Thank you Danny! Well brew #2 in yesterday… I took a bit longer as I did clean and sanitize the new big basket… I just love brewing with a basket instead of a bag… All went well, need to adjust how my CFC is positioned so next time I’ll have it hanging and not sitting on the floor… I did start the 001 yeast Saturday, I pitched about 1 PM yesterday and this morning at 5AM it was rolling along very nicely… Next up, reconfigure my malt mill… Motorize it and add a bigger hopper… Sneezles61
Your setup is beautiful…
If I may, where did you get all the information/guidance for all the setup? Without the kettles and all, about how much does this setup cost? I’ve been dying to get into something like this.
I’ve been reading the electric kettle pages, and also just asking for electric kettle controllers on the internet. This has been a couple of years just reading and dreaming. Instead of PID and SSR element controller, I went with a SCR, which is Silicon Controlled Regulater. There is another controller that is very similar to what I chose, but the name escapes me now. Basically, the other one is very similar to the stove top knob type controller. The controller is in the $175.00 range. I could actually gone a lot less, just use the SCR, but I like to have some of the extra whistles and bells with this gizmo. Theres a list up above you can look at and find them on the internet. Sneezles61
First problem today… The cord that hooks up to the element melted… 40 minutes later, $35.00, and I was back up and running… Next time, do not buy the cheapest cord cap you can find! Also, don’t touch it too see how hot it is! If its smoking, its hot… It wasn’t the heat that got me, it was an electrical shock! STOOPID Sneezles61
1 Like
Yowch!
I just want to add, This is the best modification I could have ever done! None of the extra heat from the propane, nor CO from burn fuel… Very effective for dialing in the temp now after some uses… I can keep the recirc. BIAB mash temp very even with 18% power on the the heating element… Once to a boil (which can get there quite quick) I can maintain it with 60% power to the heating element… I made a counterflow chiller, the coil styled one, which isn’t quite good enough. Clogs and very slow, yet my wort will chill down to 65*… I will be building a parallel counterflow chiller in the near future… Maybe half way through the chill route, I will make an exit of the chillin’ water, and put in a new entry point for new cold chillin’ water… I believe I can chill down 10 gallons in less than 10 minutes… Now to collect some copper tubing and fittings! Sneezles61
3 Likes
I love my plate chiller…just sayin’…
1 Like
This is an awesome post, great work!
I am in the process of building a very simple electric kettle as well. I am going to wire 230VAC to a 2-pole contactor (120VAC coil), then run the other side of that contactor to my heating element. I will punch a hole in my 8 gallon pot, and insert the heating element through there. Then, I will install a simple temperature controller ($15 on amazon) that runs on 120VAC. When its temperature probe detects water colder than my desired setting, it will close a relay, which will output 120VAC to the coil of the contactor. Not quite PID, its just a matter of “water too cold? turn on heater until the water is hot enough”.
I am an electrical engineer and work in industrial controls, so one day I will write my own software and get industrial grade controllers to do all of this. I plan on integrating a touch screen as well, so it will be very cool. For now, I just plan on using the above setup. All I want is the ability to bring my 7 gallons of wort to a boil indoors, the simple system should do the trick.
2 Likes
Thank you for your kind words… I have a friend who wants something very simple, so could you tell/post of your controller? Thank you Sneezles61
I used this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KVCPH2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It only goes up to 99 degrees C (about 210 degrees F), but you can always just remove the temp probe from the pot so that it measures the air temp, that way the heating element will stay on and get the wort hot enough to boil. It has a relay output, which I wired to 120VAC on one side and a 120VAC contactor on the other side. The contactor will be between 240VAC and my heating element.
1 Like
Alright… A vital component became an issue… The connector for the RTD probe went kaput… I sent Auber ins. an email on how to disassemble so I can resolder… they got back to me very quickly… Now all I need is some time and a magnifying glass to see what the PIN numbers are… I tried looking through a half full beer mug… Could tell what’s what, but then, everything else didn’t look bad…
Hats off to Auber!!
Sneezles61
2 Likes
The connector or the PCB terminals? One requires a new part and plugging it in… The other may require soldering
Wires pulled out of female connector…the probe with the male end is good…
Sneezles61
Ahhh
I happen to own the proper tools to re-seat into most female connectors, or if you are talking about the spade type quick connects, those are obviously easy to replace.
One of the perks of my job I suppose
1 Like
I’ve listed my electric rig for sale…. Lotsa lookers… then some oddball came back with a ridiculous offer… I didn’t list all the stuff with it… but the oddball came back that a brewzilla would be just as good… a rather snarky comment…
Im a thinking brewing is on the down hill slide…
Sneezles61
Unfortunately there isn’t a large commodity for used beer equipment in the Homebrew range. Even on the commercial side it’s usually heavily discounted.
1 Like
