My consolidated Brutus 20 questions

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Keith_Mahoney

Keith_Mahoney

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I am in the process of putting together a counter top Brutus 20 in the next couple of days. I have purchased almost everything I will need for the build now just one more trip to Lowes and I should be good to go. I just wanted to open up a thread to place all my random questions as they pop up. I just have one at the moment.

Can someone please tell me what size pvc cap to get for the heating element?
 
Thanks.
I put some work in on it today. Installed three weld-less fittings in the brew pot today, 2 with valves and one for the sight gauge/RTD probe. I'll get some pics tomorrow.
 
Alright here are some pics as promised. It's basically a clone of JKarps build only I changed a few things around and was not able to hit his $500 budget by a long shot. Probably due to going all stainless, false bottom and unsing QD's on this build.

5067-counter-top-brutus-20.jpg


5068-pump-cfc.jpg


5069-boil-pot-hlt.jpg


You can see some of the changes I made to the original design. I have my CFC output at the bottom so that I can drain more of liquid out of it. I also added an extra valve to the brew pot with a whirl pool attachment on it to try and get a cone going so I can draw off more clean wort and less break material.
I bought the center inlet pump which after bolting the pump to the bottom of the bucket makes for a nice firm securing point for the QDs.
 
I went to Lowes, HD and ACE and no one had 2000 watt heating elements so I need to order one off the net. Does anyone remember a link that was posted to Low density 2000 watt element?
 
Here are some shots of my control box. Only thing left now is to find a 2000 watt heating element and install it.

5075-heat-sink.jpg


5074-cord-storage.jpg


5073-control-box-front.jpg


No shots of the inside since I did not use proper wire colors I do not want anyone to try and copy what I did.
 
Keith_Mahoney said:
Damn too late. I just spent 49 something including shipping at the other store but I will save this webpage for future reference.
Click to expand...
So sorry. I messed up as I knew about the other place but couldn't think of it at the moment when I first posted. Maybe call them in the morning and cancel???

Now I feel really bad. What sparked my memory was when you said "It's a little pricey " As soon as I saw that I found the other source.

Damn...
 
Jester said:
I have been looking for the same type of element. Is this not what you would want to use?

http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-W...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
Click to expand...

That will work but it isn't what I want. That element is HWD meaning it gets extremely hot very quick and may lead to scorching. The one PJ posted is LWD and will not scorch your wort as it spreads the heat load over a much larger surface area. This is why I am will to spend 4x the money for it.

It is generally excepted that LWD elements are better than HWD elements you just have to decide if it is worth the extreme increase in price for you.
 
P-J said:
So sorry. I messed up as I knew about the other place but couldn't think of it at the moment when I first posted. Maybe call them in the morning and cancel???

Now I feel really bad. What sparked my memory was when you said "It's a little pricey " As soon as I saw that I found the other source.

Damn...
Click to expand...

Don't worry about it. My mind remembered "Chicago Plumbing" instead of "Boston Plumbing" and I spent a couple of hours looking for that element yesterday. If I had not been in such a rush I would have saved myself $16 but I got what I wanted and now my build will be complete.

It's funny Jkarp said his build was around $500 but mine is probably double that. Especially when you factor in the price premium of buying things in, or shipping things to Hawaii.
 
I believe that CAMCO 120V element is Zinc plated which eventually starts to flake off if used in the boil kettle. The Rheem stainless steel elements are far superior.
 
orangehero said:
I believe that CAMCO 120V element is Zinc plated which eventually starts to flake off if used in the boil kettle. The Rheem stainless steel elements are far superior.
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct. The Rheem element is also an Incology SS element that can be dry fired.

Thanks.

P-J
 
orangehero said:
I believe that CAMCO 120V element is Zinc plated which eventually starts to flake off if used in the boil kettle. The Rheem stainless steel elements are far superior.
Click to expand...

And the Rheem copper elements blow everything away. Mine is approaching 2 years old now and looks just as good as the day I installed it.

http://www.famousparts.com/rescopheatel.html
 
Keith_Mahoney said:
Alright here are some pics as promised. It's basically a clone of JKarps build only I changed a few things around and was not able to hit his $500 budget by a long shot. Probably due to going all stainless, false bottom and unsing QD's on this build.
Click to expand...

Great looking build Keith!

I especially like how you moved the CFC outlet down low. You're right, the little things like QDs & stainless bits add up quick! Fortunately they last forever.
 
jkarp said:
Great looking build Keith!

I especially like how you moved the CFC outlet down low. You're right, the little things like QDs & stainless bits add up quick! Fortunately they last forever.
Click to expand...

I very big thanks to you. I never could have accomplished it without you paving the way.
3 gallons is the perfect batch size for me since we never have people over I usually never kill a keg and end up dumping out the last couple of gallons to make room for a new beer. I already have 5 kegs and don't plan on getting any more.
 
Finally brewed on this yesterday and made some real stupid mistakes I will post here so that maybe someone else can avoid them in the future.

Normally when prepping the mash tun I would put my strike water in an empty cooler about 10 degrees hotter than I need it to be and let it come down in temp before adding my grain. I never have a problem hitting my temps this way but for some reason I totally jacked up my process yesterday.

So I needed my strike water to be 166* in order to bring 9# of grain up to 154*. For some reason I set my PID to 166* and then milled my grain and added it to the cooler thinking when the water hits 166, I'll just turn on the pump and transfer 11 quarts over stir it and I should be good.

Wrong!

