The Road To All Grain

[Thirsty Boy]

where is your pump or your agitator?

If you are shoving heat in the bottom of that thing, and you aren't stirring it up, then any temperature readings you are taking during the mash are fantasy I'm afraid. You are measuring the temperature of the mash in the region of the pot very close to the temp probe, and that being the same or even similar to the temperature throughout the rest of the mash is highly unlikely.

There is a reason why you dont see many (or any really) systems that maintain temperature by simply whacking an electric element under/in a pot and installing a probe, that reason is because they more or less dont work properly.

If the object of the game was for you to maintain a constant and accurate temperature - I'm afraid I deeply suspect that you have in fact constructed a system that is likely to do that far far worse than simply wrapping it up in a blanket would have done.

If it actually works, good on you, I'm glad. But I really really doubt that it will.

 

[Yob]

]Next time just make sure to fill it up (the cube)

Knowing my system, I can fill to within a few hundred ml of the lid, tiny squeeze and seal, no deformity to the cube.. Admittedly 20lt cubes but i always get at least 23lt into them.

Tinkering and refining you system aside, Congrats on a successful brewday. Its a great buzz you get from watching your rig in action.

Yob

 

[Robbo2234]

There sure was a buzz in the garage we all stood around the keg like hobos around a fire!

I will be installing a pump as soon as the bulk buy comes in.. I am agitating with a big spoon at the moment. there are two elements installed and in the middle is the temp probe, I would be under the impression as the probe is close to the elements that the reading would be on the higher side than lower

 

[Thirsty Boy]

There sure was a buzz in the garage we all stood around the keg like hobos around a fire!

I will be installing a pump as soon as the bulk buy comes in.. I am agitating with a big spoon at the moment. there are two elements installed and in the middle is the temp probe, I would be under the impression as the probe is close to the elements that the reading would be on the higher side than lower

If you are agitating well while the heat is on... it'll be fine. You'll probably be a chunk better (and easier) after a pump goes in, you've got a lot of space under that FB and stirring doesn't go through things like that very well, so sucking out the potentially "hot" wort (you're right aout it probably being hotter rather than cooler near the probe) and moving it around will hopefully give you a nice accurate reading

Should work a treat, nice work.