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14 months on, my machine is nearly ready.

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by STAG
wow time flies.
Rather than clutter up biabrewer I have put together a site to show you guys my machine so far.
It`s still a work in progress so not all menu links work, anyway there`s a brief description of some of the features.
On the right hand side of the main image there are a few buttons used for mouseovers to change
the main image, hopefully all browsers can see that, if not please let me know. thanks.
If I can answer any queries or critisism please post back here on the board.
http://www.stag-brewing.co.uk/index.php
Last edited by STAG on 03 Apr 2012, 01:54, edited 4 times in total.
STAG = Single Tun All Grain

Post #2 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
So now we know what you've been up to Stag. That's amazing mate :thumbs: :clap: :salute:.

That's a great result with the 3 pipe chiller. Very clever. Way too many things to comment on here. My mind boggles at how much work you've put in.

One question... What is it that cylinder shaped thing you have hanging from the elecric hoist in this pic? (Just to let you know, for some reason, as soon as I click on any of the other 1-7 pics on that page, I can't see the original pic anymore un. I have to refresh the page to get back to it.)

Good on you :peace:,
PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 03 Apr 2012, 08:39, edited 3 times in total.
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Post #3 made 13 years ago
by STAG
thanks for your great comments mate.
That cyclinder shaped thing is just a weight I cobbled together, it`s just there to keep a load
on the steel cable as it has a tendency to spring off of the winding barrel.

You should be able to hover mouse back onto the image to get back to the original, but I`ll double check that, thanks.
STAG = Single Tun All Grain

Post #4 made 13 years ago
by stux
Controller set to 65 deg Celsius
Cold Start - added power,
15 minute mark - temp climbed to 65 deg,
Cut power - next 15 minutes the temp rose on its own to 82 deg,
temp stayed at 82 deg for at least the next 15 minutes,
It then took 2 hours to drop back down to 67 deg.
2 hours !! to drop 15 degrees. I`ll only need a couple of short burst of power to handle the mash time.
Sounds to me like you need to look into a PID :)

PIDs are supposed to learn ramping rates etc so they don't overshoot.
Last edited by stux on 03 Apr 2012, 15:18, edited 3 times in total.
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #5 made 13 years ago
by stux
The 3 pipe chiller looks very well done. Bit concerned about dropping a pump into boiling wort :)
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #6 made 13 years ago
by STAG
Hi stux
appreciate your comments, and thanks for tip on PID I`ll look into that.

I`m guessing your concern for dropping the pump into the hot wort is twofold.

You probably know about brushless water pumps but, apart from the stainless screws holding it together there is no exposed metal, all working parts are over moulded with plastic, even the iron core rotor. So in fact the water/wort can get between the rotor and the coil no problem, there is probably a 0.5 mm gap between them. So I`d say there is no chance of an electric short.

These pumps have been made for the catering industry to be used for pumping liquids up to 100 deg Celsius. I have asked the supplier if they can provide certification for the materials and their reply was that they have done a full cert for one of the pumps within the range, as required by a German customer who ordered in the thousands. But as the cost for a full independant certification was very high it`s not cost effecive enough to do it for the whole range, But I have been assured that the same materials go into the rest the whole range, and are food grade.
They did send me some info from the cert and it looks really thorough. Dated 2008
Check the images of this info here
http://www.stag-brewing.co.uk/Test%20Report%201.jpg
http://www.stag-brewing.co.uk/Test%20Report%202.jpg
http://www.stag-brewing.co.uk/Test%20Report%203.jpg
http://www.stag-brewing.co.uk/Test%20Report%204.jpg

Ok so even if the pump is food grade you`re probably still concerned with cleanliness.
Four screws and this comes apart, leaving only the main body, the front volute housing and the impeller, so it can be easily washed. I had intended pot 2 of my setup to be boiling water for final sanitising of the pump and chiller circuit. If the pump is as good as they say I should be able to drop it into the wort as it nears boiling and clean it that way, prior to pumping.

Maybe I could do a plain water boil test first, let the water cool down and check if there are any flavours.
Last edited by STAG on 04 Apr 2012, 01:46, edited 3 times in total.
STAG = Single Tun All Grain

Post #7 made 13 years ago
by STAG
I have also been working on another version of a pump attached to the chiller as one unit.
This time the pump does not get dropped into the wort, only the hose that feeds the pump goes into the wort.

What I did is make a single piston prime free pump. The type that as the piston goes back, suction pulls open
a sprung loaded ball flooding the piston chamber, as the piston goes forward the ball is forced shut but at the same
time another sprung loaded ball facing the opposite direction is pushed open releasing the fluid into the outlet.

I am yet to test volume results as my motor arrangement was not strong enough. I have now received a 300 rpm geared motor
which I hope will do it.

The pump needs to firstly draw any air inside the hose through the piston chamber any then pumping fluid begins.
Once running it`s kind of a whoosh-whoosh-whoosh action (300 times a minute) as the fluid on the outlet is stationary
on the piston back stroke. This might not be a bad thing if you imagine the hot wort going through the chiller in
constant but slightly fluctuating short bursts.
STAG = Single Tun All Grain
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