Braumeister NEXTGEN Build

[Edak]

Cool, sound like I am on the right track. Or at least a track which has been trodden before. he he.

One thing I just realised. A 2400W element draws bang on 10A, but adding a pump in as well puts me over the 10A level of standard wiring. That cheaper pump I linked to before draws 1.1A and the March 809 pump draws 1.4A.

What are other people doing with regards to amp draw?

I think others are just letting it fly, running an extension cord, crossing fingers, using lower power element, etc.

I am going to run some tests by plugging in a bunch of items into the chosen outlet and see how much power I can draw before it trips something Then I have a reasonable gauge. :icon_drunk:

 

[angus_grant]

I suppose one way to look at it is this: during mashing you are only occasionally drawing the full power of heating element + pump when toping up heat. If the pot is insulated during the mashing, this may only be necessary a couple of times during the mash.

You won't need the pump running during the boil so you are back to 10A on the heating element.

So I will need to code up my system to not run the pump when ramping up to mash temperature, and then perhaps run the pump a little bit to recirculate the water and make sure of an even temp distribution. Then start the actual mash process.

 

[Edak]

Plug in your 2000W vacuum cleaner and on the same circuit (not the same power point) turn on your 2200W Kmart kettle. Try a few combinations and let us know the results (which triggers a fuse/safety/whatever...). Pragmatic, but useful information to be learned.

Oh and you might want some replacement fuse wire if you try this.

 

[seamad]

My control box with the pid and ssr has outputs for the crown urn and march pump, never had a problem.

 

[angus_grant]

What element is in the urn?

 

[NickB]

All domestic power circuits should be 16A. It's the outlet that's rated to 10A, so just bear in mind pulling any more than this through a standard GPO may lead to overheating, but if it's only 11A you should be OK.

As mentioned, either test your circuit, or check in the meter box as to what you have fitted.


Cheers

 

[seamad]

Crown urn 2400 watt concealed element.
Control box has a 1.5 m lead, gets a little warm during the brew but far from hot. Same size lead to urn. Both ten amp leads.

 

[hsv_069]

Has anyone thought of using an old cornie with the top and bottom cut off for a malt pipe? Pros/cons?

 

[seamad]

Don't think diam is big enough. I can get 5-6kg grain in my bigw pot which has same volume as a corny ( 19L).
cheers
sean

 

[kymba]

Here's an option for getting around the opening in the bottom of the malt pipe - don't have one. This is just some fittings mounted through the top plate thing - a chopping board with a bunch of 1.5 mm holes. It is then retained with a couple of s/s rods that span between each handle.

I gave this a trial run yesterday and it worked quite well. After a 10 minute mash out I just flipped it upside down and let it drain until the boil started. Note that this is only a 7.8 litre stock pot used as the MP as I only want to do 10 - 12 litre batches, so I'm not sure how it would go on a full size unit, especially if you were sparging . Oh and it's mounted on 3 s/s bolts to hold the MP off of the element

 

[Yorg]

Sorry to be a little thick, but I don't quite get it, even after looking at your photo.
Can you do a quick sketch of how it works?

 

[dkaos]

Here's an option for getting around the opening in the bottom of the malt pipe - don't have one. This is just some fittings mounted through the top plate thing - a chopping board with a bunch of 1.5 mm holes. It is then retained with a couple of s/s rods that span between each handle.

I gave this a trial run yesterday and it worked quite well. After a 10 minute mash out I just flipped it upside down and let it drain until the boil started. Note that this is only a 7.8 litre stock pot used as the MP as I only want to do 10 - 12 litre batches, so I'm not sure how it would go on a full size unit, especially if you were sparging . Oh and it's mounted on 3 s/s bolts to hold the MP off of the element

View attachment 54788

Looks promising mate, some more shots that show internals and how it operates without any wort in there would be sweet.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Here's an option for getting around the opening in the bottom of the malt pipe - don't have one. This is just some fittings mounted through the top plate thing - a chopping board with a bunch of 1.5 mm holes. It is then retained with a couple of s/s rods that span between each handle.

