My simple two receptacle all grain build

[GC89]

Theres the difference 7-8 gallons compared to my 6-6.5 I have been having to dial it back to about 30% to keep a nice gentle boil. Which seems lower than what most people mention.

Next Up on the list is building a heat stick. With it being as cold as it has been I had some issues with my mash temp dropping this last weekend. I think a minute or so stir with a heat stick will fix that right up

I also built a Counter flow (of sorts more of a reverse immersion) chiller during my mash this weekend, a little crude at the moment but man did it do the trick and with no pump! So I will throw picks up in the coming week or so.

 

[The Pol]

30% wow... what is the wattage of your element? At 30% I am not boiling at all, with that same volume. That is only 1650W

 

[GC89]

5500, same as you I believe. I thought it was low too, but i tried at 50% after the boil began. Went in the house for 15 and when I came back it had rose to a pretty violent boil so I went with forty. On this last batch I came back out after leaving it at 40 for a while and it was a strong rolling boil, 30 or so gives me just enough to watch it keep turning over.

 

[The Pol]

Yah, I have 5500W. That amazes me.

What is your boil off? Mine is 1.3 gal/hr at 70%

 

[GC89]

Mine is probable close to the same, this last batch I started out with 6.5 gallons give or take and ended with a little over 5 maybe 5.1-2 at around 70-80% humidity.

 

[BrewBeemer]

I'm sure he's put the proper safety considerations into place. I bet he's wearing a rubber, so his little friend doesn't become the path of least resistance.

-OCD

A big ouch on your little friend, I got nailed by a cattle prong in the nut sack once at the ranch. Not the way to end your day. "ex brother in law, the bull busted him up rather badly in the barn, call it carma he now limps.

 

[The Pol]

Mine is probable close to the same, this last batch I started out with 6.5 gallons give or take and ended with a little over 5 maybe 5.1-2 at around 70-80% humidity.

That makes me wonder what could be going on that would allow you to input 1/2 the BTUs that I do, and end up with the same result... hrmm

The lowest I have ever heard of anyone going with 5500W is 60%, so I am intrigued.

 

[bakins]

The lowest I have ever heard of anyone going with 5500W is 60%, so I am intrigued.

FWIW, I maintain boil at 60% with my 4500W element. My pot is "square" and insulated, not sure if that matters. I boil off 1 gallon/hour.

 

[The Pol]

FWIW, I maintain boil at 60% with my 4500W element. My pot is "square" and insulated, not sure if that matters. I boil off 1 gallon/hour.

You see, though, at least your boil off is less.

Boiling off 1.2 gallons/hour with 5,600 BTUs is amazing, when you think about it. That is the power of a single stove top burner.

You are still using 9200 BTUs to get a gallon boil off, he is using half and getting more boil off than you are.

I am applying about 13,000 BTUs to achieve 1.3 gallons boil off. So basically 40% more power than you Bakins, but I have about 30% more boil off as well.

BTW, what sort of square pot are you using?

 

[The Pol]

What sort of insulation are you using Bakins? My kettle is not insulated, though I suppose I could try it out, since it is CIP and never leaves the stand. I have heard conflicting results with reflectix.

 

[bakins]

BTW, what sort of square pot are you using?

Sorry, by square I meant it's as wide as it is tall. It's still a cylinder

 

[IrregularPulse]

Curious when you guys say "dial back your percentage". I understand you're dialing back the duty cycle of the element through the PID. But what physically is done for this? Is there a potentiometer hooked to it, a digital interface connected or does the PID actually have an interface built in. I think I answered my own question while typing but I'll leave it to confirm. I think the PID's have a display and buttons on top right? Does it show as a percentage or...?

 

[The Pol]

Curious when you guys say "dial back your percentage". I understand you're dialing back the duty cycle of the element through the PID. But what physically is done for this? Is there a potentiometer hooked to it, a digital interface connected or does the PID actually have an interface built in. I think I answered my own question while typing but I'll leave it to confirm. I think the PID's have a display and buttons on top right? Does it show as a percentage or...?

Typically a SV (set value) window, PV (present value) window. Several buttons along the bottom of the Auber PID... when boiling we use manual mode, which is a % output. Basically it is an ON/OFF function that controls duty cycle.

70% is 70% ON and 30% off, my cycle time is 1 second, so that means at 70% it is on for 70% of that second and off for 30% of it, that is one complete cycle.

I utilize auto mode when sparging, such that my kettle remains at 180F, this way after the sparge I am boiling in 5 minutes flat.

 

[wyzazz]

You see, though, at least your boil off is less.

Boiling off 1.2 gallons/hour with 5,600 BTUs is amazing, when you think about it. That is the power of a single stove top burner.

You are still using 9200 BTUs to get a gallon boil off, he is using half and getting more boil off than you are.

I am applying about 13,000 BTUs to achieve 1.3 gallons boil off. So basically 40% more power than you Bakins, but I have about 30% more boil off as well.

BTW, what sort of square pot are you using?

Just a thought but some municipalities have more voltage on their 220v line than others. It's my understanding that it can vary from 208v-240v which may account for some of the differences you both see in your setups. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my @$$.

 

[The Pol]

Just a thought but some municipalities have more voltage on their 220v line than others. It's my understanding that it can vary from 208v-240v which may account for some of the differences you both see in your setups. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my @$$.

My voltage measures 243VAC

 

[BrewBeemer]

My voltage measures 243VAC

Is that reading at the 240 volt receptacle without a load on the line or at your 240 volt element while under load and at 100% on time? A big difference here in voltage drop with length and size of wire and cords used.
There can be a very wide difference in the elements voltage under load with each different brewing system on this forum as well what tap is used on the pig on the pole and how loaded down it is. Mine is across the steet and at 43% operating output so my Tig welder drawing 131 amps I have no problem as well any electric heating elements in the house or brewery. Granted there is a wide range of voltages in different cities to homes. Way out at the ranch at the end of the line we saw 203 volts no load, added 9KW of brewing elements and it dropped down to 186 volts at the elements with a vast reduction in BTU's available to brew with. I installed a buck boost transformer rated for 30KW located off a job site for free. A life saver as we have 245 volts at the elements under load and quick heating and boil times.

 

[GC89]

My boil off calculations are rough pol, I dont currently have a sight glass just markings on the outside which I guestimate with the ribs on the keg. After my first running and sparges I had over 6 gallons, but am not entirely sure how accurate the markings on my bucket are. I could have got less boil off than I thought but it was at least a solid gallon for sure. I have 241v measured at the outlet with no load. The other thing to remember is the first 15-20min of my boil was up at 45% and a solid boil so that could account for the difference, I may have just been front heavy on my losses.

 

[TripleHopped]

Hey! Is this you?

At least he is wearing safety goggles.....

Would want to injure an eye.