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Post #2 made 14 years ago
by wizard78
Nice work there gunner, it's great to see even with a more complex system it is still more simple than 3v, and more compact.
Well done.
[center]"All right, brain. You don't like me and I don't like you, but let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer."
[/center]
[center]Homer Simpson[/center]
[center]K.I.S.S., B.I.A.B.[/center]

Post #4 made 14 years ago
by hashie
Why exactly gunner!

Great set up, I wonder if you can post more pics? I'm trying to see how you recirc. And wondering where the black hose goes to/comes from?

I can also only see 1 pump, but you have 2 pump controllers.
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."

Post #5 made 14 years ago
by gunner65
The black hose you see is for the counter flow chiller I made the hose going off the scene is the output waist water from the outer cooling jacket. I have dual pump control for future upgrades (probably not gonna happen). Those switches are nothing fancy just 120VAC to standard wall outlets on the side of the box. So I have one set of wall outlets split Pump 1 and Pump 2 the other set are the Aux so I can plug in my laptop, radio, etc. The recirculation is simple the liquor goes out the spout through the pump and then into the top of the mash it returns. I am actualy mashing a wit clone at the moment are there any particular views you wish to see? Here is a link to the counter flow chiller I built. I cannot take a lot of credit for being inventive as there are tons of electric brewing pioneers on HBT.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index. ... ow_Chiller
Last edited by gunner65 on 27 Feb 2011, 09:14, edited 1 time in total.

Post #6 made 14 years ago
by hashie
Nice work on the counter flow chiller, very professional.

I'd like to see a pic of the liquor recirculating for the mash if it's possible.

Thanks
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."

Post #9 made 14 years ago
by hashie
Thanks gunner, that makes things a lot clearer.

I had originally mistaken your temp probe for an outlet and thought you would recir via that.

I need to look closer at images :)
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."

Post #10 made 14 years ago
by shibolet
what is the point of pumping the wort out and than recurculating it back in?
is for more uniform mashing of the grains?
Cube:
fermenter: Sourdough Spelt Ale, Classic Lambic, Oud Brune, Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel
Kegs: Bob's Black IPA, Blanc Blond, Soda...
to be brewed:

Post #11 made 14 years ago
by mcgrec
Hey Mate,
Very noice.
Thanks for posting this thread it is almost excactly the system I'm piecing together at the moment, using 3.6kw element wired to temp control thermo. How does the 5.5kw element go? is it too much. Do you have a false bottom to keep bag off the element? I love that counter flow chiller it's got me thinking me needs to nock one of them up. Any tips or do's and don'ts you would change with your set up.
Cheers mcgrec

Post #12 made 14 years ago
by gunner65
mcgrec wrote:Hey Mate,
Very noice.
Thanks for posting this thread it is almost excactly the system I'm piecing together at the moment, using 3.6kw element wired to temp control thermo. How does the 5.5kw element go? is it too much. Do you have a false bottom to keep bag off the element? I love that counter flow chiller it's got me thinking me needs to nock one of them up. Any tips or do's and don'ts you would change with your set up.
Cheers mcgrec

The 5500w element is great! It brings the water from 45f to 150f in about 15-20 minutes going from mash to boil is about 10 minutes or less. Having more power does not hurt a thing you can always turn it down. At boil I have the PID set at 65 percent for a nice rolling boil. The element is ultra low watt density so no part of it gets hot enough to melt the nylon voile bag or scorch the grain. Higher watt density elements may be a problem I dont know this is the only one I use. When I first started I built a rectangular mesh cage that laid over the element but after research I found it not needed. So I let the bag rest on the element.

As for change I have about 5 batches under my belt with it as a BIAB two as batch sparge and one as HERMS that was a PITA. I have no complaints about any part of it. The only thing that I would ever consider changing is going from the keg to a proper straight side pot 15-20g. I think the keg opening and shape make the bag hard to stir and get out. You have to be careful removing the bag because the wet grain is larger than the opening of the keg. Again only a minor complaint has not hindered the process at all.
Last edited by gunner65 on 27 Feb 2011, 23:22, edited 5 times in total.

Post #13 made 14 years ago
by jmbingham
hey gunner65
love the electric setup! have all the stuff to convert my keggle to eletric (if only i can find the time) going to build the tool box controller that passedpawn built on HBT. Have the same complaint about the opening of my keggle

Post #14 made 14 years ago
by gunner65
Hey I like that idea of using the tool box but being that this is the type of work I do for a living I had a lot of stuff laying around work to make it happen. The box was free as well as several of the internals. Good luck on your build.

Post #17 made 14 years ago
by wilsol03
Thanks for the advice joshua.

I've gone down another road and ordered a compression fitting (5mm) to lock around the probe itself, the other side of the compression fitting has a male 1/4" thread on it which will hopefully form a weld-less bulkhead type fitting if I add a 1/4" nut onto it and an O-ring to seal against the side wall of the brew pot.

I'll report back when the bits arrive.
[center]The Feeler Brewery - actually dirtier than it sounds[/center]

Post #18 made 14 years ago
by Cameron
Hi gunner65,

I have a question about recirculating BIAB systems in general. Does recirculation assist in wort clarity and lessening trub in the kettle? I have wondered whether the lifting of the grain bag out of the wort would just cancel out any filtration that has occurred through the grain bed...

The setup looks great. Cheers.

Post #19 made 14 years ago
by wilsol03
I've read from other's experiences that it does help but only if you don't squeeze the bag after you lift it, which I can't resist !
[center]The Feeler Brewery - actually dirtier than it sounds[/center]

Post #20 made 14 years ago
by sean
I'm in the process of converting my 40l urn to recirculating. Have PID and RTD probe, march pump etc. I will need a false bottom to protect bag.

Do you get stuck sparges ? Do you have to stir the grain to prevent this from happening ?
Do you have any fittings on the end of the return hose to help stir up the grain ?

cheers

Post #22 made 14 years ago
by wilsol03
Yeah too true... I still haven't got around to wiring things up.. but for starters I'll just be using the PID as a thermometer and to get the mash water to strike temperature so I don't have check it with the hand thermometer. No pump as of yet as I don't have a power supply for it. I definitely don't want to spend too much extra time cleaning if the beer is going to be the same quality and consistency.
[center]The Feeler Brewery - actually dirtier than it sounds[/center]

Post #23 made 14 years ago
by gunner65
Sorry I have not been here in a while. Still no complaints about this system just some minor nit-picky things. The recirculation has nothing to do with clarity and everything to do with temperature control. Basically I am circulating the mash liquid from the bottom to the top that is all. The same thing could easily be accomplished with a large spoon or paddle but my colling system already incorporates the pump so why not.
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