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Measuring water volme in your boiler?

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by Lars
Hi, I recently purchased a 40l buffalo. How do you people measure liquid volume in your boilers? My local hardwares don't seem to have a stainless steel ruler long enough. I have a crappy plastic mash spoon but I'm reluctant to scratch marks onto it as a measuring stick because I reckon it'd be a hiding place for bacteria. I considered buying a piece of oak in a local but it's probably virtually impossible to get untreated timber.

Thanks

L

[MODNOTE: After this thread was started, The BIABacus was pre-released and it has a section V which allows you to use a metal ruler to measure either depth or headspace in any kettle to work out your volumes.]
Last edited by Lars on 21 Jan 2012, 16:40, edited 3 times in total.

Post #2 made 13 years ago
by joshua
Good Day Lars, I use a Homemade thin narrow Aluminum bar marked in Liters. I filled my kettle 1 liter at a time and scored the bar. Aluminum cleans up very nicely.
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Post #4 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
Another way around this Lars might be to measure down rather than measure depth. In other words, you measure from the top of your kettle down to the top of your wort and make the appropriate calculations.

Stux works via this 'headspace' method and it might work for you as well seeing as the main measurements we take are pre-boil. It definitely means you can get away with a shorter ruler :P.
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Post #5 made 13 years ago
by 2trout
Lars

Another reason to consider the measuring down from the rim of the pot is that its very difficult to get your head down inside the pot to get an accurate reading. :lol:

Seriously though, I made an aluminum measuring stick in the manner that Joshua made by adding water to my pot by the carefully measured gallon and scored the aluminum bar deeply with the use of a T-square and scratch awl. The 1 gallon marks are scribed all the way across the bar. I added marks for 1/2 and 1/4 gallons as well. 1/2 G scribes are about 1/2 way across the bar and 1/4 G scribes are about 1/4 of the way across the bar. I then marked over each scribe with a solvent based permanent marker. I think measuring down from the rim does make it easier.
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Post #8 made 13 years ago
by Lars
2trout wrote:I then marked over each scribe with a solvent based permanent marker
Hi there 2trout, is that like a Sharpie? I would have imagined itd end up coming off in the boil from use? how does it wear?

Thanks

L
Last edited by Lars on 22 Jan 2012, 06:53, edited 3 times in total.

Post #10 made 13 years ago
by Lars
Ziggybrew wrote:Is a hiding place for bacteria even an issue with your boil kettle? It's all hot-side right? Check this out. It will stand by itself and the graduated marks can easily be put in the handle of this nifty "mash paddle": http://therestaurantstore.com/24-Square" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 71623.html just an idea
Yeah, I know what you mean but I still have a 'thing' about deliberately creating scratches in my mash paddle. The restaurant store appears to be US only, but I should be able to find a potato masher where I'm from :lol:

Thanks

L
Last edited by Lars on 22 Jan 2012, 11:23, edited 3 times in total.

Post #11 made 13 years ago
by stux
As PP said, I just use a 30cm stainless ruler to measure down from the rim of my pot to the water level.

If you check out the maxi-biab calculator, it functions this way and will do the math for you after you enter your kettle diameter and depth.

Just because its a maxi-biab calculator, doesn't mean you have to do a maxi-biab ;)

All i do is wash my ruler before the End of Boil measurement and throw it in a bucket of starsan. Then when I cut the heat and take the EOB measurement, I don't have to worry about introducing anything into the wort.
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Post #14 made 11 years ago
by gmhowell
Apologies for the thread necro, but I was think rather than scratching and other sorts of marks, why not drill a hole periodically? I plan on pouring in a half gallon, noting where it falls on a length of aluminum scrap, then drill a hole. Add another half gallon, add another hole.

A clean hole seems like it will be less likely to invite sanitation problems, even if done in plastic rather than aluminum. Second, measuring should be easy. If the holes are not too large, the wort should fill the hole corresponding to your volume. Additional holes can be drilled in ranges where you anticipate needing extra precision. Looking where the wort lies removes the problem of sticking your head into your brewing vessel.
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Post #15 made 11 years ago
by Lars
Sanitation isnt much if a worry in the BK. I still just measure down from the top and calculate volume, but I was just too lazy to do anything else

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Post #16 made 11 years ago
by PistolPatch
gmhowell wrote:I plan on pouring in a half gallon, noting where it falls on a length of aluminum scrap, then drill a hole. Add another half gallon, add another hole.
Welcome to the forum gm :salute:,

Clever thinking on the holes but holed on. (Couldn't help myself sorry :roll:.)

