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korndog · 05-14-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

You must be talking about me Korndog ;-) I feel like I've been an efficiency nazi or something lately but it's only because I find enjoyment in maximizing efficiency. It's like a game. I look at the brutus 20 concept as a quasi-no-sparge. A year ago, I might say that getting 60% efficiency is fine and dandy but when you look at today's malt prices, even in bulk... it's just not good enough. On a mid gravity 10 gallon batch, I use about 21lbs of malt @ 90% efficiency. Getting 60% instead would require about 7 pounds more malt. OK, it's not the end of the world, you're right.

I do like the smaller footprint. If it were a feature I really needed, I'd probably go with an 4500watt element based instant hot water system instead of an HLT.

Lol Bobby - I totally understand that it's part of the fun and certainly a challenge to gain a few points here and there. I just think there might be a whole lot of guys (like me) who would enjoy brewing this way.

Tivia: How many batches does it take to pay for third kettle, sparging rig, and PH meter?

KD

jcdillin · 12-22-2008, 01:07 PM

Sorry to dig up an old thread, how were you planning on attaching the heat exchanger to the MLT?

**CodeRage** · 06-23-2009, 03:03 AM

So, life has been a bit busy... With the new addition to the family, school, and work I've had little time to devote to brewing and the rig. For Father's day SWMBO asked, "what do you need to finish the brewery?" Uhh... not much.... How about you finish that and we get started finishing the man cave. Sweet!

So, I pulled out the welder tonight and got back to work. Got most of the control panel from put together and rand out of wire. Oh well, I am motivated and ready to get it running.

Jcdillin: Only 6 months late but, the heat exchanger is plumbed between the false bottom pick up and the intake of the march pump.

I have a goal, and that is to have water circulating through the thing this weekend.

**CodeRage** · 06-29-2009, 10:31 PM

Saturday was brew rig day.
The control panel structure is finished. I borrowed the idea of a collapsing control panel from some one on here. The name escapes me but, who ever you are thank you for the inspiration

Built a small structure to raise the MLT heat exchanger above the march pump.
I made a new sparge ring and it turned out much better than I expected. Finished up the last few bits of plumbing and cleaned it up some.
Recirculating the mash tun was a success. The heat exchanger worked well and got the water nice and hot.
Need to fix some leaks in the boil kettle....

Ill post some pics later tonight.

**CodeRage** · 06-30-2009, 05:31 AM

I see this has crested 5k reads, so some one must be reading it...

Fixed the leaks enough to test the thing. Funny thing is I went back to my original bulk head design and had zero issues.

As promised here are some pics of it cross circulating with both elements on. I ran the elements at 110V so there output was 1/4 of their rating. Still managed to get things nice and hot.

I believe I will replace the breaker for the range with a 50 amp GFCI and then bounce a 240v drop into the back room and set it up for an indoor brewery. Curious to hear what SWMBO thinks about it.

With control panel extended.

Under the skirt

Boil Kettle

MLT

Time to polish up the plumbing, clean up and paint the rig, and wait for my PIDs

FailureDrill · 07-01-2009, 03:51 PM

With a hard plumbed rig like this, how difficult will it to clean after brewing? Can you remove the kettles from there?

missing link · 07-01-2009, 04:04 PM

His kettles come apart with unions. Just a turn of a wrench and the kettles pop free.

Linc

Boerderij_Kabouter · 07-01-2009, 04:10 PM

Looks great! Why did you place the RIMS before the pump (i.e., on the suction side)? Has this given you any issues?

**CodeRage** · 07-01-2009, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boerderij_Kabouter

Looks great! Why did you place the RIMS before the pump (i.e., on the suction side)? Has this given you any issues?

Thanks!
To be honest. I didn't know any better.I figured pushing and pulling wort the heat exchanger didn't make much difference. The main reason I did it is so there would be no restriction by the pump to prohibit the heat exchanger from filling. Perhaps just being over paranoid of dry firing it. That and for some strange reason I am OCD about symmetry. So cumulatively, thats how I ended up with final design.

Havent had any problems as of yet. When ever I have had a priming issue I just open the dump valve for a second and all is good.

FailureDrill · 07-01-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missing link

His kettles come apart with unions. Just a turn of a wrench and the kettles pop free.

Linc

Ahh, thanks.