Temp Control Choices...

[Tony]

is that why Ross wouldnt drink your beer mate?

Some of my best beers have been made with a simple setup. To answer a question before i have an old ale that won a state championship that was mashed without the HERMS and no chilled, with 2 inches of airspace for a month.

go figure!

Question........ what are people using to control the power the the element in the PID setups?

cheers

 

[browndog]

I've been looking at going down the RIMS/HERMs path for some time now, but i keep asking myself " Are my beers going to improve that much "

It would be nice to get a break down of comp beers that have been made all the different ways...e.g No chill/Chill , Herms / non Herms , step mash / single infusion, but this wont happen.

Have you blokes that use a herms/Rims noticed a big difference in your beers since taking this path

Rook

The bottom line is "if your mash tun will hold temp thoughout the mash and you can accurately predict your mash temp, then you don't need a HERMS or RIMS" that is unless you enjoy tinkering with automation which a lot of our blokes love to do. IMHO, if you can satisfy the statement above, then a RIMS or HERMS will not improve your beer.

cheers

Browndog

 

[kirem]

Question........ what are people using to control the power the the element in the PID setups?

zero crossing SSRs 40A rating from memory for 3.6kW elements

 

[Tony]

Are they these ones:

http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

Do they work on a 4-20mA input?

cheers

 

[kirem]

Yep, that is them.

The input data is on the pdf sheet on the web site >4.5v is ON <4.5v is OFF
12mA at 12VDC

I also have some of these as well;

http://secure.oatleyelectronics.com//produ...6b2847df991d53f

 

[Tony]

mmm really after something with 4-20mA control

Will probably stick with what i have anyway...... it works and works well, maybe not as time efficient but who is in a rush anyway?

cheers

 

[kirem]

ahh I see what you are asking now. you want to switch using current rather than voltage.

I would ask newguy, he may know where to source what you are after

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Tony - I drive my element off a 10A mechanical relay. The PID can control either its SSR output, or be set to control the inbuilt "alarm" relays. I just set-up a 12V control loop through the PID relays and into the 10A relay, which handles the 240V stuff.

In a separate PID - I jiggered with it and replaced the internal 3A mech relays with 12A ones. I don't need a separate 12V power source on this unit. They both work very well. I run them on a 2 second control period for the HERMS and a 10-15 second control period when I am using them to control fermentation tempertures inside my fridge (for my set-up PIDs are vital for fermentation temp control, on/off wouldn't do the trick)

Rook - I've never had any system but a HERMS, so I cant comment on "improvement" but the reasons I went with a HERMS in the first place were these.

1/ - I wanted to be able to make any beer to any recipe - so if the recipe called for a step mash, or an infusion, or a decoction, or certain L:G ratios, I wanted to be able to do it. No limits, no compromises. For that I needed a mash tun that could have heat added. So it was direct flame, HERMS or RIMS.

2/ - I want absolute control over my temperatures. While not everyone is convinced that 0.5 of a degree makes a difference, I think it does and I don't want it to be an issue. If the recipe (someone elses or mine) says 56-62-71-78 those are the exact temperatures I want. I demand absolute consistency from my brewing. That is my goal and that is what my system is being set up to achieve. I'm a long way off it yet - but thats what I want.

I picked HERMS - and its been pretty good to me. But I am changing to RIMS because I want even tighter control than I am getting with my HERMS. That might seem a waste of time and effort to some brewers, and well it might be, but when I can dial in 65.5 degrees and walk away knowing that thats exactly what I am getting... then I have the brewery that I want.

Lethal Corpse - I just re-read my last post replying to you. I was a bit of a dick. Posting too late at night and I improperly engaged my "don't be an arse" filter. Sorry about that.

Thirsty

 

[Screwtop]

Really simple off the shelf stuff here, one mashmaster controls my HLT element via a 240V 30A relay (I know too much gun but what was available). Water is heated for a low temp mash-in usually 48 or so. After dough in the mashmaster is set to Sparge temp. A second Mashmaster controls the exchanger (jug element in a 10L SS vessel) directly via the probe mounted in the wort return manifold in the MLT. Temp of the grainbed is monitored via a thermometer in the MLT. After dough in mash temp is ramped up to the temp of the first rest, protien if using this step or straight to saccarification rest temp. Temp is maintained to within 1 degree at the return point which results in maintaining the temp in the mash tun within .5 of a degree.

Screwy

 

[gibbocore]

Well, seems i've opened a can of worms so to speak.

Thank you everyone who's piped up (bad pun), i'm very grateful and i believe i'll run my mach 1 brewery with a mashmaster temp controler for convenience first off.

I'll start posting some pics when it starts looking like more of a brewery.

Also, i decided on a HERMS brewery casue i wanted 3 things from my beers that my Esky mash tun couldn't seem to offer, volume, control and consistency.

Cheers

 

[egolds77]

Really simple off the shelf stuff here, one mashmaster controls my HLT element via a 240V 30A relay (I know too much gun but what was available). Water is heated for a low temp mash-in usually 48 or so. After dough in the mashmaster is set to Sparge temp. A second Mashmaster controls the exchanger (jug element in a 10L SS vessel) directly via the probe mounted in the wort return manifold in the MLT. Temp of the grainbed is monitored via a thermometer in the MLT. After dough in mash temp is ramped up to the temp of the first rest, protien if using this step or straight to saccarification rest temp. Temp is maintained to within 1 degree at the return point which results in maintaining the temp in the mash tun within .5 of a degree.

Screwy

Hi, Screwtop

I'm building a HERMS with seperate HEX like your own. Just wondering if you could draw a schematic of your system including wiring of the relay into the mashmater and heating element?

Cheers
:icon_chickcheers: