Voltage Control For Element

[peterl1981]

hi All

Just wondering if any one out there has built there own voltage contol unit for an electric brewery? i want to be able to control the boil in a 80lt kettle, i have seen on some websites that you can use a diming switch, has anyone here built one??


I'm just starting to make my all grain set up, so hope you guys can help.. i will be using low density element to boil in kettle


cheers

lynchman

 

[booargy]

I was looking into this for something else but ended up scoring an old 10kg 10A variac.

http://australia.rs-online.com/web/p/products/3996162/

http://australia.rs-online.com/web/p/products/2143979/

http://www.sutronics.com/acatalog/BFM240_1...Controller.html

I think a PID would be better in the kettle. that way you can also monitor temperature.

 

[Maheel]

i use one of these within my brewery, controls the watts sent to the element not the temp of the liquid
keeps heat in element constant no switching on / off

would work to adjust how "hard" it boils like you can with gas

http://australia.rs-online.com/web/p/produ...7633D4E4F4E4526

works very well, if you were to get one get the right pot on the spec sheet from RS as well

 

[wessmith]

i use one of these within my brewery, controls the watts sent to the element not the temp of the liquid
keeps heat in element constant no switching on / off

would work to adjust how "hard" it boils like you can with gas

http://australia.rs-online.com/web/p/produ...7633D4E4F4E4526

works very well, if you were to get one get the right pot on the spec sheet from RS as well

Try and see if you can get a good "old fashioned" simmerstat like tha ones found on urns. Try some electrical wholesalers - they may have a 15 or 20 amp version. You dont need temperature control, in fact it will not work correctly for you. Water boils at 100c (at sea level) and will still be at 100c at less than a simmer. The best way to control the boil is by observation - that is where the simmerstat comes in. We use a manual switching system on our 1000l electric kettles that gives 4 steps in input current and the adjustment is done simply by observation.

Wes

 

[Maheel]

Try and see if you can get a good "old fashioned" simmerstat like tha ones found on urns. Try some electrical wholesalers - they may have a 15 or 20 amp version. You dont need temperature control, in fact it will not work correctly for you. Water boils at 100c (at sea level) and will still be at 100c at less than a simmer. The best way to control the boil is by observation - that is where the simmerstat comes in. We use a manual switching system on our 1000l electric kettles that gives 4 steps in input current and the adjustment is done simply by observation.

Wes

simmerstats are rubbish unless you have complicated ones altering voltage etc or multiple elements , the urn / stove ones turn on and off

using a PSR i can alter the amount of heat inputting my liquid

i can make the BOIL vigor change by turning the flame up and down on gas the same thing applies on a PSR using the 2200 watt CB element

OP wants to "control the boil" these are a easy solution IMO

with this i could run a 5500 watt element to really crank up the heat then turn it down once boiling rather than running it like a nuclear explosion

 

[Maheel]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...em=270857708190

possible very cheap alternative, i would add extra heat sinking and fan, i would also check that traic is not "live" when power is on and use some insulation precautions

lifespan may be questionable


PSR in above post also needs heatsinking and i use a PC fan on a mobile phone charger.

safely earthing and built by a qualified person also is a consideration...

 

[wessmith]

simmerstats are rubbish unless you have complicated ones altering voltage etc or multiple elements , the urn / stove ones turn on and off

using a PSR i can alter the amount of heat inputting my liquid

i can make the BOIL vigor change by turning the flame up and down on gas the same thing applies on a PSR using the 2200 watt CB element

OP wants to "control the boil" these are a easy solution IMO

with this i could run a 5500 watt element to really crank up the heat then turn it down once boiling rather than running it like a nuclear explosion

Maheel, the answer is simply, keep it simple. Simmerstats are not rubbish, but hey if you want to go off on a hi-tech route, that's OK with me. We actually use PID controllers where we really need to control the temp. Regulating a boil is not one of those situations. Turning the power "on and off", which is what simmerstats do very well, will achieve a fully regulated boil. All you need do is observe the boil and adjust accordingly.

Wes

 

[Maheel]

well i have only experienced when using one element like a stove top element on a simmer stat to achieve a boil they nearly always need to be run on 11 or full. as soon as you turn them to 9 or less they often create a situation where the boil stalls then surges as the power turns on and off.

i have seen them work where there are element banks and a high low type switch, on high all elements are ON and on low or med a combination of the elements are ON reducing the heat input


i agree simmer stats have there place i just disagree about them in situations where you not chasing a temp but looking for a heat input
simmer stats are great for things like the step mashes etc where you can set a temp required or like you said use a PID

looks like we are going to disagree better go get a beer :beer:

 

[pcmfisher]

Yeah, I made one.......using an old power supply and some bits of fencing wire..

 

[brocky_555]

I agree with wessmith and the K.I.S.S. method If you over complicate things where they don't necessarily belong you can introduce problems. There should be enough thermal mass in an 80L kettle to guard against a surging boil so that should not be an issue. The main reason for these electronic regulators is for pumps and motors to get around having start currents and speed control. Elements which are only a resistor don't need such tight control. Use the simmerstat.