RationalRev
Well-Known Member
Do you already have the STC-1000? One of these cheap REX-c100s off ebay comes with SSR and thermocouple for under $20 and are built for this kind of operation.
$50 Dedicated HERMS
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Do you already have the STC-1000? One of these cheap REX-c100s off ebay comes with SSR and thermocouple for under $20 and are built for this kind of operation.
Turkeyshot
Well-Known Member
Yes I do, but I will have to check that out anyways.
narddawg314
Well-Known Member
Built one of these and used it for two brews..neither hit their numbers and I ditched the system.... Cool to try though.
narddawg314
Well-Known Member
Wouldn't be the first time! Lol, I think my hoses are too long and I brew outside. I'd like to try to use it again some day, but I need to dumb it down for now. I definitely enjoyed building it and like to show it to people 
I just found this in my internet travels. I'll be upgrading my temp controller to this one since it can handle up to 30amps!!
Look at this on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/111038580671
Rancilio Espresso Coffee Control Brew Brewer temperature 30A Gaggia Machine
Look at this on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/111038580671
Rancilio Espresso Coffee Control Brew Brewer temperature 30A Gaggia Machine
OP
OP
poptarts
Well-Known Member
why not just get a PID system for like 17$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-PID...798123?hash=item48822044ab:g:-yMAAOSwJcZWcnYM
you can even get fancy for another 14 and get a NPT probe
http://www.ebay.com/itm/K-Type-Ther...32bad10&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=221144512036
RationalRev
Well-Known Member
^^This
A PID like the REX-C100 is cheap and will provide smaller voltage to a Solid State Relay, which in turn will use that voltage input to switch your circuit on. I highly recommend going this route.
I saw this thread today and realized I haven't posted a picture in this thread of my variation on this idea.
I use my small herms for stovetop batches. I even used it once as the heating element for a make shift sous-vide cooker.
I put a 120v water heater element in the base,
Set it up on a small platform,
And use it in conjunction with my stove.
This allows me to do two back to back batches on the stove top.
Thank you @poptarts!
Cody
I use my small herms for stovetop batches. I even used it once as the heating element for a make shift sous-vide cooker.
I put a 120v water heater element in the base,
Set it up on a small platform,
And use it in conjunction with my stove.
This allows me to do two back to back batches on the stove top.
Thank you @poptarts!
Cody
Wolfairious
Well-Known Member
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I think I can use this PID controller:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-PID...22044ab:g:-yMAAOSwJcZWcnYM&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true
To control an outlet that I would then plug in my 1500W Hot Rod Heat Stick (that I already have):
http://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotrod.htm
Then re-purpose my 'spare' immersion chiller:
http://www.nybrewsupply.com/beer-ho...rs/3-8-x-25-stainless-steel-wort-chiller.html
Using my Solar pump and PWM to move the mash water:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/36116338235...49&var=630516827839&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-6-30V-12...333969?hash=item21074be091:g:MoEAAMXQyY1TWMQa
In a 5 gallon pot I already have.
I use a 52QT cooler as my MT that only loses 1deg an hour:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-52-qt.-Xtreme-Cooler/21721549
Drilling a hole in the lid for a return wouldn't be an issue but I was thinking would it be better to return through something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Circle-...960121?hash=item2359b61379:g:5EgAAOSwsB9WBWCI
Instead of just dumping back on top of the grain bed to avoid compaction?
This would basically cost me $17 to get up and running since I already have most of everything. But since I already infusion mash and batch sparge, what would I gain by recirculating my mash through this constantly?
Clearer wort I would guess, but does that have much effect on the finished beer? As quoted in BYO magazine "If the mash is not stirred, the constant recirculation of the wort in a RIMS/HERMS eventually yields crystal clear wort. This is almost always cited as a major benefit of brewing with a RIMS or HERMS. But why is super clear wort a benefit at this stage? Most articles or Websites discussing these systems are silent on this point. The claim that crystal clear wort is better wort is taken to be self-evident. I did find one site that claimed that part of the cloudiness in ordinary wort was due to lipids, and lipids in beer lead to premature staling (which it true). But does the crystal clear wort that comes from these systems really yield better beer than the slightly cloudy runoff common to most non-RIMS brewers? Like the claim of repeatability, this has never been tested.
Another question to consider is, does the recirculation of wort in a RIMS or HERMS clarify the wort too much? Studies have shown that a small amount of lipids carried over into the fermenter helps with yeast nutrition. You can argue the point either way — that’s why claims need to be tested."
Will it improve my efficiency? What other gains might I see? Would I need the Loc-line since I mash thin at 1.5 anyway?
