Recommended stir plate for starters

[Schikitar]

Hi y'all,

I've been on the hunt for a stir plate to use with my 5L flask for a while now and I have realised that hand agitation is far less effective. I liked the digital homebrew stirplate (http://www.digitalhomebrew.com/digital-stirplate-v3) but it's out of stock everywhere and they have a new model incoming with an as yet unknown release date.

So, I need another solution and looking for recommendations based on user experience.. any suggestions? I'm not a massive DIY'er unless everything is laid out for me but happy to go that's the consensus..

Cheers!

 

[stewy]

I am hopeless at DYI & I bought the Digital Homebrew DIY stir plate. I mounted it into a plastic Tupperware type container - piece of cake. All the electrics are already wired for you.

Great piece of kit. Highly recommend

http://www.digitalhomebrew.com/diy-magnetic-stirplate-kit-v2

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, all the Digital Homebrew plates are ace, and the customer service is fantastic.

 

[Schikitar]

Would be happy to buy today BUT no stock and no ETA!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I'm not a huge DIYer but I managed it.

Computer fan and adapter from ebay, a few screws and one of SWMBO accidentally busted large containers. Plus some magnets. The magnets are the hardest bit but once you get them right it's all good.

Just don't order ebay stuff from non-Australian suppliers, you'll wait forever.

 

[pcqypcqy]

I've been using the keg king one for a few brews now.

It goes OK, but note that the heating element is only on/off, there's no control built in so it will cook your starter if you leave it on. Nearly found this out the hard way, but managed to rescue the starter before it got too hot. It can nearly boil water, which is handy when cleaning, but not much else. I hack it a little and rig up an STC to it, but am currently using it with an external controller and heat source.

I find with my 5l flask it struggles to get a good vortex going with the included stir bar when doing a starter greater than 2 litres. It will move it and stir it, but it's perhaps not has agitated as it should be. Not sure whether a larger stir bar is of use here, or whether the machine is just not capable of it at this size.

I also find the 5l flask overhangs by quite a lot. It's more or less stable, but put it somewhere out of the way where it can't be bumped.

http://kegking.com.au/brewery-equip...tory/adjustable-magnetic-stirrer-machine.html

 

[Schikitar]

I've been using the keg king one for a few brews now.

Thanks, my LHBS has one of those but I'm not sold, mostly for the reason you make mention of is that I don't think it has enough gusto to agitate a large starter in a 5L flask. I know the DHB stirrers do manage this, and the Yeast Forge is much better for maintaining temp and a consistent vortex even in a 5L flask. I was planning to incubate in the fermentation fridge (negating the need for a heating component) but then it might be handy to do this in a cupboard or similar where I can keep a closer eye on things, dunno.

Computer fan and adapter from ebay, a few screws and one of SWMBO accidentally busted large containers. Plus some magnets.

Yeah, this would require me to go finding bits and pieces and then second/third guessing every item I look at - it's a blackhole I don't have time/patience to navigate. I need something ready to go, simple and effective - buy once, use forever.

I might just have to wait until DHB get around to releasing their new models I suppose, a rough ETA would be good but no news for a while now!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

What about this from National Home Brew (who also deliver): https://www.nationalhomebrew.com.au...dwareother-magnetic-stirrer-hot-plate-machine

 

[pcqypcqy]

What about this from National Home Brew (who also deliver): https://www.nationalhomebrew.com.au...dwareother-magnetic-stirrer-hot-plate-machine

That's the keg king one (keg king supply most of the LHBS).

There's this one from grain and grape which is a step above. i know nothing about it other than it exists. The G&G guys are pretty helpful though, so I'd recommend calling them to discuss it. They can probably point you in the right direction. They also ship.

https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/pr.../7MAG STIRRER--magnetic-stirrer-premium-hanna

 

[homebrewnewb]

250 bux tho, sheeet.

 

[GalBrew]

I've been using a keg king one for years (no heat on my one though it's pretty old). It works fine, just get an appropriate sized stir bar for a big flask.

 

[laxation]

I'm not a huge DIYer but I managed it.

Computer fan and adapter from ebay, a few screws and one of SWMBO accidentally busted large containers. Plus some magnets. The magnets are the hardest bit but once you get them right it's all good.

How did you install your magnets?

I bought a fan from Amazon for $25 with a speed controller on it, but I can't get the stir bar to sit in the right place and spin! It keeps wobbling about and eventually flying off to the corner =/

If anyone is interested... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00080G0BK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[homebrewnewb]

silcone or epoxy + duct tape my enterprising friend.
worked for me.

 

[laxation]

Sorry, I meant location on the fan... I just taped them down to start with but couldn't get it going

Got grumpy with it and gave up

 

[Schikitar]

https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/pr.../7MAG STIRRER--magnetic-stirrer-premium-hanna

Ouch, very nice but that's probably a bit out of my price range, especially when I'm also trying to track down new thermometers and O2 kits... I'd be risking divorce (already stretching things thin as it is)! Haha! I just bought a fridge too, the wound hasn't healed yet (although a 420l fridge, no freezer, for $80 is pretty good I reckon).

 

[homebrewnewb]

Sorry, I meant location on the fan... I just taped them down to start with but couldn't get it going

Got grumpy with it and gave up

its not spinning or magnets are staying center axis?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Either way, it'll need to be shipped into Tas - something I know a great deal about.

Sorry, I meant location on the fan... I just taped them down to start with but couldn't get it going

Got grumpy with it and gave up

Put the magnets on the fan (turned off of course). Then stick the stir bar to them. If both ends of the stir bar stay down, then they're the right sides of the magnet to glue down. That's the issue I had.

If that isn't the issue, it's either fan speed or volume you're stirring. I can use a 3L flask on mine easily, but a 1L is not going to hold very long.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

If it's a case of all this is fine, then you put the flask with contents and stir bar in. Move the flask until the stir bar sticks to the magnets on the fan, and then slowly move the flask to centre the stir bar.

Then turn on the fan.

Don't turn the fan on and then try to get the bar to stick.

 

[Schikitar]

Sorry, I meant location on the fan... I just taped them down to start with but couldn't get it going

Maybe crafting glue, that stuff is pretty good.. liquid nails? You'd really want it to be dead centre though, otherwise it will put a bit of strain on the bearings I would have thought...

 

[Matplat]

Sorry, I meant location on the fan... I just taped them down to start with but couldn't get it going

Got grumpy with it and gave up

I 'measured' the position of the magnets, to ensure they're centred, then glue with super glue, it holds them on, but can be broken off cleanly if the position isn't quite right.

The other problem I had was attempting to get it to work with **** glassware, I found that made a huge difference to how stable the stir bar is.

I'm the opposite of LRG, my 1l flask is rock solid, my 3l flask is temperamental if I fill it, at 2l it's fine,