Brew Boss Systems

[Schumed]

Oh yeah you are right. That is how most are. I did have some that went into the off position when tripped. That is what I was thinking of.



Does the breaker stay on then trip minutes later or does it not even stay on?

Is the breaker GFCI?

Could be a short in the circuit (which is odd if you haven't changed anything and have done a lot of batches) or a bad breaker.

Just a little update...I finally got around to messing with this last night...shut off my main power...re-seated my breaker...double checked the wire to my 240 outlet...took the screw driver to just tighten up all the screws...kicked my power on the breaker was able to be set back. Was able to power on my brew boss controller with no issue. Going to do a wet run tonight just to confirm all is good. Not sure what might of been the issue

 

[h22lude]

Just a little update...I finally got around to messing with this last night...shut off my main power...re-seated my breaker...double checked the wire to my 240 outlet...took the screw driver to just tighten up all the screws...kicked my power on the breaker was able to be set back. Was able to power on my brew boss controller with no issue. Going to do a wet run tonight just to confirm all is good. Not sure what might of been the issue

Hmmm that is odd. Wonder if tripping the breaker loosened it up a little.


Has anyone else had the end of their element look rusty?

 

[h22lude]

Brewing a clone of a local galaxy dry hopped IPA right now. Mashing at 150. Anyone have an issue with the mash temp going up a little too high? It was holding at 153 for a little while. I had to turn off the heater and open the lid to get it back down to 150. Seems to be holding at 150 right now...just went to 151 then 152 as I type this. Heater is off. I don't remember seeing the mash temp jump this much. I can understand a degree maybe 2 but not sure why it went up to 153.

 

[flyingpole]

What are your Pwr settings? Maybe you need to increase your PwrL by a degree or two

 

[FreddyMar3]

Brewing a clone of a local galaxy dry hopped IPA right now. Mashing at 150. Anyone have an issue with the mash temp going up a little too high? It was holding at 153 for a little while. I had to turn off the heater and open the lid to get it back down to 150. Seems to be holding at 150 right now...just went to 151 then 152 as I type this. Heater is off. I don't remember seeing the mash temp jump this much. I can understand a degree maybe 2 but not sure why it went up to 153.

This exact thing happened to me last time. Not sure why as it hadn't happened before. I was mashing at 156 for an OMS and it jumped to 159 even though my dough in was only 158. MY finishing gravity ended up 4 points high with two different yeasts in a split batch and I think that's why... must have denatured some enzymes. Fortunately it was an OMS and the extra maltiness is not a problem.

I think going forward I am going to dough in 1 degree above and creep up to mash temp.

 

[h22lude]

What are your Pwr settings? Maybe you need to increase your PwrL by a degree or two

It did level out after I wrote that post. Still odd that it went 3 degrees high like that.

My settings are...

PwrS, 50
PwrL, 35
PwrM, 18
PwerB, 65
DeltaT1, 6
DeltaT2, 4


I finished my brew day and everything went pretty well. I was 3 points off which I'm not mad about. What I did find out was my efficiency isn't where I want it. I haven't taken great notes with the Brew Boss. I was just trying to get used to electric and BIAB first. My mash efficiency was 75.4% and my brewhouse efficiency was 68.7%. I would like to get my mash efficiency up closer to 80% if not above it. My volume measurements were right on with what I expected.

For my next batch I think I'm either going to crush twice or make my mill gap smaller to get a finer crush. If that doesn't work I'll sparge with a gallon of water after mash out. If that doesn't work I'll do a longer mash. If that doesn't work, I'll do all 3 lol

 

[andrewmaixner]

It did level out after I wrote that post. Still odd that it went 3 degrees high like that.

My settings are...

PwrS, 50
PwrL, 35
PwrM, 18
PwerB, 65
DeltaT1, 6
DeltaT2, 4


I finished my brew day and everything went pretty well. I was 3 points off which I'm not mad about. What I did find out was my efficiency isn't where I want it. I haven't taken great notes with the Brew Boss. I was just trying to get used to electric and BIAB first. My mash efficiency was 75.4% and my brewhouse efficiency was 68.7%. I would like to get my mash efficiency up closer to 80% if not above it. My volume measurements were right on with what I expected.

