Anti-boil for HERMS?

[checkers]

I know the struggle, though I found cutting slits helped a lot.

I cut slits in my 19L big w malt pipe in my keggle.. with wheat in the mash and a big bill I struggle with recirc and overflow.. I'm hoping this will give me decent flow in the new system.. few more beers to be had while on the drill ;-)

 

[checkers]

Not an original idea, goes back to Graham Wheelers first book (so early 80's) glue a sheet of graph paper onto the surface you are drilling.
If you texter out the zones you want to perforate with a good black texter and glue the sheet down with something like Aquadhear or some other PVA or water soluble gum, then it just becomes a case of drilling every third box or so. Helps help to keep it all neat and lined up and you should be able to see where you have marked out through the paper

On the drills, if you ask for Jobber Drills, they have a point on both ends, mainly made for pop riveting, they are pretty cheap and come in packets of 10-12, don't be afraid to throw them away SS kills drills - a small pot of a drilling lubricant is also a good investment.
Mark

Cheers bud, I work in construction and have an endless supply of bits.. I've been using lanolin spray as cutting compound.. can only assume its less toxic than trefolex.. when I'm done I'll hit it with a flapper wheel and isopropyl alcohol to get all the **** off.. then I just need to sort herms cool and I'm off and brewing on the new rig!!

 

[Kingy]

I used oil in my home made herms a few years ago and done a few tests, can't remember much about it but the ramp time was way better with the oil. However it can get messy and it stinks after a few brews. It would be a bitch to do an oil change on it.
A few people commented that I could cook some chips while brewing. I remember I checked the temp of the oil and it was pretty high.
Definately not worth the hassle.
If you use glycol make sure you get food grade glycol.
I have one of Nevs herms now (for a while actually) and I've lost 1 element from it boiling when I turned the pump off and left the heat on and left the shed to clean some gear.
I usually don't drink until the boil is started and the mash tun is cleaned these days . And I check the level in the herms at the start of every brew.
I won't be losing another element that's for sure.

 

[Stubbie]

Thoroughly agree poor or nil flow rate is the root cause and a flow rate sensor of sorts would be ideal. An alternative is to monitor HEX water temperature and limit to, say, 98C via a controller, preferably with an SSR output. Use to break input signal to the HEX element SSR. Can have the controller sound an alarm when the set (near boiling) temperature is reached.

My HEX is powered by a 3.6kW element in under 3L of water and with a stuck sparge a HEX boil can be only a matter of seconds away. So I've been thinking of including the aforementioned.