wildwest450

Recipes 

How is a stagnant gel pack going to control fermentation temps? Fine but not necessary for a kegerator, but simply not the best option for a fermenter.


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The_Dog_42

Recipes 

The gel pack can control ambient temps, so it controls fermentation over multiple vessels. There are lots of ideas on how to handle it with a single vessel, but when dealing with multiple vessels, I like the idea of monitoring semi-ambient conditions. The gel pack provides a little slower response, so opening the door doesn't automatically make the compressor come on but it will respond to the heat dumped into the fridge by the fermentation cycles of all your vessels. Control the ambient and the vessels will follow. It'd be interesting to have a data logger monitor the temp of a vessel using this method, but I don't have the setup to do a comparison.


Oh and Maxout...PROST!

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My Keg-O-Vision (Kegerator) Build

My Butcherblock-esque Fermentation Chamber

MaxOut

Recipes 

Thank you, I like the gel idea. I was going to use the data logging feature on the BCS and place a probe in each vessel and one in ambient. I have three separate fermentations going on in there now and getting ready to be four today. Ive been watching the strips on the buckets nut they seem to all be the same? Problem is I do not have a hole for the probe in existing fermenting vessel's and don't dare try to mod the lid in the middle of a fermentation. I will start with the new batch that will go in today and see what happens.

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MaxOut Brew Station on HBT

MaxOut Brew Station on AHA

pola0502ds

Recipes 

Can you tell us where you got the color coded rings for your hoses and a where you got the burner ignitors?

Tarheel4985

Recipes 

What insulation did you use on the temperature sensor cables? It looks like mesh/fiberglass but I'm curious where you sourced it. We are having some heat issues with our sensors and other wiring, so I'm looking for something to protect it from the heat.

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• Primary 1:
• Primary 2:
• Secondary 1:
• Secondary 2:
• Bottled:
• Kegged 1: American Amber
• Kegged 2: Arrogant Bastard Clone
• Kegged 3: Apfelwein
• Kegged 4: Coffee Porter

android

Recipes 

well... go big or go home, right? very rad build and setup there my friend!

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kegged: Blonde, Maibock, Schwarzbier, Oak Aged Dark Belgian

ebay temp controller | thermostat temp controller

MaxOut

Recipes 

I bought the braided wire sleeve on eBay -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-4-BRAIDED-EXPANDABLE-WIRE-SLEEVING-100-ft-wh-b-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem359ff3639eQQitemZ23031 6794782QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo#ht_500wt_722

To be honest I would look around for actual fiberglass sleeve as this is flame retardant at best. If you are looking for good heat insulation they sell the fiberglass stuff in a tape that you can just wrap around the wires. I've used in on exhaust headers and is probably a better solution if you have serious heat. This stuff I used looks good and adds a little flame retardant but not suitable for extreme heat shielding. The link is to the stuff I used and will get you in the ball park as they offer a million types.

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MaxOut Brew Station on HBT

MaxOut Brew Station on AHA

pola0502ds

Recipes 

This is the high temp fabric I used to wrap my wires that were going to be around my burners. I put cheap electric ignitors on my burners and used this fabric to cover it. The fabric is right next to the flame and my burners put out some flame! This fabric works great and it comes in all different sizes and lengths.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-4-HIGH-TEMP-SLEEVING-INSULTHERM-1200-deg-F-10-feet-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem53dfa542baQQitemZ36023 4435258QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo

MaxOut

Recipes 

The rings on the hoses are just colored zip ties. The igniters I got from a local HVAC supply company, I can give you their name and number if you like. They were the Honeywell Q3450 Intermittent Hot Surface Ignition With pilot. I couldn't find a "deal" on the igniters I think they were around $70.00 each. Work really well and light every time no matter what.

Vance71975

Recipes 

DUDE that is freaking amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The mind is like a beer, it does the most good when it is opened.