine, and what kind of heating element will work in a caustic environment (and where to get one, I guess thats 3 things). Thanks.

Try Ogden pipe plug immersion heaters. I've had these in three different keg machines.

[BigWilley]

Thanks! Just what I was looking for.

[BrewBoy]

We use standard hot water heating elements and controls in ours (cheap, and available anywhere). Usually last several years.

[oppigards]

we have used chlorinated caustic with same stainless element (I do not remember if it is acid proof stainless (316) or not) for 4 years now. Mostly 1 % dilution, but when kegwashing we have 3 % dilution at 60 deg. celsius. Do not go over 60 degrees when using chlorine.

[gitchegumee]

Are you sure your stainless isn't Incoloy instead? We blew through a few stainless immersion heaters before we switched to Incoloy with much better success. This was on a IDD Mini-King. Then again we were chlorinating caustic pretty stiff to hit some old kegs that we bought. They had been stored dirty for years before we got them. Still, Incoloy is recommended over 316 SS for caustic concentrations to 6%. http://www.mcmaster.com/#about-immersion-heaters/=x3eqb