Braumeister NEXTGEN Build

[angus_grant]

<SNIP>
My 'custom' 1755mm 2000w element cost me $182 plus $22 postage from Melbourne to Adelaide.
<SNIP>

Well according to Malted he paid $204 (inc shipping) for a 2000W element and I am getting a 2400W element, so imagine it will be slightly more expensive.

But your price is well below that. Hmm, what gives???

 

[Malted]

Well according to Malted he paid $204 (inc shipping) for a 2000W element and I am getting a 2400W element, so imagine it will be slightly more expensive.

But your price is well below that. Hmm, what gives???

Mine was not 'off the shelf'. It was going to be custom built, apparently.

 

[PeteQ]

Sorry if this has been brought up before but I'm hoping to have my braumiser up and going this weekend but I'm struggling to seal the malt pipe.

What i was planning on doing is cutting out a 20mm ring out of a silicone baking mat and sticking it to the bottom of the malt pipe. I used selleys knead it which seemed to work and it sealed perfectly in the main pot but when i lifted the MP out it left behind the silicone ring. Apparently knead it doesn't stick to silicone.
I've been told silicone sealant also doesn't stick to silicone so i haven't tried that yet.

I also tried 8mm od hose around the inside of the MP opening but that was probably never going to work.

I was really hoping my silicone solution would work but should i just get some more 12mm hose and be done with it?

 

[Edak]

Sorry if this has been brought up before but I'm hoping to have my braumiser up and going this weekend but I'm struggling to seal the malt pipe.

What i was planning on doing is cutting out a 20mm ring out of a silicone baking mat and sticking it to the bottom of the malt pipe. I used selleys knead it which seemed to work and it sealed perfectly in the main pot but when i lifted the MP out it left behind the silicone ring. Apparently knead it doesn't stick to silicone.
I've been told silicone sealant also doesn't stick to silicone so i haven't tried that yet.

I also tried 8mm od hose around the inside of the MP opening but that was probably never going to work.

I was really hoping my silicone solution would work but should i just get some more 12mm hose and be done with it?

I used 12mm and it works a treat. My pipe has a lip at the bottom so it's kinda like an "L" so the 12mm goes over that and the lower part of the "L" seals against the base nicely. I have only the very slightest and slow leak at the join, which I have no idea how to eliminate but I otherwise get really good flow through the grain bed so I haven't worried too much about it.

Have a look at "build2" image on my website and you will just see the inner facing lip (I have no silicone installed at that point), the "outside2" picture shows with 12mm installed.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Edak,

After reading all 48 pages again, very inspired to get one up and running.

It was prpbably in the thread somewhere i know, can you tell me what was the sizes of the pots that you used for your build. H and D on the 2 vessels?

Dan

 

[wotafm]

[/quote]
I've been told silicone sealant also doesn't stick to silicone so i haven't tried that yet
[/quote]

peteq give the silicon adhesive a go when we stick silicon rubber to machines at work we use foodgrade silicon as it is about the only thing that does stick

cheers wotafm

 

[Edak]

Edak,

After reading all 48 pages again, very inspired to get one up and running.

It was prpbably in the thread somewhere i know, can you tell me what was the sizes of the pots that you used for your build. H and D on the 2 vessels?

Dan

Hey pratty,

Big pot...
Top edge (diameter) = 420mm
Bottom Edge (diameter) = 390mm
Height = 395mm

Small pot is the bigw 19L pot, which i think is about 290x290

 

[Dan Pratt]

Hey pratty,

Big pot...
Top edge (diameter) = 420mm
Bottom Edge (diameter) = 390mm
Height = 395mm

Small pot is the bigw 19L pot, which i think is about 290x290

Good man, the pot I was looking at from handy imports is $123 and a 46L and It meets those specs, it's aluminium, is that ok?

 

[PeteQ]

peteq give the silicon adhesive a go when we stick silicon rubber to machines at work we use foodgrade silicon as it is about the only thing that does stick

cheers wotafm

Thanks wotafm, I've quickly googled it and it seems no one has found a food grade silicone sealant?

I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong?

 

[gap]

What about the silicone sealant used on Aquariums?
You would think that was food safe, not sure about ability to
handle heat.

 

[Edak]

Good man, the pot I was looking at from handy imports is $123 and a 46L and It meets those specs, it's aluminium, is that ok?

