Just Received My Stir Plate - Excellent

[Wolfy]

due to them being concave bottoms (I assume). Has anyone been able to do this? Do I need a different stir bar or do I need to go the flat bottom flask?

You need a flat-bottomed container, obviously lab-flasks are best, but you can improvise with anything that will hold the volume of liquid you require and has a flat bottom (glass jars, plastic pails etc).

I have 4 or 5 similar demijohns and can just get the stir-bar to sit if I am very patient (and try 100 times/ways) but then it usually scoots off so frequently to make it not worth the effort of trying.

 

[hsb]

I've got a 2L Erlenmeyer on mine, works a treat, doesn't throw the bar unless you really try.

My whole family gathered in at the weekend to marvel at this wondrous machine that makes a little whirlpool and has a blue light.
I even caught them peeking on Sunday morning, 'just checking' it was still going. Might get them all one for Xmas, see if they still think they're so cool.

You could try Tupperware if you're dead set on not using Lab equipment, or an Aluminium kitchen pot and cling film?

I got my Flask from Sera on here:
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=46035

 

[benno1973]

I use the internal 'glass' part of a coffee plunger. It's flat bottomed, is resistant to thermal shock, and is a bit cheaper than an erlenmeyer. I think they only go up to 2L though...

 

[argon]

After breaking my 2L Erlenmeyer i now use an old V8 Juice bottle. It has a flat bottom and holds the stir bar nicely. Only thing is they don't handle heat very well (as i found out filling direct from the kettle mid boil ) Needless to say i used the spare one i had, once the wort had cooled

 

[vykuza]

I wrote up a review of the Brewer's Hardware stirplate when I first got mine, and Google thinks it's worth putting near the top of the search results for it ever since. The fellow from Towercooler (and stir-plate.com) has just sent me his Stirplate 3000 to review as well. Arrived late last week. I had a fiddle with it on the weekend, and I'll be reviewing it some time this week. Then, hopefully I'll follow it up with a side by side with video of both of them.

 

[bear09]

Good to see my old post pop up again.

I have used my stir plate for about 10 brews since and its been awesome. It threw the bar once in the middle of the night which I was pissed about but I assume occasionally it just happens.

I can get a 2L starter to terminal gravity in less then 48 hours usually.

 

[Wolfy]

After breaking my 2L Erlenmeyer i now use an old V8 Juice bottle. It has a flat bottom and holds the stir bar nicely. Only thing is they don't handle heat very well (as i found out filling direct from the kettle mid boil ) Needless to say i used the spare one i had, once the wort had cooled

If you immerse the 'normal glass' bottle in a sink full of hot-tap water you should raise its temperature enough that the shock of the boiling wort does not break it.

 

[argon]

If you immerse the 'normal glass' bottle in a sink full of hot-tap water you should raise its temperature enough that the shock of the boiling wort does not break it.

cheers mate... will try that next time i want to fill from the kettle

 

[felten]

They make a wide range of different shaped stir bars, isn't there one with balls on either end to stabilise it on a convex bottom? Thought I'd seen one somewhere, maybe I'm just imagining it.

 

[beachy]

Hi All,
I have received my stir plate. I cant get the magnet to stay in the middle of this;
View attachment 45803

or this;
View attachment 45804

due to them being concave bottoms (I assume). Has anyone been able to do this? Do I need a different stir bar or do I need to go the flat bottom flask?

I have one of these stir plates and only use 2L flagons with no problems at all. Just checked and all mine have a concave bottom and i have only had the bar throw off once and that was near the end of a 1968 starter which i just thought probably had something to do with the big chunks of cheese that were floating around. I only have mine turned up to half or less on the dial which still creates a good whirlpool. Also the stupid thing i tried to do when i got mine was to place the starter on the plate with it turned on :blink: . After five minutes of frustration i thought maybe try putting the starter on, then turn it on and i havent had any problems since .