Build an Electric Heat Stick

Sometimes it helps to get that extra boost to get up to mash temperatures and then to a boil. Build this electric heat stick to give you the on-demand turbo heat you need on your next brew day.

I’ve been an apartment brewer since 1987, so space has always been a problem. Then, in 2005, I purchased a 15-gallon (57-L) stainless steel conical fermenter and a 60-qt. (57-L) stainless steel brew kettle. With these two major upgrades came the inevitable step-up to brewing 10-gallon (38-L) batches.

This increase created a number of problems, the first of which was heat: How was I going to boil 10 gallons (38 L) of wort in my small condo? After surfing the Net for countless hours I came upon the solution: I saw an old “Bruheat” electric boiler on an English homebrewer’s website and thought, “that’s perfect, I could use an electric hot water heating element!”

I did not want to permanently install a heating element into my kettle, however. Ideally, I wanted the heater to be portable, so I could apply heat where and when I needed it. The trick would be making something as safe as possible — electricity and water is a VERY DANGEROUS combination! I decided to make it similar to a power tool; one with a straight handle, a short power cord, and a heating element on the other end – a “heatstick!”

After seeing all my parts options, I settled on the configuration I am still using today: a hot water tank heating element attached to a kitchen sink drain pipe that’s attached to a plastic handle, with a power cord running through the middle. The hot water heating element electrical contacts are sealed water-tight from the inside with epoxy.

Finally, by using a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected wall outlet and a solid ground connection, I would have two layers of protection and be as safe from electrocution as possible if the heatstick were to develop a leak.

The primary thing I’ve learned from building this heat stick project is that the key to success is achieving a good seal around the electrical contacts of the heating element. To do that, I encapsulate or “pot” the electrical contacts in epoxy from inside the drain pipe. The heat sticks that I have now are all sealed with JB Weld epoxy, which has worked the best out of all the sealants I’ve tried, including: aquarium silicone, Alumalite casting resin and high-temp automotive RTV silicone gasket maker. JB Weld can withstand temperatures up to 450 °F (232 °C) and the epoxy never comes in contact with liquid so the heat stick is as food-safe as you can make it.

DIY Heat Stick Instructions

Parts and Tools

• GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) adapter or GFCI protected wall outlet
• Screw-in hot water heating element. (Choose based upon your home’s electrical system and how much liquid you intend to heat. For this stick, I bought a 1500 watt, 120 volt, ultra-low-density element made by Camco. Part number 02853.)
• 12-gauge, 3-wire, rubber electrical cord
• Heavy-duty, armored, 20-amp, three-prong plug
• 12-inch x 11⁄2-inch I.D. chrome plated, brass drain pipe
• 11⁄2-inch x 11⁄4-inch slip joint nut
• 6-inch x 11⁄2-inch I. D. plastic drain pipe extension tube with compression fitting nut and gasket
• 3⁄4-inch PVC coupler
• 1-inch PVC end cap
• Small brass bolt, nut and washer for ground connection
• J-B Weld epoxy (not the fast curing type)

Step by Step

1: Heat Stick safety

• NEVER run a heatstick dry. The element MUST be fully submerged at all times or it will overheat and burnout very quickly, possibly causing personal injury, a fire, or worse!
• ALWAYS plug your heatstick into a functioning GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt) protected outlet. If the heatstick ever leaks, the GFCI will instantly trip, shutting off power to the outlet.
• A heatstick draws a lot of power. Each stick must be on its own circuit or you’ll likely blow a circuit breaker/fuse. Do not exceed 80% of your circuit’s load capacity.
• A heatstick is a potentially VERY DANGEROUS tool! However, if built and used correctly, and you respect it as the potentially dangerous tool it is, you’ll have years of safe, trouble-free brewing with it.
• Failure to follow these precautions could result in serious injury, fire or death! If in doubt about anything, stop and call a qualified electrician for assistance.

2: Plug assembly

Strip 11⁄2 inches of the outer wiring insulation from the cord to expose the three wires and then strip about 1⁄2-inches of insulation from each wire. Solder the wire tips. Next, connect the wires to the plug, making absolutely sure the GREEN wire is attached to the GROUND plug. It does not matter which plug the black and white wires are attached to. Assemble the plug housing as necessary.

3: Handle assembly

The plastic parts form the handle. Take the PVC end cap and, using a marker, mark the top-center with a dot. Using an appropriately sized drill bit for the diameter of the cord, drill a hole through the top of the PVC end cap and file the edges smooth. Attach the PVC coupler to the end cap and thread them onto the cord. Next, thread the cord through the center of the plastic drain pipe extension and slip the coupler on to the end of the pipe. Be sure the compression fitting nut and plastic gasket are screwed onto the plastic drain pipe and then run the cord through the metal drain pipe, but don’t connect the pipes together yet; in the final step we need to pour epoxy inside.

4: Ground nut assembly

Next, we need to mount the green ground wire to the metal drain pipe. If your GFCI should malfunction, the ground wire will blow the circuit breaker/fuse, giving you a second layer of protection from electrocution. Strip 4 inches (10 cm) of the outer wiring insulation from the other end of the cord to expose the three wires and then strip about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of insulation from each wire. Use a marker and place a dot about 2 inch (5 cm) up from the threaded end of the metal drain pipe. Make an indentation on your mark so the drill bit will not slide around. Next, use an appropriate sized drill bit for your ground nut and drill a hole at the mark you made, file the hole smooth and thread your ground nut through. From inside the pipe, put the washer on and screw the nut on loosely. Thread the stripped cord through the metal drain pipe and carefully attach the green ground wire to the ground nut on the inside – it’s a bit tricky — a pair of pointy needle-nose pliers helps. Screw the wire down tightly.

5: Element assembly and sealing

Attach the two remaining black and white wires to the end of the heating element. Screw the wires down tightly. Put the rubber gasket that came with the heating element over the base threads of the element. Take the slip joint nut (but not the gasket) and slide it over the element. The slip joint nut will slide past the element threads and screw on to the metal drain pipe end, forming a perfect fit with the heating element. While holding the element firmly so the wires inside don’t twist, screw the slip joint nut down tight. Squeeze both full tubes of JB Weld into a disposable cup. Thin the epoxy with lacquer thinner or acetone to a consistency of house paint so you can pour it. With the stick standing element-end-down, pour the epoxy into the metal drain pipe so it completely covers and encapsulates the element and ground nut electrical contacts. Let the heatstick stand upright for 72 hours. When the epoxy has completely cured, couple the handle to the pipe.

6: Water testing

Before brewing with your new heatstick, water test it. Fill your boil kettle to full depth and with the end cap uncoupled from the handle, immerse the stick — unplugged — into the water. Keep it submerged for at least 30 minutes. Take it out, dry off the outside and tap the stick upside down to see if any water comes out. Use a flashlight to double check for water on the inside. If you have water on the inside, you have a leak and will need to start over. When you’re confident it’s sealed well, re-connect the end cap, immerse the stick in the water again and plug it in to a GFCI protected outlet. If a leak is present, the GFCI should instantly trip, shutting off the outlet and heatstick. If the GFCI malfunctions, the short on the ground will blow your circuit breaker/fuse.