Preventing rust on elements

[Dr Jacoby]

I'm planning to build a heat stick using stainless steal components but I'm worried about the element terminal rusting (this is a problem others have come across with heat sticks - see pic below). An anode would solve the problem but I can't see an easy way to incorporate one into the design. If I rested the heat stick against the boil kettle and fixed an anode to the inside of the kettle somewhere, would that do the job or does the anode have to be in direct contact with the heat stick itself?

If all else fails I reckon I can just be careful about it and not leave the element sitting in liquid unnecessarily, but I thought I check anyway.

[JD]

I'm not entirely up to speed on the facts, but in theory... 

An anode would only be effective if both the immersion element and the anode are immersed in a conducting liquid at the same time. I would think that most of the rust on the element occurs when the element is not immersed but when it is exposed to the air. Boiling liquids have feck all oxygen in solution and you wont get rust without oxygen. That only leaves the air. Damp elements in air is the likely cause.

Also, I not sure what anode material would be used here, but the anode material used in boats, for instance, is zinc. Zinc metal, unfortunately, is not food safe.

/J

[Will_D]

Me no uderstandy question in OP:

AFAIK: Heating elemets as used in kettles, imersion tanks and the like are made from non-ferous metals! They cannot "rust".

The element is usually a nickel alloy (incoloy or similar) and the chunky metal bit are plated brass.

If you are rich they come in s/s versions for industrial use.

They can and do suffer build ups of fur (in a water scenario) or burnt wort (in brewing).

These build ups lead to local overheating and cause the heating elements inside to burn out.

[Dr Jacoby]

An anode would only be effective if both the immersion element and the anode are immersed in a conducting liquid at the same time. I would think that most of the rust on the element occurs when the element is not immersed but when it is exposed to the air. Boiling liquids have feck all oxygen in solution and you wont get rust without oxygen. That only leaves the air. Damp elements in air is the likely cause.

Also, I not sure what anode material would be used here, but the anode material used in boats, for instance, is zinc. Zinc metal, unfortunately, is not food safe.

/J

Yea, I was thinking that rust would probably not be an issue if I dried the element after use. The anodes I've seen used are usually aluminium bolts fixed to the inside of the boil kettle.

[Dr Jacoby]

Me no uderstandy question in OP:

AFAIK: Heating elemets as used in kettles, imersion tanks and the like are made from non-ferous metals! They cannot "rust".

The element is usually a nickel alloy (incoloy or similar) and the chunky metal bit are plated brass.

If you are rich they come in s/s versions for industrial use.

They can and do suffer build ups of fur (in a water scenario) or burnt wort (in brewing).

These build ups lead to local overheating and cause the heating elements inside to burn out.

Maybe the stuff in the picture is not rust but it sure looks like it! What does fur look like?

[Will_D]

Look inside kitchen kettle and you may see some!

"Fur" is a pale while through brownish rough chalky (calcium carbonate) deposit that is easily removed by dilute acids.

Try some citric acid/vinegar/even lemon juice and it will clean your kitchen kettle a treat.

Try some acid on your element and if it disolves then its fur. Rust won't disolve.

On another matter:

Sacrifical Anodes should have no place in a food grade water boiling system. They are aluminium bars often alloyed with magnessium and are meant to disolve in the water before the iron. ( Electrochemical series and all that).

This is the same method as how galvanizing (zinc) protects iron gates and stuff.

You don't want to add aluminium into your wort as there is a link to early onset dimentia

HTH!

[Dr Jacoby]

Jesus! Good to know!

[Eoin]

You don't want to add aluminium into your wort as there is a link to early onset dementia

HTH!

This has been debunked, it appears the original lab samples were contaminated.

[Dr Jacoby]

God! Even better to know!

[jmtworld]

I've had this problem myself on my HLT and Kettle elements. An anode it would seem is out of the question, to date I've just been minimizing damp/wet exposures of the element/terminal and I usually dry off both after use and coat the terminal with a fingertip of natural oil (vegetable, olive etc). This keeps the oxygen away during down time and has been working so far. Just be sure to clean off the oil before each brew and you're good to go.