I personally don't like the idea of using aluminium pots for this, for the following reasons:
1. Stainless fittings on al pot = possible galvanic corrosion
2. Al pot bottom will possibly deform when you screw down the malt pipe hard
3. The system will not be as easy to clean because you can't use the same harsh chemicals on Al as you can with Stainless (think about that element you want to be nice and clean)

My 50L stainless pot was from memory only $110 and it is a PERFECT fit.

Thanks wotafm, I've quickly googled it and it seems no one has found a food grade silicone sealant?

I'm hoping someone can prove me wrong?

Have a loot at THIS thread.

 

[claypot]

Hey all,
Just wodering if anyone has used any of these elements from evilbay? Was even thinking may be able to partly straighten and re bend?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3KW-Stainless-S...=item2574e2b397

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AC-220V-3KW-12m...=item2574e63c97

With free postage the price is definatly right, plus I have brought from these guy's before with no drama, postage a bit slow though.
Cheers.

 

[QldKev]

Hey all,
Just wodering if anyone has used any of these elements from evilbay? Was even thinking may be able to partly straighten and re bend?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3KW-Stainless-S...=item2574e2b397

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AC-220V-3KW-12m...=item2574e63c97

With free postage the price is definatly right, plus I have brought from these guy's before with no drama, postage a bit slow though.
Cheers.

Don't know how far you can bend them, but I have bent the 2kw ones with no issues. 3 out of the 4 uxcel elements I use I have been bent.

This one you can see I have bent it outwards and also downwards, still works 100%. I've never tried a major bend in them, but I assume the U at the end is just formed that way, but I don't really know.




QldKev

 

[notung]

Hey all,
Just wodering if anyone has used any of these elements from evilbay? Was even thinking may be able to partly straighten and re bend?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3KW-Stainless-S...=item2574e2b397

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AC-220V-3KW-12m...=item2574e63c97

With free postage the price is definatly right, plus I have brought from these guy's before with no drama, postage a bit slow though.
Cheers.

Hey claypot, I have just recently paid for a cheapie $16 element from the same seller - uxcell. Here's mine. I can't say how it performs yet obviously but will make sure to let you know. Why did I choose it?

- because my malt pipe will seal using camlocks (like ArnieW's system) I have no need to bend an element round it
- I wanted an element that fitted through the bottom of the pot rather than through side wall (I want my machine to be most elegant!)
- price: replacement elements for, say, Birko urns and such seem to cost a bomb!

Will let you know how install and performance goes. Does anyone know whether these come with gaskets etc for sealing? Cheers.

 

[claypot]

Nice one thanks for the reply's guy's.
I was hoping to bend one braumeiser style, I think it would be possible, maybe just not as pretty as others.

 

[claypot]

Hey claypot, I have just recently paid for a cheapie $16 element from the same seller - uxcell. Here's mine. I can't say how it performs yet obviously but will make sure to let you know. Why did I choose it?

- because my malt pipe will seal using camlocks (like ArnieW's system) I have no need to bend an element round it
- I wanted an element that fitted through the bottom of the pot rather than through side wall (I want my machine to be most elegant!)
- price: replacement elements for, say, Birko urns and such seem to cost a bomb!

Will let you know how install and performance goes. Does anyone know whether these come with gaskets etc for sealing? Cheers.

Hey Notung,
I liked the look of that one and was considering it as the kw was right for mine.
Only thing was I want to whirlpool in mine so not sure if the element would shag it up. Other than that it looks perfect.

 

[seamad]

What about the silicone sealant used on Aquariums?
You would think that was food safe, not sure about ability to
handle heat.


Selleys say that it isnt food grade, i did use it as assumed it probably is ok if you can use it in aquariums. I did find though that it didnt stick after a couple of brews, so i just borrow the pressure cooker seal on brewdays, much better.

 

[notung]

Hey Notung,
I liked the look of that one and was considering it as the kw was right for mine.
Only thing was I want to whirlpool in mine so not sure if the element would shag it up. Other than that it looks perfect.

Good point about the whirlpooling. I plan on doing the same, manually at first but then with a pump in the future. I know that the center copper element in my birko urn doesn't adversely affect a trub cone forming in whirlpool. This element may not be quite in the center for the braumiser build but I feel pretty confident it'll be fine. I'll be installing the element as centrally as I can.

 

[wotafm]

PeteQ Dow corning 732 is FDA approved for food contact and should handle the heat

cheers wotafm

 

[Edak]

PeteQ Dow corning 732 is FDA approved for food contact and should handle the heat

cheers wotafm

Yeah, that is the one quoted in the second post of the thread I linked. I think that it is the best option for him.