For my next batch I think I'm either going to crush twice or make my mill gap smaller to get a finer crush. If that doesn't work I'll sparge with a gallon of water after mash out. If that doesn't work I'll do a longer mash. If that doesn't work, I'll do all 3 lol

If you are at 75% no-sparge, I'd be happy!
Even just a cold water pour sparge and squeeze might get you right where you want to be now.

 

[FreddyMar3]

I hover at about 69-71% brew house eff. with my setup. Seems to be pretty standard for biab.

I'm going to try doing a 168F sparge for bigger beers and use a watering pail to sprinkle the grain bed. Found a metal one at Walmart with a 2.5gal capacity.

 

[Chile]

Woah, and what are you gonna do with all that homebrew?

 

[h22lude]

If you are at 75% no-sparge, I'd be happy!
Even just a cold water pour sparge and squeeze might get you right where you want to be now.

75% is mash efficiency. I'd like to be a little higher. I want my brew house efficiency to be low 70s.

I do squeeze the grains but no sparge. I'll probably sparge with a gallon then squeeze. I need a better way of squeezing. I don't have a pulley yet. I need to add that and let it drain then put the bag in another pot to sparge and squeeze.

I hover at about 69-71% brew house eff. with my setup. Seems to be pretty standard for biab.

I'm going to try doing a 168F sparge for bigger beers and use a watering pail to sprinkle the grain bed. Found a metal one at Walmart with a 2.5gal capacity.

I was reading a lot of people getting in the 80s for brew house efficiency with BIAB. If a few simple things don't fix it, I'll just had some extra bass malt.

Woah, and what are you gonna do with all that homebrew?

Put them in my 4 tap keezer and enjoy it lol

Right now I have a saison on tap and ipa in primary. So that means I have room for 2 more beers which will allow me to try a batch with a finer crush and a batch with a small sparge.

 

[FreddyMar3]

I was reading a lot of people getting in the 80s for brew house efficiency with BIAB. If a few simple things don't fix it, I'll just had some extra bass malt.

I posted a poll recently to the BIAB FB group about efficiency because I was feeling inadequate with my 70. here are the results (nominal, not percentage):

70-75%: 42
75-80%: 39
65-70%: 10
80-85%: 4
60-65%: 3

 

[h22lude]

I posted a poll recently to the BIAB FB group about efficiency because I was feeling inadequate with my 70. here are the results (nominal, not percentage):

70-75%: 42
75-80%: 39
65-70%: 10
80-85%: 4
60-65%: 3

Is this mash or brew house? 70 to 80 seems average. I'm almost there. 68 isn't terrible just wish it was closer to 75 or 80

 

[FreddyMar3]

Brew house. Likewise. Hoping to get to the upper range of the 70s

 

[mcgimpkins]

I don't have a pulley yet. I need to add that and let it drain then put the bag in another pot to sparge and squeeze.

FYI I do this in the garage and I had been using this: 1/4 in. Rope Ratchet. It is kind of a pain as the rope wants to dig in your hand when you pull it. I would end up wrapping it around a 2X4 and pulling down on it so it did not dig into my hand. It does work and is the cheapest solution.

Reticently I replaced the pulley with this: Ultra-Tow Trailer Winch - 600-Lb. Capacity and 2X Stanley National Hardware 3213BC 2-1/2" Zinc Plated Fixed Single Pulley. Altogether it cost around $35-$40. This makes lifting the COFI/Bag whatever you are using a breeze. The only way you could make it easier is to buy an electric winch.

 

[stlblues5010]

Menard's has a extension ladder pulley lift. So far works good. One hand lock and unlock.

View attachment Menards.pdf

 

[TexasWine]

I would end up wrapping it around a 2X4 and pulling down on it so it did not dig into my hand. It does work and is the cheapest solution.

Quick Q. Did you have your pulley at your anchor point? If you're pulling down on the cord it sounds like it.

I have a similar ratchet pulley with the same diameter cord, but I put the pulley at the bottom. I'm not really into physics, more of a chemistry guy, but isn't there more mechanical advantage when locating the pulley at the bottom? I've always found my pulley to be easy to use.

