My two brews on my new electric system gave me a pretty big issue with hitting my strike temperature. I’ve been missing my mash temp by a good 10*. But, being the pantless brewer that I am, I just went with it. Used to be when I brewed with propane I would heat my strike water 6* over my target temp, take a gallon container and dip it in my kettle and pour it into my mash tun. The way my electric system is set up I cannot get a pitcher in it so I have to open the valve and run water into the pitcher. Typically, I strike around 3.5 to 4 gallons. When I get down to 3 gallons the element shuts of, and a 2 gallons I have to tip the kettle to get the rest of thew water out. Between all that mess it turns out I am about 12* lower than my strike temp. So, say my strike temp is 162*, I would add 6* for thermal mass and strike 168*. Worked like a dream on propane every time. So, I transfer that over to my electric system. I hit 168* and by the time it all makes its way to the mash tun, I’m actually at 154*, then add the grain and I’m way down there.
So, the lesson I learned is that is I need 3.5 gallon of 168* I need to heat 7 gallons to 172*. This will give me my temp, and the element will stay on. Also, then I replace the volume I used to strike, and by the time the sach rest is done, my 7 gallons is up to 180* to sparge.
Needless to say, I just ordered a pump. :
Good on ya! But you also illustrate why I’ve used the same equipment for almost 20 years!
Tip of the day: Hold the Alt key down and type 248 to get the ° sign. 
I thought you moved to Zimatic or Pico or some other automated system. Glad to hear you’re still old school. I still have my 1992 enamel brew kettle and stir spoon but that’s about it. I move to a new cooler and SS kettle.
I still use my various cooler systems along with a Zymatic, a Pico and a Grainfather. Depends on what I feel like.
You should know me by now. I can’t leave well enough alone. And, I figured since I was starting over anyways, why not.
Oh, I KNOW how you are!
Or option zero on a mac.
Funny, on my laptop it’s alt 0176