Electric Brewing
I have been researching the hell out of setting up the electric brewery and have been buying bits and pieces to get my rig underway, but my issue is what to do next... beside procrastinating!
I have 3kW elements for the HLT and kettle. I am thinking (as per Sparky's comments on the trademe thread) that a temp controller for HLT and a PID for kettle.
Ebay has a couple of cheap PID controllers with Ktype thermos. It also has some thermowells out of the US. (Bling!) While there is a NZ supplier (Thermowellsupply.com) but they are yet to reply to me. I could make my own out of SS tube and SS bolts drilled out, but thermowells / thermocouples make me horny.... I mean look cool and would make the job easier.
Firstly I would like to introduce Frankenframe. Once he was the backbone of a processing conveyor belt worked 20 years for the man, now he is the is reborn as my brewing frame (also known as Rodney). Angled galvanised steel, yet to be painted and completed. Two tiers, and will have wheels etc.
My idea for the rig (the frame is having the final welding done tonight as long as the welder doesn't drink too much of my beer):
I have 3kW elements for the HLT and kettle. I am thinking (as per Sparky's comments on the trademe thread) that a temp controller for HLT and a PID for kettle.
Ebay has a couple of cheap PID controllers with Ktype thermos. It also has some thermowells out of the US. (Bling!) While there is a NZ supplier (Thermowellsupply.com) but they are yet to reply to me. I could make my own out of SS tube and SS bolts drilled out, but thermowells / thermocouples make me horny.... I mean look cool and would make the job easier.
Firstly I would like to introduce Frankenframe. Once he was the backbone of a processing conveyor belt worked 20 years for the man, now he is the is reborn as my brewing frame (also known as Rodney). Angled galvanised steel, yet to be painted and completed. Two tiers, and will have wheels etc.
My idea for the rig (the frame is having the final welding done tonight as long as the welder doesn't drink too much of my beer):
And the controller:
I'm looking for feedback, in particular if you have ideas in relation to the controller. (Oops just realised I missed the pump control from the controller, nuts.)
More photos etc to come as Frankenframe goes through the motions to become my brewing rig.
:)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Banks on
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Cheers Sparky
Good call on the pilot light thanks for the ideas!
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Permalink Reply by James P on
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Looks like I'm sorted with a PID -> 50A SSR -> Heatsink -> RTD sensor. Game has begun!
Garage is being retrofitted with 35Amp circuit breaker and 6mm line to a hard wired XX amp socket (can not remember what amp the guy said, it's been a couple of hours and more than a few beers) for the brewery controller (thankfully I wired 6mm from house to garage instead of the 4.0mm the electrician advised, 16mm would have been better but stupidly expensive). Should be good for 7~9kW (max) if you ignore the 80% load warning :-/.
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Is it one of these form trade me James
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Other-electronics/...
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Err... 32Amp max on 6mm I have been told now..... bugger. 16mm is stupidly expensive so looks like I have to limit the brewery...
Controller will probably now have a switch between HLT and BK, so that I can run only one at a time.... nuts. Anyone else in this predicament?
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Permalink Reply by Nick T on
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You can't limit such a techo brewery, it would be a real shame :-(
I think I will be in the same predicament when I get to that stage. If you have two elements in the kettle, you could run only one while the sparge water runs out of the HLT, then when you no longer need the HLT switch the second element on...?
How stupidly expensive is the 16mm cable per metre?
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Not sure if this will do the trick, but $16 p/m : http://electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=68&a...
The alternative would be to run a second 6mm cable down the same conduit (I put in a 80or 100mm which was overkill again, but Katie would for Humes back then), which means digging up the back yard.... again....
The stupidly expensive was $30 p/m I was quoted today...
It's not a bad idea for the elements, I am thinking of dropping back to 2.4kW so I can run two from the 30Amps.
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You can get in via the main page, then go to cabling then mains cable.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Neilson on
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Cant you just run 16mm 2 core from the distribution board or Mains to another distribution board than run 2 6mm cables to a high amp switch? Opps read prior comments looks like your on to a winner, me im just a hori!! I just plug my 3kw element straight into my 2.5mm cabled switch!! Im just waiting for an electrical fire!! Maybe I run 6mm from the distribution board to the switches and upgrade the switches so they can handle high amps!!
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and I was wondering if instead of a PID you could somehow rig up an el cheapo controller like the ebay ones that were being talked about the other day, with a dpdt SSR or just dual SSRs, and a simmerstat, so that when the temp got to say 99 degrees, the simmerstat was switched into the circuit, controlling one of the elements set to say 50% power (you would figure this setting out by trial and error). Just a random thought......
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