Search results

Old computer's hard drive was starting to pile up (it's nice when they warn you), so I went all-out and built a new one from scratch. Got it finished a couple of hours ago. Intel i7 2600K + 16GB RAM + 128GB SSD for windows & programs + 1TB conventional drive for data + Spanky 1GB video card...

The temperature of the heat exchanger is either the same as the mash or close to it. You don't want it really hot (close to boiling) as that will kill/denature the enzymes in the mash as they pass through the exchanger. My present (soon to be obsolete) HERMS always circulates wort through the...

;) My design philosophy seems to follow the old engineer joke of "calculate to 12 decimal points, measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, and cut with an axe." I love accuracy even though I know that, practically, there's no difference in real life between a 0.2% and a 0.6% sensor over the...

The MCU wasn't actually the primary reason for the design. The primary reason was accuracy in converting the analog signals. I have analog temperature signals from the LM35's @ 10mV/C which means an absolute max of about 750mV @ 75C. In order to maximize the delta in readings, that requires...

Since you asked, here are the schematics. Not shown are the off-board components such as the SSRs and ordinary relays. Also not shown are the sensors. I will use LM35DH temperature sensors and Measurement Specialties Inc FC2231-0000-0050-L load cells (mass sensors). I haven't ever blogged...

Thanks...I do it for a living so this isn't such a stretch for me. However, the right tools make all the difference in the world. I use probably the cheapest PIC C compiler available for my own personal projects, but it's also the most user friendly. If you want to start playing with PICs...

Yup. Tedious but I find it fun. Tedious because I refuse to use an autorouter (hate the things).

2 x 78l (82qt) and 1 x 59l (62qt). The big ones are going to be the mash tun and kettle while the little one is going to be the lauter tun/hot liquor tank. I also have three small "asparagus steamer" pots (tall & slender pots). One is going to become my grant, while two are going to become...

Followup to this topic. Got the PCB all soldered today: All that's left to do is to mask the headers and spray it with conformal coating and it's done. The large silver thing on the back of the PCB is a micro SD card connector as I decided that I want to incorporate a datalogging...

I finally have an update. I have the guts of the control unit almost done. This is a shot of the face, minus the touch screen. It's pretty standard for electronic enclosures to come prefinished with a dull gray powder coat finish. I used several small cans of automotive touch-up paint to...

Get a proper drain/tap welded on. It won't cost much and the peace of mind will be worth it. With it welded on you can sanitise with heat, which is absolutely foolproof.

All my ales look that way. Lagers only get maybe 5-6cm of krausen because of the lower temperature. I build up a 2l starter from one smack pack on a stir plate and I also oxygenate the starter. When I pitch the starter, each carboy gets 60 seconds of oxygen again. Just about every yeast...

What my krausens typically look like. However, given the relative fill levels, I'd say your Belgian dark strong is way more lively than my typical brews. ;)

Around here, their presence depends on the age of the house. Anything built prior to roughly the early '70s doesn't have them. For a time 'the code' only required them in wet locations (bathrooms and to a lesser extent garages), and now kitchens also require them. I think that 'whole home'...

:icon_offtopic: You're right, around here hops are planted once. ;) They're amazingly hardy. Last spring my Hallertauer was about 0.5m tall when the weather turned and we got a week of daily highs of -10C. The thing stopped growing for that week, but the leaves didn't even change colour -...

You can get good results by wrapping the vertical top part of the conical with copper tubing, then wrap the entire thing in insulation. Use a pump to circulate coolant through the tubing - a reservoir in a fridge holds the coolant. A thermostat controls the pump. Even though you're only...

Update: The friend that lives closeby sent me this email: Waaay too close for comfort.

This plane went down yesterday not too far away from where I used to live, and less than 2 blocks from where a good friend still lives. I know that crashes are rare but I'm glad I don't live in the flight path of an airport now.

My soon to be obsolete HERMS uses a march pump to constantly recirculate. The liquid lines from the mash tun to the pump and pump to the heat exchanger are 1/2" ID, and my heat exchanger coil is 3/8" ID. I have not had a stuck sparge or runoff with this system, other than the time I...

So is trying to swindle random people over the phone. Tit for tat, really.