When and how to reduce power to a 120V water heater element
Regulating the output of a heating element is important during mashing (preventing scorching), boiling (stopping hot break), distilling (preventing 'burping'), and even fermenting (some brewers reduce the heaters to very low output during fermentation to keep fermenter warm while not harming yeast). Reducing the power output of 240V elements is easy with the Power Control Box and now it is easy with 1440W/120V elements as well. This video shows how. (The output can be controlled with a 'variable speed industrial fan controller' and digitally monitored by using a watt meter such as the 'Kill a Watt' by P3 International, both found on Amazon.)
1 comment
Just remember to use your gfci with the variable fan speed unit. Great idea. I can use that with my sparge tank to keep it around 168 F when I am mashing. Thanks,
Cheers, Chris