Lazy Automated Brew System (LABS)

**Bixter1** · 11-07-2010, 03:16 PM

I learned a bunch from my old system and am now redesigning it. What do you all think?

**Red Clay** · 11-08-2010, 11:51 AM

Very nice! Have you thought about using your HLT in a ditches arrangement to cool your wort during the pump to fermentation? I know where I live the summertime water temp is way too warm to get to pitch temps.

What is the "bubbler"? Some of my friends from Wisconsin would try to drink from that, thinking it was a water fountain that dispensed beer!

**Bixter1** · 11-08-2010, 12:02 PM

Im outside of philly and get really cold water. Im actually going to change the BK coil for a chiller plate so I could always dunk that in ice water if need be. I want to keep cleanup down. I also hate coils in my kettles. The BK one just gets so messy. The HLT will be fine since the outside is water only. The system is all uC controlled and the bubbler is used to measure the volume of water in the kettles. I should change the name of that! This is actually V2 of my original system.

**Bixter1** · 11-14-2010, 11:40 AM

This worked great. I needed to add 2 checkvalves and I removed the BK coil for a plate chiller. Much cleaner and very fast cool down.

My code is working great as well. I keep adding more automation to everything. I do like to do a 2 or 3 temperature infusion mash which I will program in next.

**Thirteen** · 11-14-2010, 02:33 PM

How do you plan on sanitizing pipes 11 & 12 along with the 3-way enroute to the fermenter?

**Bixter1** · 11-14-2010, 02:38 PM

Before I brew I run water heated to 180 with iodine through the whole system then out of those pipes. Pipes is misleasding they are high temp silicone tubing. I also leave the output to the fermenter in the BK during the boil. And during the mash I will have water in the BK at a high temp with tubing and parts that I use during the brew cycle . Thats actually a length of tubing with a quick disconnect so I can hook it up to a filter bag so I can get the gunk out after the boil (and steeping if needed), it can also be hooked up to the plate chiller or to another length to go to the fermenter.

After my brew I run PBW @ 180 through the system and then wash with 180 degree water.

klyph · 11-29-2010, 05:09 PM

Any pictures of the actual system? These automated systems intrigue me.

**Bixter1** · 11-29-2010, 05:10 PM

Ill post some soon. It's a nice compact system.

Sawdustguy · 11-29-2010, 05:25 PM

Why do you have a volume sensor in the mash tun? I don't think it will work well in the mash tun. What controller are you using?

**Bixter1** · 11-29-2010, 05:29 PM

I use it mostly for measuring and when there is no grain in there. It was like $5-$10 to add it in. I also use it to shut my pumps off when the MLT is empty. The sensor works fine for that since there is a false bottom.

Im using a .netmf C# uC from Fez/GHI.