Electric Brewery's

[Scott H]

We spoke about creating a discussion so people who have or people who are thinking about and/or building can share pic's info and pitfalls to avoid.

Just about finished building my bench and hopefully will have a chance to start wiring it up this weekend. Pics to follow shortly.

[Steve Dorrington]

Daniel,  Here's how I mounted my 2x 2.4kW elements. (32mm hole) These have no earth either so I used an IEC socket and earthed that to the Jaycar metal box.  40 Litre brews are no trouble with a good rolling boil.  I've about 10 brews on these now. 

[Daniel Ashman]

Thanks Steve. I was wondering about mounting the one directly on top of the other that way I could use the same box for the wiring of both (Still 2 plugs though). Only problem doing it this way is then it means my minimum water level it's a bit higher and my false bottom will have to be that much higher. I have seen people bending the elements too so that's another option. Are these camco elements you have used?

[Barry]

False bottom? Are you running an electric BIAB rig? that would be lots of litres of dead space in the bottom.

[Daniel Ashman]

For now but I'm trying to build it in a way that I can use the same pot at a BK later on. False bottom will just be to hold the grain bag off the elements initially.

[Barry]

right, so the dead space won't be an issue then. 

[Steve Dorrington]

Daniel, These are Rheem elements which i got from karl at brewtopia. They were the only ones I could find to mount in my existing kettle holes. Originally I had keg resources 2.2kw single bar elements but they were rubbish, failed after 8 brews and deathly silence from the importer. Don't deal with them! The boxes were easy to build and fit and iec sockets make connection easy and fitted my existing control box with no other modifications.

[Matt Lory]

Hi All,

We are having a bit of a change of plans in our brew house (my wife has laid down the law - no more brewing in the basement - need to move outside!)

So... my electric controller and HLT are on the market.  

Electric controller: Runs temp probes from the mash recirculation and in the HLT (like the electric brewery model). All internal equipment as per electric brewery model.  (note this runs the HLT only - I've been running a gas burners as i find it give better boil off etc). Designed and equipped for 30A supply (but can run off less) - includes 30A RCD.

HLT: 65L high quality pot. 5500W element. 15m 1/2" copper coil bent and weldless install into HLT for HERMS set-up. 

This part of the system owes me at least $1,800.  Open to offers on PM, but looking for about $1k - note all components are high end - no corners cut.

I'll post some pictures over the next few days.

[Barry]

I brew in a carport with my electric brewery. It's on wheels so I just wheel it out, plug it in (extension cord) and fire it up. Without a proper basement setup with extraction etc it's the only way.

[Matt Lory]

Guys, photos of the HLT incl HERMS and brew controller below:

65L thick stainless HLT, 69.5L to the brim.  Inlet port at top for recirculating hot water during mash to ensure HLT is at a constant temp. Central valved ports for HERMS coil.

Temp sensor (Auber Instruments) for HLT temp connection to controller. Heavy duty cable for 30amp supply shown.

18m length, half inch copper HERMS coil installed within the HLT, heating element shown below & hot water pick-up

Controller box, Auber PIDs (Mash & HLT) Off/On switch & light  and element on/off light. 

Power connection port & temperature sensors for HLT & Mash Tun connections

30A RCD

[Barry]

Hells yeah that looks mean.

[James Millar]

Anyone in Auckland know a good place to get heavy duty 3x6mm^2 wire (or 4mm^2, but I prefer to over-engineer things) rated for outdoor use (water/oil proof etc), to power a 5500w (24a) camco element from a nema L6-30 twist lock plug? Probably need 2-3m of it.

Cheers 

[Barry]

My dad sourced my 4mm^2 flex (HD, outdoor use) for $9 a metre from memory, way less than what I thought it might be for the 12m I wanted. I'll ask him where from.