My New HERMS Setup

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 08:56 PM

***EDIT - 9/06/08 - My system has been upgraded to v2.0. Click here to jump to it!***

***Edit - 7/26/08 - New Photos of the system start at post #41. Click here to jump to it!***

I've finally about got my new setup in place... Here are some photos as it is now:

The stand is made out of pressure treated 2x4s which are staggered and doubled up basically making them into 4x4s. My HLT is powered with a 220v 3500w hot water heater element.

Here is a close up my control panel. I decided to just wire the controllers up to outlets instead of hard wiring anything. The top left controller is 110v for the boil kettle; middle is 110v for the mash tun; and the right is 220v for the HLT. The top left outlet is toggled by the controller for the boil kettle; the top right outlet is toggled by the controller for the mash tun. The bottom left outlet is always hot. The bottom right outlet is for the heating element in the HLT.

Close up of the pump:

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 08:58 PM

HERMS coil inside the HLT, heating element, and the thermowell:

False bottom in the mash tun:

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 09:01 PM

My plan is to use the HLT and HERMS coil as the wort chiller. I'll fill with cold water, add some ice, and then turn the pump on until it chills.

ohiobrewtus · 09-21-2007, 09:05 PM

I think that most of us had beer envy already with the walk-in cooler, and now this?

Great setup, man!

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 09:19 PM

Here is a photo with everything packed away. I'll probably put a sheet of plywood on the bottom to make it a solid shelf.

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohiobrewtus

I think that most of us had beer envy already with the walk-in cooler, and now this?

Great setup, man!

Thanks much... I had been debating the stand for too long and just decided this was really all I needed. I never worked with metal or welded, so I went with wood. Turned out VERY sturdy.

**the_bird** · 09-21-2007, 09:28 PM

So, have you taken this out for a spin yet?

ohiobrewtus · 09-21-2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Beere

Thanks much... I had been debating the stand for too long and just decided this was really all I needed. I never worked with metal or welded, so I went with wood. Turned out VERY sturdy.

You've given me some inspiration, as I've never welded before either, but I've been dabbling in carpentry for a number of years now. I'm going to have to give this a try soon.

**John Beere** · 09-21-2007, 09:33 PM

No, just got the control panel assembled last night... build a sparge arm tomorrow... hopefully give her a good breaking in next weekend. ;-)

**John Beere** · 09-22-2007, 12:10 AM

So does anyone have any plans or examples of an adjustable height sparge ring? Preferably out of copper?