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strongarm · 11-21-2012, 04:49 AM

Just built my stir plate. I can get a swirl going in a mason jar but when I put my 2l flask on it the stir bar just rattles and flings to the side. I'm using magnets placed in the center of the fan from a hard drive. Controller thing for the speed and 3/4" or 1" stir bar with no bump in the middle. Any suggestions? 4 hours messing with this thing and I'm about to go just buy one.

brew2enjoy · 11-21-2012, 12:07 PM

If you hold the flask about an inch above the plate surface and turn it on does it work? Sometimes it takes a little tinkering to get it dialed in just right. Mine was doing something similar> I had to raise it up off the surface slightly and it worked

strongarm · 11-21-2012, 03:30 PM

I tried all the way from touching the magnet to being 3-4 inches away. No luck. I have to position the stir bar in the center of the flask to get the magnet to even attract it then it rattles and flings to the side.

**BBL_Brewer** · 11-21-2012, 03:42 PM

Sounds to me like you may be running the the fan at too high of a speed. Try starting at full power so the fan starts and then quickly (like at the same time you turn it on) dial it down to half power. That's what I have to do with mine or it will immediately throw the stir bar.

**tre9er** · 11-21-2012, 03:57 PM

Yeah, run it as slow as possible. Mine throws at any higher speeds but will run for 24 hours no problem on lowest setting. You don't need a full vortex, just to keep the yeast from settling to the bottom.

I put some dip-tube o-rings on either side of my stir-bar and it spins much better now. Of course mine has a fulcrum in the center, using a 1.5" stir-bar.

brew2enjoy · 11-21-2012, 05:47 PM

Check to make sure you have the magnets on the fan facing the right direction too.