For recipes etc, we've designed The BIABacus and within that, you can use a metal ruler to measure either the depth or headspace in a vessel (even kegs) to tell you your volumes. This tends to be more accurate than a marked dipstick as many jugs etc aren.t marked accurately believe it or not. Having the choice of both headspace and depth to measure is also quite useful as whatever you do, dipsticks can be hard to read in the steamy boil environment let alone when levels are low.

:peace:
PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 17 Mar 2014, 15:46, edited 3 times in total.
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Post #17 made 11 years ago
by gmhowell
I think something may have been lost in translation. What I'm trying to suggest is a twist on a ruler reading. Heck, you could add the holes to a metal ruler. My concern is also making a reading in a steamy environment. Wouldn't one need to read the numbers while a metal ruler is submerged and in the environment? Removing the ruler from the wort to read would result in the wort running off of the ruler, making a reading more difficult.

Now that I think of it, measuring from the top may be the easiest, but that makes it harder to justify using a drill press. :think:
Last edited by gmhowell on 17 Mar 2014, 16:37, edited 3 times in total.
-George
"I ride for the same reason dogs stick their heads out of car windows."

Post #18 made 11 years ago
by PistolPatch
gmhowell wrote:...but that makes it harder to justify using a drill press. :think:
:)

Let me try that again gm :P,

First point, use the BIABacus to work out graduations rather than pouring gallons into a kettle. If you do use gallons, make sure you weigh the water first. Many dodgy jugs out there. I have heaps!

Second point (which you are onto now) is measuring from the top can sometimes be easier. You can't do that with a single dipstick with holes. You'd need one to do depth and one for headspace or you use a ruler.

Third point and what I liked about your post was the hole idea but I don't think it will work for two reasons. Firstly wort is very 'watery'. It's not like soapy water so I don't think the wort will 'bubble' in the hole. Secondly, there is a lot of swelling and carrying on when trying to measure ho volumes. They are dodgy readings at best. If the hole by some chance did 'fill', then you wouldn't know if it was when the wort was at it's highest or lowest 'breath'. (That may not make any sense atm if you haven't measured wort in the boil just after turning the flame off.)

I like the thinking behind the hole idea but the metal ruler combined with the BIABacus adjustments is actually really easy and very practical on brew day. The BIABacus tells you to fill your kettle with so many inches of water and that's what you do. No problems reading the ruler.

The hot measures such as Volume into Boil and Volume at Flame-Out are just check-measures of other more easily measured volumes.

Really, the only important measurement requiring a dipstick is the water needed for the mash. All other volume measurements are either checks or can be taken using easier methods. In fact, in the next BIABacus,you'll be seeing this on the second sheet...
BIABacus Weight to Volume .JPG
In the above pic, the brewer has used scales to weigh the vessels to get the required volumes. (Bathroom scales can be used for example although you may have to make a little stand so as you can read the display).

See the gas bottle on the far right? Cool eh?

:peace:
PP
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Last edited by PistolPatch on 17 Mar 2014, 17:07, edited 3 times in total.
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Post #21 made 11 years ago
by Yettiman
I bought a SS ruler off eBay for less than a tenner, has worked out great.

Might save you all the effort of marking and calibrating your own, just a thought.
Last edited by Yettiman on 26 Mar 2014, 07:10, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #23 made 11 years ago
by Rick
Lars wrote:
Rick wrote:
Lars wrote:http://hackaday.com/2014/03/09/fetching ... ess-steel/

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I saw this on Reddit not too long ago, pretty cool. Of course, it's useless unless the pot is level.
If the pot is off level, the ruler is also useless, as is every method except weighing

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No it isn't, measurements taken at the center of the pot will be pretty accurate. The farther away from center, the more off the measurement will be if the pot is not level. The center will remain about the same.
Last edited by Rick on 19 Mar 2014, 06:17, edited 3 times in total.
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Post #24 made 11 years ago
by gmhowell
pp,

Been playing around with BIABacus a bit and for some reason missed that it indicates how many inches to use and/or expect. (Probably because I'm doing it at work with only half an eye on it.)

The viscosity of the wort was/is a concern with what I was thinking of doing as well.

In any event, I think I see what your concerns are now.

Still going to play with the drill press though...
-George
"I ride for the same reason dogs stick their heads out of car windows."

Post #25 made 11 years ago
by nosco
Ive used a 1m steel ruler that I got from a cheap shop for $5. I found that steam actually helps to leave a mark on the ruler that you can read off. You can use the BIABicus to get your volumes or I have found that the equation, pi x r x r x cm works pretty good if anyone is interested.
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