Need some direction for new setup

[bbnbrew]

I've been brewing with propane outside for several years now and would really like to move inside. I've just grabbed a pump and new chiller to add to my 2 10g blichmanns and 15.5g keggle setup. My thought is grab a piece here and there and was thinking the rims rocket and boil coil or other elements but my issue of controlling it all I've looked and just keep getting turned around. Ive tried searching but got more confused so any advice or places to look would be great. So far tower of power looks easiest to me or possibly the hosehead system but not sure if that's too complicated for me.

JM Lorton

 

[Quaker]

I use the boil kettle controller from High Gravity. By my second batch I figured out where to set the dial to maintain a constant mash temp with my HERMS. The engineer in me would enjoy more automated control, but I can't be bothered with changing now.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I highly suggest going with a rims and camlock set up from Bobby I thoroughly tested it and couldn't be happier

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/rims.htm

use this element or one stainless from Bobby

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPG4LI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500.htm

I make my own control boxes but its not for the novice

 

[bbnbrew]

Awesome thanks for the info. Any ideas or thoughts on the hosehead brewtronix I'd like a lot of control but lack the skill at the moment to build my own controller without a lot of direction is like to try but probably after I've got something that works well with my system.

 

[bbnbrew]

I highly suggest going with a rims and camlock set up from Bobby I thoroughly tested it and couldn't be happier



https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/rims.htm



use this element or one stainless from Bobby



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPG4LI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500.htm



I make my own control boxes but its not for the novice

What all does your controller control exactly I've looked at building a kal clone even bought and read the book but seems like overkill for me with amp and voltage meters and such something more simple would be perfect if I could find a design or even have someone build one for me that has the experience

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Im almost finished with this build now.Bare bones BIAB setup but should get the job done and I can always add to it.The build is pretty easy,cut a hole in a box and install each component.The wiring is another story but the wise people on this forum will get you done.Last month I had never heard of an SSR or PID and now Im almost ready to brew beer INSIDE on a cold day.I say go for it.

http://www.pjmuth.org/beerstuff/images/Auberin-wiring1-a4-5500w-30c1-e-stop.jpg

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

What all does your controller control exactly I've looked at building a kal clone even bought and read the book but seems like overkill for me with amp and voltage meters and such something more simple would be perfect if I could find a design or even have someone build one for me that has the experience

I have a Kal clone but didn't use it all because I reduced to 1 pot to save space and no herms so it sits in the garage half torn apart, i built this to simplify my set up and made my rig portable on wheels so its easy to put away

The top left turns on/off the pump, below that turns on/off the ssr, bottom right switches between the pid and the arduino dial , the light turns on when the element is on.

The knob uses an arduino with a pulse script which cuts down on the amps similar to a pid. I use that dial for my boil and anytime I want the element on full power, my pid is a little cumbersome to change on the fly and my pot seems to have this boil over problem even doing a 6g batch in a 20g pot, so it keeps the boil going while turning it down through the hot break, also helps with a rapid or lite boil so I can regulate my evaporation rate

 

[augiedoggy]

I have a Kal clone but didn't use it all because I reduced to 1 pot to save space and no herms so it sits in the garage half torn apart, i built this to simplify my set up and made my ring portable on wheels so its easy to put away

The top left turns on/off the pump, below that turns on/off the ssr, bottom right switches between the pid and the arduino dial

The knob uses an arduino with a pulse script which cuts down on the amps similar to a pid. I use that dial for my boil and anytime I want the element on full power, my pid is a little cumbersome to change on the fly and my pot seems to have this boil over problem even doing a 6g batch in a 20g pot, so it keeps the boil going while turning it down through the hot break, also helps with a rapid or lite boil so I can regulate my evaporation rate

I'm a bit confused by what you mean about your pid being cumbersome to change on the fly? do you just mean to lower the temp?
That pid doesnt have manual mode unless its a mypin model I have never seen? or some sort of old design... it looks like a ta4. I have a kill switch I use (actually element selector with an "off" state) that only kills the heat output if a boilover was coming.. but now I just set my pid to 208degrees and when the alarm goes off I switch to manual mode before the boilover state even occurs.

the "TD" series mypin pids do have manual (and a gray face) but all thats needed to go to manual on those it holding the "M" button for 2 seconds then enter your % number with the up or down key and hit set works just like a knob.... fairly straight forward although more complicated than a knob for sure.

