Could my electric boiler be fecked?

[pk]

Hi all,
Brewing an all grain IPA today and I use a 28 litre stainless steel electric boiler. The kind you would see being used in a big marquee for making tea usually.

Anyway when trying to get the full batch to hot break and rolling boil the boiler starts switching itself off! It will heat for about 10 seconds and then switch off for a bit then back on again. I changed the plug and doesn't appear to be loose connecting wire into the concealed heating element.

Anyone know what's wrong? An online search suggests its a thermocouple switch shutting it off but I don't know about that. Don't have the money for a new boiler right now so I hope it's still going to work out.

Thanks
Paul

[Tom]

Have you used this kettle before?

The problem you're having is probably because the kettle has achieved 100oc and so switches off until the temperature drops to 98oc, then comes on again. I think wort boils at just above 100oc (because of the sugars) so you'd struggle in something like that boiler.

If you're handy with a multimeter and a screwdriver, you could bypass the temperature control thing. You want the power direct to the element, and skipping all the circuitry. Keep the earth.

Great things for making tea though.

[pk]

Hi Tom,
Yes used it a few times now and the only time it happened before was when I used LME in an extract brew. The boiler didn't like that at all. Finished the boil in the end, maybe I'm just noticing a problem that's not really there at all. I'll give it a good clean and maybe take it apart for a look but I want to keep the temp control. It's handy

[Tom]

Does the element stick out into the kettle, or is it a hidden element? If the sugars caramelise over the elements it can cause the element to overheat, and do that thing you said. Give it a good clean and better luck next time. Dissolve all the sugars/extract properly before adding it into the kettle too, maybe, so there's no cause for it to stick.

[RichC]

What's type of boiler is it PK. Definitely sounds like the boil dry switch or temp control tc are kicking in. I modified my buffalo to stop this happening. I use an STC1000 to control temp on it. This should be easily fixed.