Jaybird

Vendor Ads 

Recipes 

Man I love my electric HLT talk about a no brainer on brew days.
JJ

Grimsawyer

Recipes 

I've been thinking of converting a keg with a few heating elements and a ranco controller..... so much easier than playing with the tiny flame of a turkey fryer on a windy day... haha!!!

__________________
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. They wake up in the morning and that's as good as they're going to feel all day." -Dean Martin

MrFebtober

Recipes 

I don't know too much about Ranco controllers but since I usually see them used in cooling applications they might be limited to On/OFF control. If going with an electric heat HLT, I'd get a controller capable of PID control, or at least proportional control. Unlike refrigeration compressors, electric heating elements don't mind being pulsed on and off frequently, and PID control is a heck of an improvement over on/off for temp control (but you'd end up burning up a compressor pretty quickly if you used it for a fridge!). They're a bit pricier, but I was able to pick up a couple omega MicroMega conrollers on ebay for $40 a couple weeks back. (Only one works, but still I got one that does and they retail for $200+ new, so still a win!)

Kladue, I bow to your amazingly sophisticated rig. Very nice. Truly an inspiration, though I don't think i'll ever desire quite that much automation.

Bobby_M

Recipes 

I think the more complicated your plumbing gets, the easier it is to screw up. I don't like the idea of having to memorize a matrix of ball valve positions for each step in the brew process. I plan on a single tier, single pump system but I plan to use quick disconnects instead of hard plumbed manifolds.

__________________
BrewHardware.com
Sightglass, Refractometer, Ball Valve, Weldless bulkhead, Thermometer, Decals, Stainless Steel Fittings, Compression Fittings, Camlock Quick Disconnects, Scale, RIMS tube, Plate Chiller, Chugger Pump, Super Clear Silicone Tubing, and more!

Personal Website, All Grain Primer, Keg Polishing, etc... | Youtube Channel

kladue

Recipes 

The brewery design that was posted is the current manually controlled system that is in use. For me the automation hardware is simple but the software is going to be a challenge. SWMBO has used the manual system to create competition entries and taken 1st for a scottish strong ale.