Brewtech SS fermenting vessels discussion thread

[Dan Pratt]

A couple of photos of the chronical7 in the brewpi fermenter
Belgium Dubbel due to keg on Saturday
James

Hi James,

What is the tolerance setting you use for the BrewPi ?

I set my STC at +/- 0.3c using a thermowell for interanal temps.

Also, does that brewpi log the data for you ?

 

[GalBrew]

Hey boozed
Check the SS Brewtech USA website for "sanitary racking adaptor" i just received mine through newera and it will get a run when my current belgian dubbel is done in the chronical7. Basically it is a lump of stainless with sanitary fittings both sides and a centre sized to take the racking arm. I was thinking of making a similar item when I saw this on USA site and ordered one.
I bought butterfly valves from USA and stacks of other sanitary fittings from USA and China on ebay.

Apparently Brewtech are going to have their own butterfly valves soon according to the US website.

 

[zwitter]

Hi Pratty
The brewpi does log the lot. Up to 3 temps and when door is opened and closed when the heater or cooler is turned on and off etc. you can set the hysteresis but i used the default and the temp probe in thermowell in middle of conical says the temp only varies by 0.13 of a degree. Way better than it needs to be. Plus can set a temp profile and it will change and follow what ever you set. Amazing. Really looking forward to being able to ferment year round at the best temp for the yeast and have it 100% repeatable.

I am no linix expert but there is more that can be done with brewpi and I am slowly learning. I want to be able to save the log files and to be able to edit the web page. Both are possible and i am learning from my mistakes. There is oodles of info on the web.

As far as SŚBrewtechs own butterfly valves they said they would have them soon some time last year. I gave up waiting and was happy with what I got. Easy to strip down and clean. Parts available. Choice of seal material. For other bits i got from China i was happy with price but the items have little dents all over. For the sake of plastic caps they could have been perfect.


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[Boozed]

Hi James,

What is the tolerance setting you use for the BrewPi ?

I set my STC at +/- 0.3c using a thermowell for interanal temps.

Also, does that brewpi log the data for you ?

"... InterANAL TEMPS..." Thought I was on the wrong forum for a moment there lol

 

[Weizguy]

"... InterANAL TEMPS..." Thought I was on the wrong forum for a moment there lol

depends if that word specific search brought you here....

 

[vortex]

Has anyone got a Chronical 17 gallon handy, and able to measure it up for me? I'm specifically looking for the outside diameter of the main fermenter body itself, I'm looking to design some Peltier blocks in solidworks and have them CNC machined. I ordered a 17g but I don't have it on hand yet and would like to get something moving. Seriously considering peltiers for cooling as I have a couple of fridges but due to the compressor hump the 17g won't fit without modifying the legs, and I don't fancy hunting for (or paying for) an all-fridge.

Has anyone heard when the lids with the 3" TC will be available? I'm very keen to get a CIP spray ball up and running; a 3" ferrule is available from brewers hardware but heard the lid is not very thick and would be a pain to weld.

Also, what is the weldless thermowell like in these? I hate weldless fittings and would have preferred a 1/2" TC - so it's kind of making me a bit nervous. I guess the ball valves are a bigger concern though, they definitely won't stay on mine very long.

 

[vortex]

Contacted their Support and they were most helpful:

Hi James,
400 mm is the ID of the body ... the wall thickness is 1.1-1.2 mm nominal.
Cheers
Chad
Ssupport

 

[bingggo]

I got the 14 gallon fermenter and disassembled the ball valves for clearing. The white seats in the 3/4" valve both have a chunk missing on their internal face. I'll ask the shop about replacement seats.

On both valves, the seats don't go back in flush despite my fingers of steel (less than a millimetre off flush). I'm not familiar with ball valves - do you just reassemble them slightly off flush and tightening the bolts pops them back in?

Cheers.

 

[zwitter]

I have the 7 gal Chonical.

Never used the ball valves. I ordered fittings from ebay out of china and they are ok.
Bought butterfly valves from USA about 50$ a piece. Rebuildable!
Got a glass flow tube and a glass end stop. All sanitary fittings.
I do prefer the sanitary fittings.
I got the sanitary fitting that takes the racking arm by SS brewtech.

I love the ease of use and cleaning.

It has the weld-less thermo well and it is ok. Has silicone seals and as long ascareful to clean it is good. I would have liked a sanitary fitting but not available.

The wall is very thin and welding would be a pain for anyone other than an expert or a computer welder.

Am thinking would like another but would make some changes. Really the lid should be held on like a huge sanitary fitting like a huge clamp around the outside.
Probably thicker walls. More sanitary fittings. Sturdier legs.

