Hybrid Gas/Electric, will this work?

[dordelli]

So I have a 3 tier Natural Gas fired, gravity based stand and it has served me well for 5/10 gallon batches, but I want bigger/better. I have purchased 2x 25 gallon pots and will reuse my current 20 gallon for HLT. I have also purchased the parts to make a 120v RIMS tube. Right now my current rig has two gas burners for BK and the HLT, but heating 15 plus gallons of water at 6ft in the air is sketchy, so I want to lose the highest tier and put HLT on same level as the MLT and ditch the 2nd burner. I also bought one pump.

So would it work to heat mash and sparge water in the Bk, then transfer strike water to the MLT and the balance sparge water to the HLT, mash using my Rims to recirc and maintain mash temp and transfer to the BK using gravity. Then hook my RIMs to the HLT, set the temp to 175 on my Pid and sparge thru my Rims tube? The 175 degree water in the HLT would prob lose 10 degrees over the 60-90 min mash rest. So would it be reasonable to expect my 5500 watt rims tube (running at 1375 on 120v) to raise the temp about 10 degrees to Sparge?

I'll mainly be doing 10 gallon batches but would like to have ability to do 15 gals too.

 

[stlbeer]

First of all, there's nothing wrong with heating water with gas while the pot is at whatever height. Why would you think that's sketchy? If your rig can hold the pot safely, then it's fine. And why ditch the burner?

As to your second paragraph, the 1375 watts will maintain the mash temps just fine, but it will not work for sparging. There are several threads on here about this and BobbyM did a great review just recently. Your RIMS can raise the temp on your sparge water, but won't you be using it to maintain the mash temps while mashing? If you wait to bring your sparge water up to temp after you drain your mash tun then you'll wait even longer. Keep the second burner to maintain your HLT temps.

Especially if you're going to be doing 15 gallon batches.

Do a Google search for "electricheat.xls". The guy that created this put several calculations on the spreadsheet. One of them to how long it takes to get to a certain temp given the current temp, volume, and power being put into the system. You'll see what I mean.

Paul

BTW, see my build thread in my sig, below. My setup sounds like it's very similar to yours before I went all electric.

 

[dordelli]

Thx for the reply Paul, my current rig becomes top heavy and a little wobbly even with a 9gal HLT! So going to 15-20 is scary.

I found a similar thread to mine where Bobby M posts a video testing what I am trying to do, using the same element run at 120v, he is able to get a 30 degree temp increase. I think for now I will leave the 3rd tier and see if I can make what I describe above work. But based on the video, looks like it should.