 

[madscientist451]

Its cold here, I can relate to bringing the brewing inside.
You don't need a complicated set up to make good beer.
If you buy ready made items it will cost you more but you won't have to hunt for parts and do any wiring.
I'd go with a three tier gravity fed system.
You can heat your strike water with a Brewers Edge Mash Heater from Williams brewing , it plugs right in to a 110v outlet , costs $299.
Gravity drain that to a cooler mash tun.
Gravity drain that to your brew pot, either convert your existing keggle to electric or sell the two Blichtman pots you have and buy an Electric Blichtman
Brew Pot.

So you'd have $600-$1,000 invested in this equipment , depending if you sell your old gear and you still have to build or buy a stand to put the three tier set up in and run a couple of new circuits to plug mash heater and brew pot in.
Its not automated, doesn't recirculate, but is pretty simple, easy to clean up and if you can always upgrade to recirculation or automation later.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I'm a bit confused by what you mean about your pid being cumbersome to change on the fly? do you just mean to lower the temp?
That pid doesnt have manual mode unless its a mypin model I have never seen? or some sort of old design... it looks like a ta4. I have a kill switch I use (actually element selector with an "off" state) that only kills the heat output if a boilover was coming.. but now I just set my pid to 208degrees and when the alarm goes off I switch to manual mode before the boilover state even occurs.

the "TD" series mypin pids do have manual (and a gray face) but all thats needed to go to manual on those it holding the "M" button for 2 seconds then enter your % number with the up or down key and hit set works just like a knob.... fairly straight forward although more complicated than a knob for sure.

I have one of the gray mypins but don't use it because it doesn't work as well as holding the temperature as this one does, the gray one over and under shot the temperature constantly and was off 4 degrees from the start, this one does not have a manual mode but don't care it keeps the temps perfect for me and I wouldn't go back after adding this arduino, I use it more that I thought I would

 

[augiedoggy]

I have one of the gray mypins but don't use it because it doesn't work as well as holding the temperature as this one does, the gray one over and under shot the temperature constantly and was off 4 degrees from the start, this one does not have a manual mode but don't care it keeps the temps perfect for me and I wouldn't go back after adding this arduino, I use it more that I thought I would

Gotcha ,
I have both. If you do decide to ever use the gray one, set the "I" setting to one it should stop overshooting your temps and calibrating the thermostat is actually very easy.. I just tweaked two of mine because I replaced the rtd sensors.

 

[bbnbrew]

Duplicate post

 

[bbnbrew]

Its cold here, I can relate to bringing the brewing inside.
You don't need a complicated set up to make good beer.
If you buy ready made items it will cost you more but you won't have to hunt for parts and do any wiring.
I'd go with a three tier gravity fed system.
You can heat your strike water with a Brewers Edge Mash Heater from Williams brewing , it plugs right in to a 110v outlet , costs $299.
Gravity drain that to a cooler mash tun.
Gravity drain that to your brew pot, either convert your existing keggle to electric or sell the two Blichtman pots you have and buy an Electric Blichtman
Brew Pot.

So you'd have $600-$1,000 invested in this equipment , depending if you sell your old gear and you still have to build or buy a stand to put the three tier set up in and run a couple of new circuits to plug mash heater and brew pot in.
Its not automated, doesn't recirculate, but is pretty simple, easy to clean up and if you can always upgrade to recirculation or automation later.

Thanks. I've got a three tier for propane i welded together that works well that I could easily modify to electric cheaper I just kind of wanted to get more control over mash temp beyond adding hot or cold water etc to fix temp problems and I have a bad habit of going all in I went from a stock pot and ice bath to two blichmanns and made a keggle from a keg I had laying around and plate chiller and new propane burners in one step. So thanks for all the info everyone I'm going to keep reading on here and Internet to narrow it down from all the suggestions I'd be lost without this place.