As Quoted in BYO magazine: "RIMS and HERMS machines do perform as described by the folks who brew with them. They hold mash temperatures constant and produce clear pre-boil wort. The claims of how these affect beer quality and repeatability are untested, however. But the big question is — do RIMS and HERMS make better beer than “ordinary” all-grain methods? This again would take a fairly large and detailed experiment to answer, but we can look to homebrewing contests for an idea as to how the experiment might go. If brewing on a RIMS or HERMS inevitably led to better beer, we would expect RIMS and HERMS users to hog all the medals. On the other hand, if RIMS and HERMS could only produce thin, headless beers, these brewers would be crying until their PID controllers short circuit after the medals are handed out. In reality, neither group dominates at homebrew competitions. In the hands of a good homebrewer, a well-designed recirculating system can yield great beer. In less capable hands, it can result in a wort that goes round and round. "
So in the long run.. am I just getting excited to add another "Toy" to my brewing? Hmmmm... Maybe since I already get great control of my temp loses and don't step mash, I shouldn't fix what isn't broken.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-PID...22044ab:g:-yMAAOSwJcZWcnYM&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true
To control an outlet that I would then plug in my 1500W Hot Rod Heat Stick (that I already have):
http://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/hotrod.htm
Then re-purpose my 'spare' immersion chiller:
http://www.nybrewsupply.com/beer-ho...rs/3-8-x-25-stainless-steel-wort-chiller.html
Using my Solar pump and PWM to move the mash water:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/36116338235...49&var=630516827839&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-6-30V-12...333969?hash=item21074be091:g:MoEAAMXQyY1TWMQa
In a 5 gallon pot I already have.
I use a 52QT cooler as my MT that only loses 1deg an hour:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-52-qt.-Xtreme-Cooler/21721549
Drilling a hole in the lid for a return wouldn't be an issue but I was thinking would it be better to return through something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Circle-...960121?hash=item2359b61379:g:5EgAAOSwsB9WBWCI
Instead of just dumping back on top of the grain bed to avoid compaction?
This would basically cost me $17 to get up and running since I already have most of everything. But since I already infusion mash and batch sparge, what would I gain by recirculating my mash through this constantly?
Clearer wort I would guess, but does that have much effect on the finished beer? As quoted in BYO magazine "If the mash is not stirred, the constant recirculation of the wort in a RIMS/HERMS eventually yields crystal clear wort. This is almost always cited as a major benefit of brewing with a RIMS or HERMS. But why is super clear wort a benefit at this stage? Most articles or Websites discussing these systems are silent on this point. The claim that crystal clear wort is better wort is taken to be self-evident. I did find one site that claimed that part of the cloudiness in ordinary wort was due to lipids, and lipids in beer lead to premature staling (which it true). But does the crystal clear wort that comes from these systems really yield better beer than the slightly cloudy runoff common to most non-RIMS brewers? Like the claim of repeatability, this has never been tested.
Another question to consider is, does the recirculation of wort in a RIMS or HERMS clarify the wort too much? Studies have shown that a small amount of lipids carried over into the fermenter helps with yeast nutrition. You can argue the point either way — that’s why claims need to be tested."
Will it improve my efficiency? What other gains might I see? Would I need the Loc-line since I mash thin at 1.5 anyway?
As Quoted in BYO magazine: "RIMS and HERMS machines do perform as described by the folks who brew with them. They hold mash temperatures constant and produce clear pre-boil wort. The claims of how these affect beer quality and repeatability are untested, however. But the big question is — do RIMS and HERMS make better beer than “ordinary” all-grain methods? This again would take a fairly large and detailed experiment to answer, but we can look to homebrewing contests for an idea as to how the experiment might go. If brewing on a RIMS or HERMS inevitably led to better beer, we would expect RIMS and HERMS users to hog all the medals. On the other hand, if RIMS and HERMS could only produce thin, headless beers, these brewers would be crying until their PID controllers short circuit after the medals are handed out. In reality, neither group dominates at homebrew competitions. In the hands of a good homebrewer, a well-designed recirculating system can yield great beer. In less capable hands, it can result in a wort that goes round and round. "
So in the long run.. am I just getting excited to add another "Toy" to my brewing? Hmmmm... Maybe since I already get great control of my temp loses and don't step mash, I shouldn't fix what isn't broken.
spittybug
Well-Known Member
CGish, be careful with that little tan Chinese pump. I had 2 of those and gave up. The plastic gets brittle and the hose connection areas crack if you aren't lucky, especially the output one since it is long. That big hose coming off yours looks like a good long lever......
bigbeergeek
Well-Known Member
Edit: wrong thread!
Last edited:
