Lesson Learned

tmckinley80 · Joined: 18 Dec 2016 Posts: 18 Location: Huntsville, AL

So a lesson learned for me. I was preparing my setup for my brew day today, last night. Filled my HLT with 10 gallons of RO water to brew Southpaw 553, an amber lager. Started heating the HLT to temp to get a head start on this mornings brew. About 10pm I go out and turn everything off, leave the panel on.....so I thought. I go out around 11, look over and see the amber light of the heating element firing. Well, when I thought I turned everything off, turned out to be only the pump. 2.5gals of water boiled over and ended up on the work station. Lesson of the night....follow the damn checklist I had made for these operations. Today went as planned, giving my new toy, a tilt hydrometer/thermometer a try. So far so good.

**kal** · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:15 pm Post subject:

Always best to turn everything completely off if you're not there in person, just like any high power heated device (stove, kettle, etc). Brew safe!

Kal

GrumpyWally · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:39 pm Post subject:

Look at the bright side, at least it was only water and easy to clean up. I did something similar with sweet wort in the BK - didn't boil it dry, but got a couple of gallons on the table and the floor. I had to clean places and equipment I didn't even know existed.

W

_dirty_ · Joined: 04 Feb 2023 Posts: 1

Good to know!

KB · Posted: Fri May 12, 2023 8:46 pm Post subject:

Or, how about, checking everything, checking everything twice, turning on a pump and notice one of the tubes ballooning near bursting point. Don't ask how I know...