The Electric Brewery Build Begins..

[Doubleplugga]

It is bro! Just a tempory solution until I can come up with something better. Just took the hack saw to the old 3 their stand, it served me well but it's good to recycle.

 

[Mardoo]

Earlier in the thread you estimated $4500 to $5000 for the build. Is that how it came out? Would love to know your (almost) final figures.

 

[Doubleplugga]

I did do some rough calculations mate and yeah it came in at around 5 I think from memory. I stopped adding up in the end, and stopped telling the wife!

 

[idzy]

Great build thread Doubleplugga. Good to see you so satisfied with your efforts and after all, if you are loving doing it, the cost is inconsequential really.

 

[julesinoz]

Very interested to know where you got the punches from. Did you get them local in Aus. I hacve just got 3x 15 Gal G1's and am now trying to

a) Find some elements that will suit
b) Find out how the hell am going to punch some holes. The ones shown on the ELec Brewery are about 85 bucks each???

Thanks

 

[Doubleplugga]

Yeah I bought the greenlee punches, same as on the electric brewery site. I was in the US at the time so was no postage. They were expensive but I don't mind paying for good quality and I couldn't seem to find them in Aus. I only have the one left now mate as I sold the others, the one to punch the ball valve holes, can't remeber the size, it's out in e shed somewhere I think!
PM me if you would like to borrow it and I will mail it to you, just send it back when your done. always happy to help out a fellow brewer.

 

[thefrothologist]

hey, have done almost the exact same control panel except slightly modified for a RIMS system. Just wondering who you got to make the panel tags or did you get them from overseas? The system looks great!

 

[Adr_0]

G'day AHBers. about update time on my new brewery build. have been away for a while working but finally found some spare time in between house reno's. The pics are not that good but its the best I can do at the moment. The kettles are all good to go and so is the panel. Got a stainless steel stand for it which was the perfect size. just need to get some more silicone hosing and get the 32amp power socket out the back and it should be good to go. The pic is a rough layout of how I think it will go, need to do some trial and testing with it. Has taken a while to build but I am hoping to be brewing by the new year.

inside the mash tun showing the slotted false bottom the stand and rough layout





the HLT with SS coil the boil kettle

Looks amazing!

Was there ever any feedback on how well The Electric Brewery performed? Looks amazing but the HLT asked the HERMS exchanger is asking for trouble - you will have overshoot, and are better off using a small HERMIT or similar or RIMS tube.

Have a look at the PID tuning thread I have started under Electronics. I will post up a comparison of mash temperature response for a few HEX sizes, but I can tell you while its great for HEX volume of 2-4L, it gets pretty horrible when the HEX is 8-10L or greater +requiring intervention (switching off the pump) to prevent overshoot.

 

[Doubleplugga]

Hi Adr_0,

System is working with absolutely no issues mate, very happy with it. Done around 10 or so brews now. Never had a problem with overshoot or anything and not quite sure what you mean. I just punch in the mash temp I want on the HLT PID and set it exactly 1 degree higher than I want the mash temp to be as I lose 1 degree through the hoses whilst the mash is in progress. Once I have mashed in I pretty much just walk away to do other jobs for the duration. Temp stays perfectly fine, maybe .1 or .2 degrees up or down occasionaly during the mash but certainly nothing to worry about.

 

[Doubleplugga]

Hey thefrothologist, cheers mate.

The panel tags came with the kit, so I am guessing USA or Canada made, the name plate I had a mate do up for me.

Congrats on the build mate! You will have fun using it.

 

[Adr_0]

Hi Adr_0,
System is working with absolutely no issues mate, very happy with it. Done around 10 or so brews now. Never had a problem with overshoot or anything and not quite sure what you mean. I just punch in the mash temp I want on the HLT PID and set it exactly 1 degree higher than I want the mash temp to be as I lose 1 degree through the hoses whilst the mash is in progress. Once I have mashed in I pretty much just walk away to do other jobs for the duration. Temp stays perfectly fine, maybe .1 or .2 degrees up or down occasionaly during the mash but certainly nothing to worry about.

Awesome, very glad to hear you're happy. You've done an awesome job of it and really glad it performs.

My question was because I thought the basis for mash control with The Electric Brewery was to control from the drain from the mash tun,which I would think would cause some petty bad overshoot. If it's only used for monitoring, that's cool and like you have done you adjust the HLT slightly to get the temp right.

I have not heard how TEB performs but I assume it would work well otherwise they wouldn't write a book about it. 50ft of tube should mean your exit temp from the coil should be pretty close to the HLT/HEX temp,and controlling HLT will mean overshoot is basically impossible, unlike controlling from the draw-off at the bottom of the mash.

 

[Doubleplugga]

That's right mate, the PID and temp probe on the mash tun is purely for monitoring, it's the HLT PID that is tuned and does all the element firing and maintains temp. It really does work incredibly well. I am really happy with it.

It was a long time building but well worth it.

Cheers mate

 

[billygoat]

hey, have done almost the exact same control panel except slightly modified for a RIMS system. Just wondering who you got to make the panel tags or did you get them from overseas? The system looks great!

Try Eaton Laser (Superoo on AHB), great service and product.

 

[thefrothologist]

thanks billygoat, amazing service and great that they provide the labels for that build at a good price...

 

[mofox1]

thanks billygoat, amazing service and great that they provide the labels for that build at a good price...

+1 to Eaton laser - check my sig for examples of his work.