Tight Arse Pilot Plant Kettle

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I've almost finished the refit of my pilot plant kettle, taking it from a simple and effective boiler to an overly complicated affair.

I bought a $10 kettle from Kmart and installed the element through a hole cut with a cheap holesaw. I installed a hose-braid hop stopper on the outlet and used the bits left over from that and the stainless tube from a pressure sprayer party keg to make a weldless thermowell.

The whole thing is topped off with a splatter guard from Ikea butchered to fit.

All that's left is to find the elegant solution to cap/cover the bitey end of the kettle element.

I'm slapping together some code for a NetMedia BX24, Maxim DS18S20 and a solid state relay to maintain mash temps and throttle the boil anger.

Edit: Made pics bigger...

 

[Quintrex]

Wow!

You've got too much time spillsy

 

[randyrob]

Hey Mate,

i've been using a simular setup for my pilot system

10L Pot from Coles, Kettle Element, Ball Valve, Camping Mat, Duct Tape.





My only issue is the very vigurous boil, so i like your thinking!

Rob.

 

[Yorg]

Why do you need a thermowell on a boiling kettle?

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Why do you need a thermowell on a boiling kettle?

I Brew In A Bag, so it is also my mash tun, per se.

 

[LethalCorpse]

Are those fittings all SS randyrob? Where did you get them? How quick do you get to the boil?

 

[randyrob]

Hey LC,

the Hose barbs/washers are SS from Couplers in O'Conner.
the Ball Valve is just a Bunnings Cheapy but u can get SS ones from Couplers as well.


Fill in your location mate someone local may be able to help, Are you in Perth?

i'll have to look in my notes but from memory it went from ambient temp to dough in (70*c) in about 1/2 hour

Rob.

 

[randyrob]

I hope spills isn't going to beat me with the soggy end of one of my limbs for hijacking this... keen on hearing your progress mate!



Stirring Mash






Mashing Out



Lifting Mash



Starting to boil



Boiling - going nuts!



Muck in bottom of kettle, i shure could do wih some braid!



Hydro Sample



See thirsty, this is a Money Shot!

Rob.

 

[SJW]

Almost convinced me to dump my gear and go BIAB
Nice work. Looks simple, and an easy way to get into AG.

STEVE

 

[Fents]

ahh the old brewers safety work boots who could brew without em.

 

[warrenlw63]

ahh the old brewers safety work boots who could brew without em.

Hahaha.... Nah I think they call 'em "Perth Wedding Shoes".

Edit: Aweeeeeeesommmee lacework Rob!

Warren -

 

[Jazman]

mash tun is better but anyway spills by the photo looked like the the ball valve tap is too close to the kettle i use a 150 mm threaded rod in its place and ball valve to keep it away from the heat

 

[oldbugman]

hmmm...
I like the idea of this.. makes a during the week brew easy. wouldnt mind knocking out some party keg sized batches of mid strength.

I hate you guys.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

mash tun is better but anyway spills by the photo looked like the the ball valve tap is too close to the kettle i use a 150 mm threaded rod in its place and ball valve to keep it away from the heat

Hmmmm.... The ball valve in the pics has seen a couple of dozen boils. The one in my Production Plant Kettle has seen a couple more dozen. Are you saying that they might not have too many beers left in them?

Mash tun - I've heard of them!

Stay tuned for the continuous step mash - 50 to 75 degrees in 90 minutes! (Maybe.)

 

[devo]

top thread :beerbang:

 

[kook]

Those are awesome little kettles. How do you chill with the element? I'm guessing either nochill or a small copper immersion chiller?

I'm almost tempted to build one - though I'm not sure what I'd use it for.

How do you think it'd work as a decoction vessel? Too much scorching on the element?

 

[Sammus]

heh I've all the bits and pieces sitting at home to do this... just gotta get off my arse and do it.
<off topic>
Basically, I recently moved away to work during the week, and stay at my girlfriends house during weekends. I don't drink when I'm working, and there's no room for my elaborate keg setup at my girlfriends place. Basically I've managed to accumulate 10 full kegs and about a hundred bottles that arent getting drunk quickly enough, so I've got nothing to put and brews into anymore! Oh well... ill get back into it soon maybe 10L batches would be a good idea? my 9L keg does fit in her fridge up here... 2 days a week of (light) drinking makes them last quick a while though!
</off topic>

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

How do you chill with the element?

When you're dealing with just a few litres, you can sit it in an ice bath or sink really easily and chill it very quickly. Even NoChilling happens quicker as your volumes decrease...

How do you think it'd work as a decoction vessel? Too much scorching on the element?

Rather well, I expect... The Ikea splatter guard keeps grains, bags and stuff away from the element, and my over-engineered micro-controller dingus is aimed at reducing the wattage of the element electronically. Of course, it's a bit of overkill unless you like faffing about with such things. (As you may have guessed, I do.) I reckon that if you made one and then got sick of it, you could use it as the hot bit of a HERMS system. I want to play with BIAB RIMS eventually...

 

[kook]

When you're dealing with just a few litres, you can sit it in an ice bath or sink really easily and chill it very quickly. Even NoChilling happens quicker as your volumes decrease...

Thats what I meant. Are the element and temp probe totally submersible?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

hah - he's clever but I don't think he thought of that! Of course, now he will think of a solution and say that was his plan all along.... but we'll all know better.

A nice garbage bag would solve the problem even if Spills hasn't actually thought of something already.