Dedicated Herms Guide, Problems And Solution Thread

[bonj]

Excellent, thanks FJ.

BTW, you're link is not working

Cheers

Disgusting language, Nick... calling John a link! :lol:

 

[fraser_john]

Excellent, thanks FJ.

BTW, you're link is not working

Cheers

Try again, I had not made it public.

 

[NickB]

Disgusting language, Nick... calling John a link! :lol:

You should hear the names I call you in private....

 

[bonj]

You should hear the names I call you in private....

What do you mean in private?

 

[NickB]

Ummm, arrgh, ummm, no. Nothing to do with lubing up. Keep that betwixt InCider and yourself and BaaBra, dirty, filthy, sewer-dwelling man-beast.









h34r:














PS: do you have a link to a shed I could win, by any chance????!!?!!???

 

[gava]

Hey guys, Thinking of going to brewtroller..

Had a dip at a idea of a single pump HERMS here is a animated GIF of the process..

feedback please?? will this work? easy done?

 

[roller997]

Fraser_John,
Where did you source the SSR which is normally letting current through? Also, how many Amps can it handle?

Thanks

Roller

 

[Bizier]

I have just pestered Fraser_John to no end just now on this issue so I can give some summary:

I can confirm that it is solely on the low voltage control side of the element-controlling SSRs.

According to FJ's website he got it from Farnell who are now Element 14 here in Australia. http://au.element14.com/

I am also keen on knowing the exact SSR model, as I can't seem to meaningfully wade through the thousands of SSRs that they offer. I have requested a suitable part with known specs, and am waiting on a result.

My PIDs state 24v DC control, but I can't find a spec for the amperage, though I assume it to be low. I am electrically challenged, so I am unsure what hooking a multimeter up in series between the PID and the element-controlling SSR actually measures - I am assuming the draw on the control side of the SSR.

 

[fraser_john]

Jeez, I am glad I am so anal that I retain almost everything! I found the original receipt from Farmell....here is the exact item I ordered:

Normally Closed SSR -> CROUZET - MPDCD3-B - SSR, PCB MOUNT, 60VDC, 32VDC, 3A

 

[adryargument]

Hey guys, Thinking of going to brewtroller..

Had a dip at a idea of a single pump HERMS here is a animated GIF of the process..

feedback please?? will this work? easy done?

Great diagram, however what is the air pump for?? And why the HLT / HEX / Boiler.

 

[gava]

the airpump is to be used with the brewtroller unit to get the levels of the water in the vessels..
You configure the airpump to put out about 3 bubbles a second then you start to fill your vessels and configure the unit to know how much water is in at different presures..
i.e. program run "fill vessels" the ball valves will turn on until the vessels hit a level which I set and then turn off.

edit: BrewTroller Bubbler Setup

In the kettle its to turn off the ball valve when it hits the pre-boil volume...

The reason for HLT / HEX / Boiler is because thats what I use...

Great diagram, however what is the air pump for?? And why the HLT / HEX / Boiler.

 

[QldKev]

Hey guys, Thinking of going to brewtroller..

Had a dip at a idea of a single pump HERMS here is a animated GIF of the process..

feedback please?? will this work? easy done?

<pic removed>

Only difference I would do is underlet the water into the Mashtun from the HLT.

QldKev

 

[gava]

Thats how to do it now, I was going to do this but once I do that the plumbing gets a little more complex..which equals more moterized ball valves which aren't cheap.. Although saying that I really love underletting due to the fact I dont get any dough balls and its easy.. I might have another look and see what I can work out..

Only difference I would do is underlet the water into the Mashtun from the HLT.

QldKev

 

[roller997]

Thanks to both Bitzier and Fraser_John.
I can offer some advice on the switching current required to turn on your AC SSR to power the heating element.
Usually, the current required to turn on 40+ Amps of heating power by an SSR is about 25ma - this is 0.025Amp of power, so even the smallest of surface mount SSR's which are conducting current when off would cater for swithcing on your HLT SSR.

FJ - I am assuming you are using the HLT PID to switch the output from the DC SSR so that your HLT SSR only gets the DC control from the DC SSR when the temperature is too low?

Thanks

Roller

 

[Bizier]

Roller: mlt pid control voltage breaks hlt pid control voltage before load ssr, but otherwise it is on. Mlt should only be intermittently pulsing, and it is these pulse times where the hlt is denied power. My first reaction was to worry about the pid algorithm being thrown out, but FJ said not a big issue, perhaps a minor hlt overshoot, which if is repeatable, could be roughley compensated for.

ED: SSR ordered.

 

[crozdog]

Hi gents,

got my control panel wired up & working! :super:

now for the HEX. Have a great titanium coil (thanks Pumpy) and a 19l keg it'll fit into (with some minor modification) But need an element.

Can anyone recommend where to source a 6kW 11/2" screw in element & the union to screw it into? would prefer an element that is only about 300mm long.

Thank in advance.

Crozdog

 

[matho]

Here is 1 1/4 inch if that's any help

Cheers matho

 

[crozdog]

Here is 1 1/4 inch if that's any help

Cheers matho

cheers matho.

I meant 1 1/4". Am however curious as to why an 8kw element is nearly $100 cheaper?

anyone found anything cheaper?

a 2" might also work if anyone knows a good source.

 

[Bizier]

My morning coil build. Inner coil is made of odds and sods of copper I have scrounged, outer was fresh. Picture of base of coil shows patented laminar prevention hydrodynamic curve (pre-dinged copper).

 

[zxhoon]

been flicking through a few pages, just wanted to make a note if it hasn't been done before, SSRs can fail ON and also should NOT be thought of as an isolating device, ie with mains power on one side and the SSR off there is still potential to be shocked on the output
Im sure its not really an issue as I doubt anyone is touching anything while power is on but I hate hearing about people that get a zap from some bit of gear just because they didn't know...

my old boss was the Crouzet SSR (amongst other things) agent in Melbourne, dont think we ever stocked normally closed units though...
had a whole range of 240V to 600V rated devices, various current ranges up to around 50A from memory (been a couple of years since I worked there)
haven't spoken to him in a while but if anyone wants a price on SSRs let me know, should be able to beat the Element14 prices...

also does anyone use phase control SSRs for finer control of the heating element? instead of pulsing, some temperature controllers feed a 0/4-20mA or 0-10V signal to the SSR which then chops the AC wave for smoother temp control, better than on/off however you get more noise on your supply from it...