I gave this a trial run yesterday and it worked quite well. After a 10 minute mash out I just flipped it upside down and let it drain until the boil started. Note that this is only a 7.8 litre stock pot used as the MP as I only want to do 10 - 12 litre batches, so I'm not sure how it would go on a full size unit, especially if you were sparging . Oh and it's mounted on 3 s/s bolts to hold the MP off of the element

View attachment 54788

yep got it when I first saw it! Simplicity in motion, still would like to see the internals, to see how you did it. How was your efficiencey? And have you tried step mashing with it yet? Of course with a HLT set up next to it would be really easy to do a really slow fly sparge. Nice work!

Edit: spelling

 

[angus_grant]

I've started getting my parts to start building but I wanted to pause and have a think about the recirculating part of the system.

Cutting a hole in the bottom of the malt pipe presents its own problems. You modify the main vessel for a single purpose and it is the expensive part of the system. The malt pipe is the cheap part of the system so I would prefer to mess with it. But everytime I think of a new way to do it, I run into a clanger.

My thinking was a normal false bottom and run a pipe from the side of the MP to the false bottom. A tube would then run down the outside of the malt pipe, connect up the tube on the inside. The false bottom should then provide even flow of the recirculating wort back up through the grains. Draining the liquid from the MP then presents a problem as there is no pathway out the bottom. Could have quick disconnect on outside tube and drain liquid out through there, but that is then a manual process and I'd like to automate the MP removal at some point.

I always end up coming back to the two-filter approach as per Braumeister. I like the idea of having as little of the wort outside the system losing heat, and then also losing as little liquid as possible. I might have a look at false bottoms and see if I can find one for the top of the malt pipe. Probably an expensive way to go. I've no idea on FB prices.

 

[Feldon]

Skin fittings, I think you're thinking of. Here's a link as an example. Probably cheaper to find a local supplier, but they have a good picture: http://www.cassellmarine.com.au/p/608179/s...n-fittings.html

Similar thing here but $12 cheaper: https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdeta...tAbsolutePage=1

 

[MastersBrewery]

angus _grant check out this thread post #28 http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=63866&st=0 I was thinking instead of that pipe going up the middle that it could hug the FB and side of the pot/MP.

 

[bonj]

Similar thing here but $12 cheaper: https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdeta...tAbsolutePage=1

nice one Feldon. I knew there would be cheaper ones around, but was after an example. I'll be bookmarking that page for my build.

 

[kymba]

Ok so heres some pics of all the bits

I was pretty disappointed with the cheapo element. Probably my own fault for running it full stick during mash ramps, but upon sober inspection the next day it looked like a jack russell turd and still has scorch marks on it after a sodium perc & caustic wash

might give it another shot with the element turned down to half-way, maybe that might reduce the buildup of crap

Fly sparging could be an option - with the MP upside down and a bit of hose attached to the internal hosetail the sparge water would enter above the grain bed and soak up all the goodies. could even make a tiny copper manifold that sits on the bottom of the pot, then when the MP is up-ended it would be on top of the grain bed. sounds like a lot of faffing about though

 

[Edak]

Similar thing here but $12 cheaper: https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdeta...tAbsolutePage=1

nice one Feldon. I knew there would be cheaper ones around, but was after an example. I'll be bookmarking that page for my build.

I mentioned this retailer earlier in this thread, I called them, checked that they had it, asked them to put it aside and caught a taxi there and when I got there they didn't f'ing have any! Apparently they only update their computer stock levels every 10 days? I WTF??

This is the QLD store so YMMV.

 

[angus_grant]

I picked up one of the stainless skin fittings last week from Whitworths and am still waiting for them to get in the other one. I did buy some spanky 316 stainless eye-bolts for lifting my malt pipe out.

I also purchased some 316 SS clamps for the top filter on the malt pipe. I'll may have to flatten out the hook part of it as I'm not sure whether the curve will let me put the top filter on and latch it down to the malt pipe. And the ring part of the M10 is too large to fit between MP and main pot so they are getting in the M8 and M6 to see if they will fit in. Should be good for the lifting load though.

So much swanky SS stuff there... B) I had to leave before I bought more stuff. They've been very helpful, also considering the Brisbane boat show was on last weekend.....