Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[carniebrew]

Quick one guys....does the "off" position on your Mash/Boil switch actually turn the element off? I've noticed that when I switch it to off, it does the exact same thing as if it was set to "mash", i.e. it heats the liquid inside to the temp set on the controller (or allows it to cool to that temp before keeping it there). This doesn't seem right to me. Basically, I can't have the pump on and the element switched off, unless I manually set the temp to a low enough figure that it'll never kick in.

Have I got a dodgy one or are they all doing this?

 

[Trevandjo]

Mine definitely turns off but you're not the first person I've heard with this problem. I set my temp down now at flameout just incase.

 

[kaiserben]

Mine definitely turns off but you're not the first person I've heard with this problem. I set my temp down now at flameout just incase.

Same here.

 

[HBHB]

Quick one guys....does the "off" position on your Mash/Boil switch actually turn the element off? I've noticed that when I switch it to off, it does the exact same thing as if it was set to "mash", i.e. it heats the liquid inside to the temp set on the controller (or allows it to cool to that temp before keeping it there). This doesn't seem right to me. Basically, I can't have the pump on and the element switched off, unless I manually set the temp to a low enough figure that it'll never kick in.

Have I got a dodgy one or are they all doing this?

Carniebrew, your pump should be able to be run continuously when the control unit is powered off. ie no temp displaying. That will also (or should) turn off power to all elements as well. If that isn't the case, then make contact with your retailer or imake direct.

 

[carniebrew]

Cheers. Just to check then, should switching the controller to off (via the mash/boil switch) turn off the display? Mine doesn't. The only way to kill the display is to turn power off at the wall switch.

 

[Trevandjo]

I think there is some confusion from when you mentioned about the pump earlier. The "I O II" switch will only turn off the elements when in the "O" position. "II" will bypass the controller.

 

[carniebrew]

Ok, to be clear, the right hand switch has I, O and II. I heats to the temp displayed on the controller, II ignores that temp and takes it to boil. O should turn the heat off altogether, but doesn't for me. And I'm wondering if O should switch of the temp display altogether.

This pic is with the switch set to Off, and the target temp at 15C:


This pic is with the switch set to Off, and the target temp at 65C:


As you can see the light that indicates the heating element is on is lit up in that second pic, despite the IOII switch being set to O.

I've emailed imake.

 

[bradsbrew]

The element switch will only turn of the elements, the display will still be on. The little red light at top left will remain on as the controller is telling the elements to turn on because the temp is lower than the set mash temp. However the elements wont turn on because you have bypassed and turned them off.

Hope that makes sense

 

[carniebrew]

Ok, definitely dodgy then, 'coz mine's heating up even with the switch set to off. Thanks.

Although I'm a bit confused by what HBHB is saying above now. How do you get to a point where the control unit is powered off (no temp displaying), but the pump will still run? The only way I could think to do that would be to pull the heating element's power plug out of the control box.

 

[carniebrew]

Actually thinking a bit more about that Brad...are you sure the STC-200 is that smart? The "work" light comes on when the unit detects the temp has dropped below the target temp on the controller. Surely that means it's passing power to the heating element. Turning the IOII switch to O should turn the controller off completely in my mind...as in the display should go blank, but the pump would continue to work...which sounds like what HBHB is saying.

Are you sure you haven't got the same problem as me, where even with the switch turned to Off, the element is getting turned on? It took me a while to notice what was going on.

 

[bradsbrew]

Actually thinking a bit more about that Brad...are you sure the STC-200 is that smart? The "work" light comes on when the unit detects the temp has dropped below the target temp on the controller. Surely that means it's passing power to the heating element. Turning the IOII switch to O should turn the controller off completely in my mind...as in the display should go blank, but the pump would continue to work...which sounds like what HBHB is saying.

Are you sure you haven't got the same problem as me, where even with the switch turned to Off, the element is getting turned on? It took me a while to notice what was going on.

It is not the stc 200 being smart. It is still sending power to the elements however the element has been switched off in between the stc and the element. As I understand it, that is why there is two plugs coming from the control box.
Nah mine isn't one of the ones with the dodgy switch. Last brewday/night I had a few beers and forgot to turn the GF off at the wall, once I had chiiled. Came out the next morning and the control display was reading ambient temp. This was with element swith set to 0.

Cheers

 

[bradsbrew]

Basically, as soon as you plug the main cord into the wall and turn it on you have power going to the control unit. You then have two switches, one for pump and the other for elements.

 

[HBHB]

Cheers. Just to check then, should switching the controller to off (via the mash/boil switch) turn off the display? Mine doesn't. The only way to kill the display is to turn power off at the wall switch.

No, it just turns off control I think. Correct, to turn off all functions of elements and controller, power the unit to off and the pump can still run.

 

[Hippy]

Actually thinking a bit more about that Brad...are you sure the STC-200 is that smart? The "work" light comes on when the unit detects the temp has dropped below the target temp on the controller. Surely that means it's passing power to the heating element. Turning the IOII switch to O should turn the controller off completely in my mind...as in the display should go blank, but the pump would continue to work...which sounds like what HBHB is saying.

Are you sure you haven't got the same problem as me, where even with the switch turned to Off, the element is getting turned on? It took me a while to notice what was going on.

 

[Hippy]

To turn the controller off you press and hold the red button. This will solve your problem.

 

[tugger]

My solution to the low grain and other problems associated with getting grains in the boil is to raise the recirculation tube to its maximum height then back it off a tiny bit, The wort has never reached the height of the maximum extension of the recirculation tube with 20l of water.
If it can't go down the recurc tube it won't get into the boil pot.

 

[carniebrew]

To turn the controller off you press and hold the red button. This will solve your problem.

Ah, the red button...I knew I was missing something, thanks. I've never used that red button before, seemed a bit redundant. Which I suppose it is if your element switch actually works?

 

[jc64]

I'm thinking off using my immersion chiller with the unit. Any issues with it resting on the base while the element is on (last ten minutes of boil)? I'll adjust a coil or two so it doesn't rest on the hop filter housing.

 

[acarey]

I pushed the limits of the system the other night. Did a Dogfishead 90 minute IPA clone with a grainbill of 9.18 kg.

Apart from misjudging the strike and sparge water volumes, knocking the top of the return tube off into the mash, having to do an extended boil, making a mess of the kitchen, scorching the wort to the to element and springing a leak in the chiller, it was a complete and total success. Textbook brewing.

RE the scorching, it was a royal motha flippa to clean carbon from the bottom of the urn, and now my wort has an unwanted toasty (burnt) flavour. Has anyone else had issues with scorching with he grainfather?

I'm assuming its because the water to grain ratio was pretty low, but I don't know. Its never happened with more standard grain bills. Thoughts?

 

[carniebrew]

I'm thinking off using my immersion chiller with the unit. Any issues with it resting on the base while the element is on (last ten minutes of boil)? I'll adjust a coil or two so it doesn't rest on the hop filter housing.

Curious as to why you'd want to use that instead of the counter-flow we got with the GF. I find the latter a hell of a lot more efficient than my old immersion copper chiller...mind you it was a cheapie.