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Automated eBIAB System

Post #1 made 11 years ago
by Aries
So i had some time to build the cage to hold the bag at the egdes of the kettle:
cage_for_bag.jpg
Here the inside with the motorized stirrer:
motorized_stirrer_insidekettle.jpg
motor_stirrer_view.jpg
Control is based on USB via my small Netbook. Not yet tested with the BIAB, but well as a 3-tier system some time ago.

Cant wait to test it next weekend :peace:

edit: Should remove the corroded screw :headhit:
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Last edited by Aries on 07 Jul 2013, 22:42, edited 2 times in total.

Post #2 made 11 years ago
by joshua
Aries, Nice work, looks good!!!

If the Screw is not Stainless steel, it will corrode, and add rust and metal Salts to the wort.

You may want to go all Stainless steel.

I found Galvanised, and treated hardware, Corrodes from most all beer chemicals.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
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Post #3 made 11 years ago
by thughes
I love the "cage", assuming that is aluminum strap assembled with stainless hardware? I believe I'm going to steal that idea, I hate the way my bag billows loosely in my pot. Great work!

---Todd
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Post #4 made 11 years ago
by BobBrews
Is that a car window motor? What software are you using from your USB port??
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

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Post #5 made 11 years ago
by Aries
If the Screw is not Stainless steel, it will corrode, and add rust and metal Salts to the wort.
This corroded screw on the picture is not in contact with the wort, but i will replace it. Screws used in the cage are stainless steel.


Cage is aluminium, screws stainless steel. Easy to work with and cheap as well and in my opinion fine with wort. Chemicals should be used carefully, but as long as its not going to be used in the fermentingprocess, i will only clean with water.
Is that a car window motor?
Yes, was very cheap and even unused, but as long as it works its a good way to go with.

Software is written by a german homebrewercolleague. This link wont help you i guess. The connector form my eKettle is put in a USB-socket wich is connected to my netbook.
Last edited by Aries on 07 Jul 2013, 23:42, edited 2 times in total.

Post #6 made 11 years ago
by BobBrews
Aries,

Thank you! This looks interesting. Keep us informed with pictures and data. I love this kind of stuff!
Last edited by BobBrews on 08 Jul 2013, 21:46, edited 1 time in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Re: Automated eBIAB System

Post #7 made 11 years ago
by aamcle
Excellent stuff, this is what I'm trying to build and the wiper motor really ticks the box! I hadn't thought of using one of them.

If I may I ask a few questions?

What are you using as a power supply for the motor? The current draw must be considerable so most 12V power sources would be inadequate.

Would it be possible to see some pictures of the stirrer paddle/impellor?

Do you intend to run the mixer constantly during the mashing process?


ATB. Aamcle
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Post #8 made 11 years ago
by Aries
aamcle wrote:Excellent stuff, this is what I'm trying to build and the wiper motor really ticks the box! I hadn't thought of using one of them.

If I may I ask a few questions?

What are you using as a power supply for the motor? The current draw must be considerable so most 12V power sources would be inadequate.

Would it be possible to see some pictures of the stirrer paddle/impellor?

Do you intend to run the mixer constantly during the mashing process?


ATB. Aamcle
Power supply is an old PC-power-supply (if i remember that right, it was about 500W - ATX-Format). You can choose which power u want, e.g. 6V (or 5V) is just slower than 12V. Guess i will make a switch for that. Wiki

Yes i want to stir the mash constantly.

I will make some more pictures in the evening.
Last edited by Aries on 08 Jul 2013, 14:41, edited 2 times in total.

Post #10 made 11 years ago
by Aries
Here we go, some more pictures of my stirrer:
IMG_0203.JPG
IMG_0201.JPG
IMG_0202.JPG
This is the power supply for the motor:
IMG_0200.JPG
Im going to make a batch today using the stirrer but not the automated temperaturecontrol - my sensor is broken. Getting a new one from China...in some weeks i guess :lol:
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Last edited by Aries on 13 Jul 2013, 17:52, edited 2 times in total.

Post #12 made 11 years ago
by Aries
Wow, i got a 80,4% EIK and 76% EIF - about 11L with 1.052 OG from 2,5kg grains :thumbs:

Very nice brewday, looking forward to my renewed temperaturecontrol. My first BIAB batch, a smoked Ale, turned out good. Guess the stirring got me some more % efficiency. I love BIAB :love:
Chilling over night, tomorrow im going to pitch Safale S-04.

