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Pintodave · 06-29-2009, 04:35 AM

Figured I'd just start a thread on the build... can document the trials and tribulations as I go!

What I am shooting for:
All electric HERMs setup using a brew-troller

I've actually been able to spend some time on it the past week. So far so good.

Basic stand is complete. Made the controls able to swing 270 deg. Need to fab the panel box so I can finish the mount and I need to order pumps so I can fab up some brackets and get to work on the plumbing...

JohnnyKim · 06-29-2009, 08:20 AM

looks good. whats the thickness on the metal? 1/8" or 1/16?

Pintodave · 06-30-2009, 03:38 AM

The tube is 1 1/2" sq, .078 wall (14 gauge). I used 1/4" for the plates for the controls bracket... I used 1" square on the tubes that support the keggles.

**Bobby_M** · 06-30-2009, 04:17 AM

That sizing has great proportion and is obviously strong enough.

Pintodave · 07-01-2009, 05:09 PM

Thanks Bobby, that's what my goal was with the stand - something strong but not over kill and something that "looked right". Not that I have any immediate plans to build any more, but if I do I want something that can be "commercial quality".

Time to get bust finishing the keggles too!

JohnnyKim · 07-01-2009, 07:18 PM

do you think 2"x2" @ 1/16" is too thin?

**eccsynd** · 07-01-2009, 08:05 PM

I like that you kept it somewhat low profile. Some of the stands that I see are just too tall. I think that people try to shoot for a gravity carboy fill from the BK, but if you've made the jump to a single tier, you're going to be using pumps by definition...

IMHO, lower is better, as long as there is room for the pump (and it doesn't get melted).

**pickles** · 07-02-2009, 02:45 AM

what are the dimensions of your rig? I'm in the planning stages of my build. thanks

**pickles** · 07-02-2009, 02:50 AM

how does the electric element perform compared to a good gas burner as far as time required to bring wort to a boil? I was leaning towards gas for boil and electric for hlt/mlt but maybe I should go all electric if performance isn't compramised.

Pintodave · 07-02-2009, 03:22 AM

I think 2x2 .062 wall would be fine. You have to figure the most weight on the stand at any one time wouldnt be more than 10 gal per keggle (plus grains and keggle weight).

I dont know the exact dims off the top of my head, I'll measure the next time I am at "the shop" (my stepdad's garage-mahal where we work on the race cars). I know I left approx 3/4" around the front and sides of the kegs, plus the 1 1/2" tube between them, plus 1 1/2" end tubes on the frame. So the length stacks up as: keg diameter + 1.5 (x3), + 6.0 (1.5 tube x 4) so it should be around 60"-ish, the width should be 20"-ish. The kegs also sit inside the frame 1/2" (1 1/2" frame tube, kegs sit on 1" tube that is flush with bottom of frame tube), I did that for safety. I dont foresee a keggle with 10 gal of fluid getting "bumped" off the frame, but I felt better with it having a lip of some sorts to contain the keggle. I made the working height so I could barely reach the bottom of the keggle, I think that worked out to right around 24-25" from the ground to the bottom of the keggle.

As far as the elec vs. gas thing, I was going to do all gas, then do a hybrid, then after doing ALOT of research on here, I am pretty confident I can go all elec. and be able to "fine tune" thesystem more to my liking. The only thing I am undecided about is the heat exchanger - I want to use the HLT, but I may end up using a dedicated vessle... if I do I'll try to build some cool mount that folds down easily for storage purposes. Havent got that far yet