My New Ag Sysytem

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I was listening to one of those podcasts from the Guru up north. He reakons 2-3% evap. Not possilbe in my system, if I put the lid on it just turns into a steam train I get 15% evap in 50 L batchs which is my standard.Works for me.My kettle has a 1.66:1 ratio, 1:66 being the width and a four ring burner..
GB

 

[schooey]

Forget Beersmith's silly % boil off, record how much you loose during your boil, then calculate how much you loose per hour in litres (this will be an average, due to atmospheric conditions, wind etc). When calculating your pre-boil amount in Beersmith for varying batch sizes (single or double batches) simply adjust the % in Beersmith to arrive at the loss in litres that you know you loose per hour in your kettle. Hope that makes sense :huh:

Makes perfect sense to me and I could never understand why Beersmith/Promash utilise a percentage of volume formula when volume has no bearing on any evaporation equation. It's a very valid point, particularly for people varying boils by a batch size, the error can be a couple of litres

 

[chappo1970]

Forget Beersmith's silly % boil off, record how much you loose during your boil, then calculate how much you loose per hour in litres (this will be an average, due to atmospheric conditions, wind etc). When calculating your pre-boil amount in Beersmith for varying batch sizes (single or double batches) simply adjust the % in Beersmith to arrive at the loss in litres that you know you loose per hour in your kettle. Hope that makes sense

Thanks Screwy been doing my Knut in to working something better out for boil loss. I have been losing about 2 extra than anticipated. Cheers

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Another update.

Spent the good part of the week-end fixing my control box to the bench along with the installation of other hardware, switches, relays etc. A big thanks to one of the forum members who ably pointed me in the right direction in respect to the wiring. and thanks to Screwtop for the info on relays from Jaycar. All I have to do is install another tempmate so that I can monitor the grain temp. The switches are set up in such a way that I can isolate the heating elements but still monitor the temps. A little bit of a cosmetic tidy up and away we go. Yes for those who are asking, the box is secondhand.

If anyone is interested I have a control box that is ready to go for a tempmate. Just buy one and the pictured bowx is ready to go. Make a reasonable offer.

BYB

 

[jimmybee]

hmmm.... serious... love it!

 

[Screwtop]

hmmm.... serious... love it!

Yep serious, thats Back Yard Brewer

Screwy

 

[KHB]

Yeah loved the way this was wired together, had fun helping line it up to the bench etc!

KHB

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Thought I would resurrect one of my old threads with an update. Its been a while but I have finally gotten my shit together and begun fabricating my new herms. The photo below shows the effect/result of rolling up 9mtrs of copper. I currently have a herms with around 4mtrs rolled (picture shown as well) but I am not happy with my ramp time. My average grain bill is around 11-14kgs and at around 2.5ltrs per kg I have a little more than the average system to circ.

I am toying with the idea of have a herms that is not hard plumbed to a vessel. A type of immersion herms you might say. Will post some more pics later as I fabricate.

BYB

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Finally finished f***ing around this arvo and got my new herms running or should I say a trial circulation. Don't think I would want to go anymore than 9mtrs of copper. Though the delivery is good its not a fast as I thought it might be. There is a lot of copper wound plus there are a few other bends and twists all helping with the restriction of flow. But at least it works ATM The 2.4kw heating element arrives next week.

BYB

Edit: Not sure whether the flow would be better if I went in through the bottom and then out the top. Should not be to hard to modify if needed.

 

[Tony]

Mate......... looking great!

One thing i would do is get a seperate hardwired earth run from the one you have in the control panel to the panel door.

Dont trust the hinge to conduct!

It could be a shocking experience

keep the pics coming.

cheers

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Mate......... looking great!

One thing i would do is get a seperate hardwired earth run from the one you have in the control panel to the panel door.

Dont trust the hinge to conduct!

It could be a shocking experience

keep the pics coming.

cheers

Yep, that point was made by a couple sparky mate's soon after installation. Current photo below.

Cheers
BYB

 

[Tony]

Im not being picky here mate.... but i still cant see where it is bonded to the door directly.

See that little threaded stud in the bottom corner of the door. You want an earth wire hooked to that and run back to the stud in the main panel.

Im only pedantic about this cause i got a shock off a live panel door at work years ago. Hinges were a bit rusty and the foam seal insulated it from the main panel frame. A 240v active fell out of a display and was resting up against the back of the door, making it live. I grabbed the door to open it to see why the display wasnt working.

Like i said...... shocking experience.

Id hate to see you or anyone else get a zap, especially with all that exposed looking power terminals

cheers

 

[Scruffy]

Yup, that's what that door stud is for!!! They designed it that way you know!!

--edit-- adjective missing.

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Im not being picky here mate.... but i still cant see where it is bonded to the door directly.

See that little threaded stud in the bottom corner of the door. You want an earth wire hooked to that and run back to the stud in the main panel.

Im only pedantic about this cause i got a shock off a live panel door at work years ago. Hinges were a bit rusty and the foam seal insulated it from the main panel frame. A 240v active fell out of a display and was resting up against the back of the door, making it live. I grabbed the door to open it to see why the display wasnt working.

Like i said...... shocking experience.

Id hate to see you or anyone else get a zap, especially with all that exposed looking power terminals

cheers

I think we are both looking at the same picture. (my last post that is) Bottom left hand corner of the control box you will see a number of earth wires fixed by a nut. On the door itself there are three tempmates. The very top tempmate there is an earth wire to the right which you can't see the end of. That earth is physically bolted to the door the same as the wires you can see in the bottom left hand corner of the box. Are you refering to a different way or am i misunderstanding :wacko:

BYB

 

[C_west]

I think tony was talking about earthing to the other part of the box, not the door itself?

 

[joebejeckel]

Ok looks great, how much will you sell them for $$$$$$$ ????????????????????

you are going to make them aren't you ????

 

[paulwolf350]

I think we are both looking at the same picture. (my last post that is) Bottom left hand corner of the control box you will see a number of earth wires fixed by a nut. On the door itself there are three tempmates. The very top tempmate there is an earth wire to the right which you can't see the end of. That earth is physically bolted to the door the same as the wires you can see in the bottom left hand corner of the box. Are you refering to a different way or am i misunderstanding :wacko:

BYB

Tony was suggesting using the stud on the bottom right of the door. But as long as it is solidly mounted to the actual door somewhere and to the stud on the case it will be fine. Make sure it goes to the door and not to an instrument on the door


Paul

 

[Tony]

All good.... .wanst having a go.

If the door is bonded directly to earth its all good Its just a common trap. Was only looking out for your safety mate

And i love the HERMS! I really need to build a propper HERMS

Id say in 12 months i will be doing a rebuild...... going to start scavenging parts.

cheers

 

[woodmac66]

Lookin good BYB!!!
When are you going to test it out on a brew???


Woody

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Lookin good BYB!!!
When are you going to test it out on a brew???


Woody

Hopefully this week-end

BYB

All good.... .wanst having a go.

If the door is bonded directly to earth its all good Its just a common trap. Was only looking out for your safety mate

And i love the HERMS! I really need to build a propper HERMS

Id say in 12 months i will be doing a rebuild...... going to start scavenging parts.

cheers

The door hinge is actually welded to the door and frame. Bit irrespective I see your point regarding the actual hinge itself from the control box. Will run a seperate earth from the box to the frame work if that make sense?

Cheers
BYB