After doing that my mash temp was 146. So I boiled 2 quarts of water and added it which gave me a mash temp of 152. I should of called it good but I wanted my temp of 154 so I thought "well my water in the pot is 170* now, ready for mash out. I'll just transfer some over to the MT and bring the temp up."
Wrong!
When I turned on the pump I didn't get hot water into the MT I got cool water from the inline CFC pumped into the MT which set my mash temp at 148 so I boiled more water up on the stove and added it which brought my mash temp up to 150 where I finally had to call it good since I had already been monkeying around with the mash for an hour and the MT was pretty mush all filled up at this point.

So the lesson I learned was to heat the strike water and then have the whole system circulating to get it up to the proper temp before doughing in the grain if I ever want to be able to hit my mash temp. Other than that it was a great first brew on the new system.
 
Keith_Mahoney said:
So the lesson I learned was to heat the strike water and then have the whole system circulating to get it up to the proper temp before doughing in the grain if I ever want to be able to hit my mash temp. Other than that it was a great first brew on the new system.
Click to expand...

Exactly! As my strike temp approaches, I recirculate to heat up the MLT and dissolve my brewing salts. Once Temp is reached (I always double-check with a lab thermometer in the MLT), I simply close the MLT valve and keep pumping until my strike volume is reached. Cut the pump, dough in and have a brew.
 
Very nice build. I'm in the process of tinkering with my clone of jkarp's system and this gives me some good ideas. There's nothing wrong with my original build, I've made some AWESOME beer on this system. I just like to change things up every once in awhile and it's time to go bigger.

I've thought of using the LWD elements, but I haven't had any problems with scorching at all with my copper Rheem unit. I'm still on the fence as I'm looking at using 2 in the next build (on separate circuits, of course) and cost may be an issue.

I really like how you've moved the kettle input from the lid to the side for whirlpooling. I'm stealing that one, for sure.
 
AScott said:
I really like how you've moved the kettle input from the lid to the side for whirlpooling. I'm stealing that one, for sure.
Click to expand...

I've been tempted to move to the side for the kettle and MLT several times. I'd love to try the Blichmann AutoSparge so there'd be less babysitting during recirculation, but then I think of all the brews I've done that had full to the brim kettles or mashes and chicken out.

I did add a right angle brass barb to my kettle input tube for whirlpoooling.
 
Finally had my first flawless brew day with this system a couple of days ago. Another problem I ran into earlier when making an RIS with 100 grams of pellet hops was the hops clogging up my dip tube while trying to circulate through the cooler. So I just ended up switching the input and output hoses on kettle but didn't get an efficient whirlpool that way.

Since then I have built a hop spider and yesterday I did an IPA with 119 grams of hops and had no problems with circulation and ended up with a nice cone of break material left in the kettle.
 
orangehero said:
I believe that CAMCO 120V element is Zinc plated which eventually starts to flake off if used in the boil kettle. The Rheem stainless steel elements are far superior.
Click to expand...

I've been using these in my BK for a year. Can't say I've noticed any "flaking" off of the zinc. Can anyone report their experiences?

Time for Mythbusters!:D
 
I love this build, I really want to build one for brewing in the winter but Id much rather do at least 5 gallon batches.

Has anyone tried something similar but with 2 120v 2000 watt elements? On 2 separate 20amp circuits of course.
 
Coff said:
I love this build, I really want to build one for brewing in the winter but Id much rather do at least 5 gallon batches.

Has anyone tried something similar but with 2 120v 2000 watt elements? On 2 separate 20amp circuits of course.
Click to expand...


Yes others have gone that route. Make one element controllable for mashing and just wire the other to a cord to plug in for boiling. You could also just build a heatstick.
 
Keith, do you have any issues with priming the pump? I'm thinking that your orientation of pumping up to the top of the chiller would make priming the pump easier.

jkarp, any thoughts on that?

Also, I currently have a 10 gallon round cooler MLT that I want to use for a system like this, along with a 7 gallon turkey fryer pot, to make 3.5 net gallon batches. I don't think the extra cooler space should be an issue. Any thoughts, anyone?
 
I have no problems priming the pump after I have put at least 2 gallons in to the kettle. That will provide enough pressure to prime the pump and once it's primed it stays that way until the end when the kettle is pretty much fully emptied through it, the CFC and into the fermenter.

I can't help you on the cooler question. Most everything I make is over 1.060 so I never have dealt with an empty cooler. The five gallon only holds about 12# anything needing more I also have a 10 gallon cooler with false bottom as well.
 
HearthstoneBrewery said:
Keith, do you have any issues with priming the pump? I'm thinking that your orientation of pumping up to the top of the chiller would make priming the pump easier.

jkarp, any thoughts on that?

Also, I currently have a 10 gallon round cooler MLT that I want to use for a system like this, along with a 7 gallon turkey fryer pot, to make 3.5 net gallon batches. I don't think the extra cooler space should be an issue. Any thoughts, anyone?
Click to expand...

Key to easy march pump priming is sufficient pressure on the input side to push air out of the pump, just as Keith said. I've never had any issues.

10 gal cooler will work fine. You may lose heat a tiny bit faster with the larger surface area, but I wouldn't be overly concerned.
 
jkarp said:
ascott said:
i really like how you've moved the kettle input from the lid to the side for whirlpooling. I'm stealing that one, for sure.
Click to expand...

i've been tempted to move to the side for the kettle and mlt several times. ... but then i think of all the brews i've done that had full to the brim kettles or mashes and chicken out.
Click to expand...
I think I had the same concern when I got the input socket welded about half
way up the ~5gal MLT pot in my slowly progressing version of your CB20 in
order to have whirlpooling going but then wondered if I had made a mistake
and limited how much I can boil in the MLT.

I intend to put an elbow on the inlet on the outside of the inlet so the elbow,
camlocks and hose will point vertically so I'm thinking the MLT can be filled
quite high even though the inlet itself would be well below the liquid level.
Hopefully this will be ok.

Tom.
 

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