 

[mcgimpkins]

Quick Q. Did you have your pulley at your anchor point? If you're pulling down on the cord it sounds like it.

I have a similar ratchet pulley with the same diameter cord, but I put the pulley at the bottom. I'm not really into physics, more of a chemistry guy, but isn't there more mechanical advantage when locating the pulley at the bottom? I've always found my pulley to be easy to use.

Not sure if I understand what you are saying. I had it in the what I guess you would call "standard" pulley anchor point.

The quick and dirty in paint:

Are you saying yours is more like this?

 

[TexasWine]

Not sure if I understand what you are saying. I had it in the what I guess you would call "standard" pulley anchor point.

The quick and dirty in paint:

Are you saying yours is more like this?

I'll see your paint, and raise you a hand sketch on my phone.

Anchor at the top, pulley at the kettle. Make sense? I think this gives a mechanical advantage over having the pulley at the top.

View attachment 1460777464995.jpg

 

[mcgimpkins]

I'll see your paint, and raise you a hand sketch on my phone.

I see your artistic skills match my own.

Anchor at the top, pulley at the kettle. Make sense? I think this gives a mechanical advantage over having the pulley at the top.

Yeah I see it makes sense. I'm...not...really...sure why I had not thought of orienting the pulley that way...

 

[Bobby_M]

With only one pulley, mechanical advantage is exactly the same. However pulling down is easier than pulling up. If you use a locking pulley, putting it up high is hard to reach but I like the concept shown in paint sketch 2 where a free pulley is up top and a ratchet is down low.

 

[stlblues5010]

Has anyone been having anymore problems with the BB app crashing? I have been using the old beta version. Was wondering if Darrin got anywhere with the app update?

 

[TexasWine]

With only one pulley, mechanical advantage is exactly the same.

Thanks for clarifying that. I wasn't sure. Like I said, mols and the periodic table are more my thing than pulleys and moment arms.

 

[Adamj1722]

I used this $40 kitchen cart and a locking pulley above the top rack. Works great.

 

[pnerboso]

Has anyone been having anymore problems with the BB app crashing? I have been using the old beta version. Was wondering if Darrin got anywhere with the app update?

Also wondering about that.

 

[Brewphish]

I used the most current version last brew day. No crashing, even when editing step files on my Fire which used to be a crapshoot.

 

[The_Bishop]

With only one pulley, mechanical advantage is exactly the same.

Actually, this isn't exactly true.

When the line is fixed to the load, and the pulley is mounted to a fixed location, yes - You get a 1x1 mechanical advantage:

When the line fixed to an anchor point, the pulley is on the load, and you're pulling in-line with the anchor point you get a 2-1 advantage:

When the pulley is attached to the load, you get a mechanical advantage as you're pulling 2x the line for a given movement. We use this a *lot* in my line of work.

 

[TexasWine]

Actually, this isn't exactly true.

When the line is fixed to the load, and the pulley is mounted to a fixed location, yes - You get a 1x1 mechanical advantage:

When the line fixed to an anchor point, the pulley is on the load, and you're pulling in-line with the anchor point you get a 2-1 advantage:

When the pulley is attached to the load, you get a mechanical advantage as you're pulling 2x the line for a given movement. We use this a *lot* in my line of work.

Pics aren't showing up on my end. Though it may be my phone or the mobile app causing the issue.

 

[The_Bishop]

Should be fixed now, don't know how to keep the previews from showing up so they're displayed twice.

 

[kh54s10]

Actually, this isn't exactly true.

When the line is fixed to the load, and the pulley is mounted to a fixed location, yes - You get a 1x1 mechanical advantage:

When the line fixed to an anchor point, the pulley is on the load, and you're pulling in-line with the anchor point you get a 2-1 advantage:

When the pulley is attached to the load, you get a mechanical advantage as you're pulling 2x the line for a given movement. We use this a *lot* in my line of work.

I believe all these pictures show the same mechanical advantage.... 1:1 The only difference is where the tail end is presented....

 

[The_Bishop]

No. It seems counterintuitive, but the movable pulley makes all the difference.

See here:
http://www.uark.edu/depts/aeedhp/agscience/simpmach.htm

Scroll down to the 'pulley' section.