Post #13 made 11 years ago
by Mad_Scientist
Aries wrote:Wow, i got a 80,4% EIK and 76% EIF - about 11L with 1.052 OG from 2,5kg grains :thumbs:

Very nice brewday, looking forward to my renewed temperaturecontrol. My first BIAB batch, a smoked Ale, turned out good. Guess the stirring got me some more % efficiency. I love BIAB :love:
Chilling over night, tomorrow im going to pitch Safale S-04.
Did you do a mash out (77 C for 15 mins)? That generally gets another 3 points.
Last edited by Mad_Scientist on 14 Jul 2013, 22:43, edited 2 times in total.
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Post #15 made 11 years ago
by Aries
DS18B20_TemosensorUSB.JPG
Yeah, next batch is going to be Tempcontrolled again :thumbs:
Best is: didnt had to solder it, thats was a big offence last time with nothing but the small DS18B20 and a RJ11 cable.
(this was nearly ready to use, just the luster terminal connected with the right cable strips from the RJ11 and everything was fine :)
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Last edited by Aries on 23 Jul 2013, 19:37, edited 2 times in total.

Post #16 made 11 years ago
by PistolPatch
Aries, just wanted to jump in and say, "Great thread and thanks for all the pics and videos." I hope you aren't letting the tech side of things get too out of control though :). (Invent some automatic cleaning stuff please!!!!)

On your efficiencies, I noticed you had adjusted the BIABacus auto-efficiency down by 9%. Generally avoid adjusting this until you have done a few brews because you actually should get a little higher than the BIABacus auto-estimates. This is one very cool feature of the BIABacus, if you leave it alone, it tells you clearly if there could be a problem in an aspect of your wort production :party:.

For example, in your last brew, you were pleased with the 80.4% EIK but we really should be getting higher than this on that gravity brew. On one brew you can't tell anything but I know you have had low EIK's before so now we need to start looking at causes. It's not a major problem as on this gravity brew I would have hoped you would get at least 85% EIK and you were within 5% of that but...

If you think the bag is loose enough, then I think the next thing you need to look at is the pH of your water.

Really enjoying seeing all your mechanical wizardry though :peace:.
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Post #17 made 11 years ago
by Aries
I hope you aren't letting the tech side of things get too out of control though :).
Guess i wont. That was just part of my old system and i wanted to be able to use it, no use for things getting dusty :think:

To get back to the efficieny "problem" - i should really make some more batches with a constant system. My last 3 BIAB batches had all other conditions. To take the "-9% adjustment was just the attempt to get enough OG, the 2nd batch - IPA, had to less OG. To end up with less volume of beer is ok, to less gravity sucks. But well, if u think i should leave this empty, i will do that :peace:
They are just some numbers...

Water pH: 7,4 - 8,0 (from the providers homepage) (provider sounds wrong...water supply works?!)
Using a pH-Meter to measure the mashing pH would be another technical tool and would mean more numbers to handle with...hmmm...
Really enjoying seeing all your mechanical wizardry though :peace:.
Nothing wizardry about that...but thanks :)
Last edited by Aries on 25 Jul 2013, 01:15, edited 2 times in total.

Post #19 made 9 years ago
by blitz
Hi,
after reading here and there bad stories about recirculating wort with a pump in a ebiab system, i would try to add a stirrer like yours, do you think, after all this time, is working right?

My system is 100% complete, but i have a basic controller for elements and manually stir during temp ramps to avoid caramelization.

Now i'm going to automate it with a free project build around a raspberry pi, pid like controller, and this stirrer could make my life easier.


Thanks for your input

Adriano
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Automated eBIAB System

Post #22 made 9 years ago
by aamcle
My current Biab rig recirculates and holding temperature does not seem to be an issue. I use a probe at the mash return point and another for information in the grain. Once steady state has been reached they are within 1°C of each other.
That's good enough for me.

Image


Atb. Aamcle
Last edited by aamcle on 12 Feb 2015, 09:00, edited 2 times in total.
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Post #23 made 9 years ago
by blitz
Hi guys,
thanks for the inputs, read a lot and would give a try to mash stirrer!
Finalizing my 2.0 setup, i'll post everything when i'm done.

Cheers
Adriano
    • SVA Brewer With Over 20 Brews From Italy

Post #24 made 9 years ago
by Aries
Was a little busy building a hopefully better version. The system shown before did work, but it was to complicated, especially the cage to hold the bag and cleaning the stirrer.
I tested this build on a little 20L kettle while running my bigger non-BIAB system for a while. I was satisfied with this system, but couldnt do 10L brews with more than about SG 1.060. So i built this, where i can do normal strength 20L batches as well as 10L special batches, like experimental stuff and stronger beers.

Not sure if it should be called BIAB anymore. Its more like a DIY version of the Grainfather. Was always fascinated by the Speidel Braumeister.

Main idea is a recirculation of the wort used in the mash, then pull the kettle with the grains and sparge.
The main kettle is about 30L like before, the grain holding kettle is 20L. Next to do is a better system to hold the 20L kettle at mashout. Working fine so far.

Sometimes i think, how easy it could be, if i were just happy with the normal BIAB system... :blush:
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Post #25 made 9 years ago
by thughes
Aries wrote:Sometimes i think, how easy it could be, if i were just happy with the normal BIAB system... :blush:
You'll get back to there eventually, trust me.

---Todd
Last edited by thughes on 31 Jul 2015, 03:57, edited 2 times in total.
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