Hermit Coil Heat Exchange Build

[Parks]

Looks great Nev!

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Looks great Nev!

Got to love bling things .
Nev

 

[Parks]

Well, after my failed attempt at trying to do a stainless version (tube ID too small ) I went back to the PVC to see what I could do.

So I was "cleaning the garage" for a few hours pondering, looking at the screw end cap piece and wondering how I could do it better. My biggest problem with the whole thing has been sealing the wiring properly.

This is what I came up with:






So, now we have a nicely water tight housing for the cables. I now need to drill a hole through the side for a cable gland and work out the best means of connecting to the element. It's currently too close to simply plug a cable to it, but I realised you could easily glue a small section of 100mm tube anywhere inside to adjust the height giving enough room to do this.

To complete the build I simply add the 100mm tube and top as per Nev's original design. I'm pretty happy

-- Oh, and if anyone knows of a better/easier method of getting a 100mm disc I'm all ears :lol:

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Its a nice idea, did you have to extend the tube over length to allow for the element mounted vertical ?
Nev

 

[Parks]

I haven't done the rest yet but at a rough measure I needed 25cm from the base of the element to the top of the screw cap lid. So probably 20cm of pipe give or take.

 

[Parks]

I also made sure the element was centred (as opposed to the hole being centred) so the element can sit up in the centre of the coil just a little bit.

 

[QldKev]

Well, after my failed attempt at trying to do a stainless version (tube ID too small ) I went back to the PVC to see what I could do.

So I was "cleaning the garage" for a few hours pondering, looking at the screw end cap piece and wondering how I could do it better. My biggest problem with the whole thing has been sealing the wiring properly.

This is what I came up with:
<<pics>>

So, now we have a nicely water tight housing for the cables. I now need to drill a hole through the side for a cable gland and work out the best means of connecting to the element. It's currently too close to simply plug a cable to it, but I realised you could easily glue a small section of 100mm tube anywhere inside to adjust the height giving enough room to do this.

To complete the build I simply add the 100mm tube and top as per Nev's original design. I'm pretty happy

-- Oh, and if anyone knows of a better/easier method of getting a 100mm disc I'm all ears :lol:

Looks good, I prefer the element mounted into a flat section. For the connection to the power I just used heavy duty crimps onto the existing terminals. I assume you are just going to silicone that ring into place?

Did you see what I did here. It means the main body with the water is all in the main piece, and the base extension is just glued to the bottom, therefore if my handy work at gluing isn't the best it doesn't have to be water tight.

QldKev

 

[Parks]

Looks good, I prefer the element mounted into a flat section. For the connection to the power I just used heavy duty crimps onto the existing terminals. I assume you are just going to silicone that ring into place?

Did you see what I did here. It means the main body with the water is all in the main piece, and the base extension is just glued to the bottom, therefore if my handy work at gluing isn't the best it doesn't have to be water tight.

QldKev

The plate I "made" is PVC glued in flush up against the ridge so it's guaranteed 100% water tight - no silicone required and very neat. I had done exactly as you did with the end cap originally and this is my second go (melted/deformed the first with no wort flow).

So in essence I have made a very similar thing to you, but mine is much neater, sexier, you get what I'm saying

 

[Parks]

I assume you are just going to silicone that ring into place?

Did you mean the whole piece?

The piece I constructed will simply PVC glue onto 100mm tube.

 

[QldKev]

The plate I "made" is PVC glued in flush up against the ridge so it's guaranteed 100% water tight - no silicone required and very neat. I had done exactly as you did with the end cap originally and this is my second go (melted/deformed the first with no wort flow).

So in essence I have made a very similar thing to you, but mine is much neater, sexier, you get what I'm saying

You want sexy, mines in the Ms Hermit Pageant

 

[Parks]

You want sexy, mines in the Ms Hermit Pageant

Ooooooooo!

 

[Truman42]

For those of you who use kegs as mash tuns with your herms, do you bother to insulate the keg at all or does the herms control the temperature good enough without needing to bother?

I started to polish my keg with a calico wheel and its come up fantastic so it would be a shame to have to then cover it with ugly blue camping mat. I know the herms will probably switch on and off more than if it were insulated but thats a small price to pay for some shiny bling sitting in my brewery.

 

[QldKev]

As you mentioned, without the insulation on the mash tun and lines you will have more heat loss so your heating element will need to cut in more often. Whilst probably not the end of the world, IMHO I prefer to keep the temps nice and stable, so I've insulated mine. I think by being more stable you may have a more uniform starch conversion, in theory giving more repeatable beers. You will also save electricity as the element isn't running as often. Possibly when stepping the temps it will be faster as it's not also making up for heat losses.

QldKev

 

[Truman42]

As you mentioned, without the insulation on the mash tun and lines you will have more heat loss so your heating element will need to cut in more often. Whilst probably not the end of the world, IMHO I prefer to keep the temps nice and stable, so I've insulated mine. I think by being more stable you may have a more uniform starch conversion, in theory giving more repeatable beers. You will also save electricity as the element isn't running as often. Possibly when stepping the temps it will be faster as it's not also making up for heat losses.

QldKev

Good point Kev. Maybe I can just use my old BIAB camping mat wrapped around the tun during mashing so I can still have the BLING factor in my brewery when not mashing.

Im starting to sound like an old pedantic guy here at work. He said the bolt legs on my mash tun didnt look good and I should buy some proper stainless feet and all this other stuff that would have cost me hundreds. I said to him its not a competition for the best looking brewery. If it makes good beer I dont really care what it looks like..

 

[iralosavic]

I'm glad you're putting that kit together - saves me flipping around your site figuring out the parts! Just in time for Xmas too ^^

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

For those of you who use kegs as mash tuns with your herms, do you bother to insulate the keg at all or does the herms control the temperature good enough without needing to bother?

I started to polish my keg with a calico wheel and its come up fantastic so it would be a shame to have to then cover it with ugly blue camping mat. I know the herms will probably switch on and off more than if it were insulated but thats a small price to pay for some shiny bling sitting in my brewery.

I do but thats because I am using tuns that are very ugly, the insulation does help but it would probably only buy you a beer at the end of the year.
Winter in Perth makes the insulation work.
Nev

 

[iralosavic]

Hey Nev, the kit on your website states 1x12mm Compression fitting, but 2 are pictured (and required). Cheers.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Hey Nev, the kit on your website states 1x12mm Compression fitting, but 2 are pictured (and required). Cheers.

Yes, the other is included in the Thermo well kit
Nev

 

[iralosavic]

You sly fox! Looking forward to ordering the whole kit and kaboodle soon. Cheers

 

[sponge]

As you mentioned, without the insulation on the mash tun and lines you will have more heat loss so your heating element will need to cut in more often. Whilst probably not the end of the world, IMHO I prefer to keep the temps nice and stable, so I've insulated mine. I think by being more stable you may have a more uniform starch conversion, in theory giving more repeatable beers. You will also save electricity as the element isn't running as often. Possibly when stepping the temps it will be faster as it's not also making up for heat losses.

QldKev

What are you using to insulate your lines kev (or anyone else for that matter)?

I'm looking at getting some insulation for the HERMS lines in the brewery and curious as to what are some options?