 

[andrewmaixner]

Summary of the mechanical advantage: because the pulley itself is moving in addition to the load, you pull the rope twice as far as the load moves. This is what gives the 2-to-1 advantage.

When the single pulley is stationary, you pull the rope the same distance as the load moves, for no advantage.

(When you have a block-and-tackle, you end up with multiple pulleys, one stationary and one mobile, and a greatly increased mechanical advantage.)

 

[Bobby_M]

Yup, that was me blurting out crap without knowing what I'm talking about. It's happening more often than I'd like.

 

[TexasWine]

Yup, that was me blurting out crap without knowing what I'm talking about. It's happening more often than I'd like.

Don't worry, I do it all the time too.

 

[bowtie]

I got my 20 gallon system and played with volumes today. After completely draining level kettle. I measure 2 gallons and a cup of liquid left. Does this sound right? Seems like a lot. I know you can tilt the kettle to get more out but doesn't that defeat the purpose of the swirl boss? Everything seams to be working great. I did a wet batch today and plan a brew session tomorrow. Then I broke off the sight glass. Going to have to find a plug to get by. (

 

[Schumed]

I got my 20 gallon system and played with volumes today. After completely draining level kettle. I measure 2 gallons and a cup of liquid left. Does this sound right? Seems like a lot. I know you can tilt the kettle to get more out but doesn't that defeat the purpose of the swirl boss? Everything seams to be working great. I did a wet batch today and plan a brew session tomorrow. Then I broke off the sight glass. Going to have to find a plug to get by. (

This is normal and yeah if you want all the wort you have to tilt but it does defeat the purpose of the swirl boss...I asked Darin we he doesnt have a pick up tube ...he claims the flow rate of the cofi wont work right with a pick up...im not so sure...others on here have attached a pickup with no issues....sight glasses are pointless IMO and not very accurate

 

[h22lude]

Definitely try a dip tube. I don't see why it wouldn't work.

The sight glass is good for measuring water before mashing and the volume before and after boil. If you calibrate it correctly, it will work perfectly.

 

[yeastylad]

Has anyone been having anymore problems with the BB app crashing? I have been using the old beta version. Was wondering if Darrin got anywhere with the app update?

My last brew day was still fairly riddled with crashes with the most recent app version. I have an unfounded feeling its as much to do with the cheapo android tablet supplied as the app itself, but have no evidence to back up this theory. None of the crashes were disastrous to my brew, but still really disappointed I basically have to baby-sit the system, when I thought when buying it I could walk away for a while at least during the mash or boil without things going completely awry.

 

[andrewmaixner]

My last brew day was still fairly riddled with crashes with the most recent app version. I have an unfounded feeling its as much to do with the cheapo android tablet supplied as the app itself, but have no evidence to back up this theory. None of the crashes were disastrous to my brew, but still really disappointed I basically have to baby-sit the system, when I thought when buying it I could walk away for a while at least during the mash or boil without things going completely awry.

So you have the 'official' tablet that it was sold with, and the 'official' version of the app, and it isn't stable? That's not very reassuring for a $700 electric brewing controller that is supposed to automate and simplify your brew day.

Does the previous version of the app run reliably on it?

 

[Snicklefritz]

I have a pickup tube and have absolutely no issues with flow rates while mashing, whirlpooling or chilling through my CFC.

Darin said the same thing to me about the flow rates but maybe he tested with a smaller diameter diptube. My 1/2" one has no issues.

I have only .25g in the kettle after draining

 

[h22lude]

So you have the 'official' tablet that it was sold with, and the 'official' version of the app, and it isn't stable? That's not very reassuring for a $700 electric brewing controller that is supposed to automate and simplify your brew day.

Does the previous version of the app run reliably on it?

The "official tablet" isn't anything special. It is just a basic cheap tablet. The tablet isn't a brew boss tablet. Darin realized some people may not already have tablet so he found a cheaper one for people to get but not put add much to the total. Also, it isn't the tablet that is having issues, it is the app. Just like all other apps, updates to the app or the OS can cause issues. I have a nexus tablet with the latest os and app version and didn't have any problems.