I do use pressure to purge the beer into kegs but keep pressure down as the lid will just flex if you push it.
James


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[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

Just received my 14gal chronically and some tsp to clean with. I don't have any instructions for the tsp, what ratio to water do you guys use for cleaning the stainless?

 

[vortex]

My 17G Chronical was just delivered
Nice bit of kit! For the money it just can't be beaten I don't think. The Weldless thermometer probe isn't bad - It'll be simple to pop it out between batches and make sure it's clean - I'd be doing that with all the other fitting as well anyway. Latest version has a PRV in the lid to protect the unit, a very nice addition.

I have begun designing a peltier cooling system for it as it won't fit in my fridge. Does anyone have a resonable source for butterfly valves? Can't see any under $100 online.
I'm also planning on ordering the 3" TC lid the moment it's available in Australia so I can run CIP for cleaning and sanitising.

Untitled by vortexau, on Flickr

Untitled by vortexau, on Flickr

Untitled by vortexau, on Flickr

Will run the ball valves and fittings through the dishwasher on the weekend but the fermentor unfortunately won't get any wort in it for a little while until I can control the temps.

 

[fdsaasdf]

Will run the ball valves and fittings through the dishwasher on the weekend but the fermentor unfortunately won't get any wort in it for a little while until I can control the temps.

Great pics, thanks. Why not put on a saison while you wait for temp control?

 

[antiphile]

I'm so jealous of you guys. I've got 2 of the standard 7 gallon (US gallons) brew buckets and I just love them. But I'm saving up for a half barrel chronical (from memory it might be 64 litres or so), and there are quite a few addons you can get (including chillers etc) designed for it.

There's also a link on the SS BrewTech page for the half barrel that gives intructions for a homemade glycol chiller IIRC, but I'm not smart enough to undertake it.

 

[Clever Brewing Bloke]

I don't have any instructions for the tsp, what ratio to water do you guys use for cleaning the stainless?

You've probably already done your own research on this , but the recommended dose is 10g/L & HOT!!!

75-80C is going to get you where you want to be. Recirculation if you can do it, but otherwise, a good overnight soak, then flush with lots of hot tap water.

Passivate with a good acid solution (Strong Star-san will do it).

Good to go.

 

[vortex]

Great pics, thanks. Why not put on a saison while you wait for temp control?

I'd already given that some thought and there's a chance I'll give that a go.

I'm so jealous of you guys. I've got 2 of the standard 7 gallon (US gallons) brew buckets and I just love them. But I'm saving up for a half barrel chronical (from memory it might be 64 litres or so), and there are quite a few addons you can get (including chillers etc) designed for it.

I'm actually considering getting a 7 gallon brew bucket for small batches/yeast starters

Regarding the cooling, personally I don't want anything other than the conical itself and directly associated fittings touching the beer, but more importantly from what I can tell the SS brewtech solutions are kind of expensive and inflexible; having to maintain a cold water source for the duration of fermentation is something I would prefer not to bother with.

I've re-designed this https://conical-fermenter.com/AL-Block-394-Peltier-Cooling-Block-for-14.5-gal.-Fermenters.html to suit a SS Brewtech 17G and at the moment I am looking for someone who can draw it up in CAD for me, and then have it machined. I will use at least 3 cooling blocks on mine with 2 peltiers each. I'm considering what it would also take to mount at least one cooling block on the cone for small batches (pro conicals often have separate cone/upper half temp control).

 

[vortex]

Which TSP are you guys using to clean the conical and parts? Bunnings sell http://www.bunnings.com.au/cleaner-all-purpose-2-2kg-tricleanium-_p1670021 which is >99% TSP according to the MSDS. Kind of expensive.

 

[GalBrew]

Which TSP are you guys using to clean the conical and parts? Bunnings sell http://www.bunnings.com.au/cleaner-all-purpose-2-2kg-tricleanium-_p1670021 which is >99% TSP according to the MSDS. Kind of expensive.

You can get a smaller tub of the stuff at Bunnings.

 

[vortex]

You can get a smaller tub of the stuff at Bunnings.

I'd probably go the bigger one anyway, not a bad price and seems like decent gear for cleaning after doing some more reading.

 

[vortex]

I dismantled my ball valves tonight so I could wash them and the 1/2" was shockingly hard to get the ball out of. The 3/4" ball just slid out, as they also do on my brewery.

Did anyone else have issues with the 1/2" ball valve?

 

[GalBrew]

I dismantled my ball valves tonight so I could wash them and the 1/2" was shockingly hard to get the ball out of. The 3/4" ball just slid out, as they also do on my brewery.

Did anyone else have issues with the 1/2" ball valve?

Mine came apart quite easily for the record.