thelawlost
Member
Hey all,
At the outset, I'll just be up front and say that I know there are tons of threads are out there on the subject, but my head is spinning from trying to find the "right" answer. I moved a few months ago to a new house and want to switch to e-brewing in the basement - I live in MN and would like to brew indoors, oh, a couple months of the year
I've been reading up on e-brewing essentially since the move, but every time I think I hone in on my approach, I read another thread that makes me second guess it. There just seem to be a lot of unique variables everyone has to deal with, not to mention innumerable and increasingly complex options available when e-brewing, so I'd love to tap into the collective knowledge for suggestions on what will work best for me.
First, what I want: Simplicity. An "analog" electric brewery. I intend to use a basic 3-tier, gravity-fed brew structure. No pumps needed on this build. HLT on top, my tried and true rectangular mash tun cooler on the middle level, and the brew kettle on the bottom. I was thinking of installing a 110V element into the HLT because I already have a 110V/15A GFCI very close to that end of the brew structure, and because I do only 5 gallon batches, it should be sufficient time-wise to heat the mash\sparge water. But given the following information, I could be talked into upgrading this power source if it works out best that way.
Second, the electrical sources I have available: There is the afore-mentioned 110V GFCI outlet that I intend to use for the HLT. I have a 50A dryer plug (unused, as I am now using gas for the dryer) about 20 feet away from the brew structure. This outlet has 3 plugs (NEMA 10-50), and I've looked inside, and there is no fourth wire. Finally, the circuit breaker box is accessible and nearby, and has 11 open slots, so there is definitely room to add a brand new line if that works best for the system what I want.
Third, and I imagine it goes without saying, I want GFI protection.
Fourth, I'm a DIY-er, but I'm not an electrician. While I probably could build my own control box with the guidance of others I've seen on this website, I don't NEED too. I was thinking of, for example, the High Gravity Brew EBCII to use to control the brew kettle power level. I know one can build a controller cheaper themselves, but I'll be frank, unless we're talking more than 50% savings (or if the unit has safety concerns - for example, I ran across this earlier) I'm fine with paying someone a little extra to put it together for me. I'm willing grease the wheels of the homebrew economy a bit.
So with this in mind, any thoughts on the best means to achieve a simple, safe e-brewery? All input is appreciated!
At the outset, I'll just be up front and say that I know there are tons of threads are out there on the subject, but my head is spinning from trying to find the "right" answer. I moved a few months ago to a new house and want to switch to e-brewing in the basement - I live in MN and would like to brew indoors, oh, a couple months of the year
I've been reading up on e-brewing essentially since the move, but every time I think I hone in on my approach, I read another thread that makes me second guess it. There just seem to be a lot of unique variables everyone has to deal with, not to mention innumerable and increasingly complex options available when e-brewing, so I'd love to tap into the collective knowledge for suggestions on what will work best for me.First, what I want: Simplicity. An "analog" electric brewery. I intend to use a basic 3-tier, gravity-fed brew structure. No pumps needed on this build. HLT on top, my tried and true rectangular mash tun cooler on the middle level, and the brew kettle on the bottom. I was thinking of installing a 110V element into the HLT because I already have a 110V/15A GFCI very close to that end of the brew structure, and because I do only 5 gallon batches, it should be sufficient time-wise to heat the mash\sparge water. But given the following information, I could be talked into upgrading this power source if it works out best that way.
Second, the electrical sources I have available: There is the afore-mentioned 110V GFCI outlet that I intend to use for the HLT. I have a 50A dryer plug (unused, as I am now using gas for the dryer) about 20 feet away from the brew structure. This outlet has 3 plugs (NEMA 10-50), and I've looked inside, and there is no fourth wire. Finally, the circuit breaker box is accessible and nearby, and has 11 open slots, so there is definitely room to add a brand new line if that works best for the system what I want.
Third, and I imagine it goes without saying, I want GFI protection.
Fourth, I'm a DIY-er, but I'm not an electrician. While I probably could build my own control box with the guidance of others I've seen on this website, I don't NEED too. I was thinking of, for example, the High Gravity Brew EBCII to use to control the brew kettle power level. I know one can build a controller cheaper themselves, but I'll be frank, unless we're talking more than 50% savings (or if the unit has safety concerns - for example, I ran across this earlier) I'm fine with paying someone a little extra to put it together for me. I'm willing grease the wheels of the homebrew economy a bit.
So with this in mind, any thoughts on the best means to achieve a simple, safe e-brewery? All input is appreciated!
