I'm talking out both sides of my mouth because I feel like with all the demand I should learn to build a basic one or two pid panel at the same time I just want to buy a pre made one and avoid the headache. Seems like a guy could make some dough building and selling them.
Why isnt anyone building basic electric control boxes?
- Thread starter swem
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Making them is pretty easy, I bet you could find someone that would make it for you. Of course I saw you are in ND so that may be tougher. If you want help, lots of people on here can help you make it safe and make it right, that's how I was able to build mine
i would expect that the liability of selling a completed control panel vs. a bunch of parts is one reason why noone is really doing it. If you mess up and kill someone - goodbye life as you know it. Even if it is their own fault, i.e. they opened the panel when it was live, the heartache of dealing with the fallout would not be fun.
Then you would have to deal with everyone saying that they could build it DIY for way cheaper than you are selling it
Then you would have to deal with everyone saying that they could build it DIY for way cheaper than you are selling it
i would expect that the liability of selling a completed control panel vs. a bunch of parts is one reason why noone is really doing it. If you mess up and kill someone - goodbye life as you know it. Even if it is their own fault, i.e. they opened the panel when it was live, the heartache of dealing with the fallout would not be fun.
Then you would have to deal with everyone saying that they could build it DIY for way cheaper than you are selling it
This ^^
Plus the fact that it is a fairly small market.
There are too many variations on setups.
Not enough profit (probably)
UofMontanaAlum
Well-Known Member
I have an EBC III from High Gravity. Yes, you can build it cheaper but I didn't have the time or the desire to learn about building it myself.
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/EBC-III-with-Infinite-Power-Control-p3858.htm
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/EBC-III-with-Infinite-Power-Control-p3858.htm
Why does the 2 PID unit only have 1 power outlet for heating?
These are the two options you have if you are not an electrician:
a) Be prepared to do ~20hrs+ of research (reading electrical code, peoples blogs about their builds, and a ton on basic information regarding electricity ), and have a certified electrician to over see your wiring
b)get an electrician do it, given your schematic once you have done all the aforementioned research
Any other way and you're taking too big of a risk!
a) Be prepared to do ~20hrs+ of research (reading electrical code, peoples blogs about their builds, and a ton on basic information regarding electricity ), and have a certified electrician to over see your wiring
b)get an electrician do it, given your schematic once you have done all the aforementioned research
Any other way and you're taking too big of a risk!
alien
Well-Known Member
The Stildragon kit is very cheap for a bare bones controller. The cheapest non-DIY option is probably to get someone else to assemble a kit for you.
The controller isn't the end of it. You still need a GFCI protected 240V supply and have to wire up the element so you are probably going to either have to learn up on the electrics or hire a pro anyway.
If you know enough to be concerned about safety that is a good start!
The controller isn't the end of it. You still need a GFCI protected 240V supply and have to wire up the element so you are probably going to either have to learn up on the electrics or hire a pro anyway.
If you know enough to be concerned about safety that is a good start!
heckels
Well-Known Member
swem said:
I'd double check that your source is GFCI protected. Most dryer plugins are not. Just regular old 30A breakers.
alien
Well-Known Member
Big Pa's controllers are more towards the higher end: http://www.rbscontrols.com
There's another vendor I could name but he has a bad rep.
There's another vendor I could name but he has a bad rep.
I'm torn, I want to do it on the cheap right now so I should grab that DIY kit. At the same time I feel like if I'm going to drop 350 on one I might as well spend the 500 and buy the nice pid one high gravity makes.
I did some more chasing last night & found several 240V options. Has anyone used any of these?
For Mash and Boil Control:
$799.00 - High Gravity EBC III
$419.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller with Element Switch
$359.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller
For Boil Control:
$295.00 - High Gravity EBC II
$285.00 - RBS Controls
$249.00 - High Gravity Electric Kettle Controller
$219.95 - Kegkits 240V Electric Brew Pot Controller
For Mash and Boil Control:
$799.00 - High Gravity EBC III
$419.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller with Element Switch
$359.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller
For Boil Control:
$295.00 - High Gravity EBC II
$285.00 - RBS Controls
$249.00 - High Gravity Electric Kettle Controller
$219.95 - Kegkits 240V Electric Brew Pot Controller
And if you are going to spend $500 on the high gravity one then you might as well spend a little more and get one from kal.
In all honesty though, I built mine for around $650. If you aren't in a hurry and are willing to build it, you can get exactly the controller you want and can save a lot of money
In all honesty though, I built mine for around $650. If you aren't in a hurry and are willing to build it, you can get exactly the controller you want and can save a lot of money
With this kit, does the heat element plug directly into it? I guess I don't understand how it works.
Edit: This is the one I am looking at. I'm not sure if it is the same one you had in mind. http://www.stilldragon.com/diy-controller.html
UofMontanaAlum
Well-Known Member
During the mash, one PID is for heating the HLT and one PID is for controlling the pump to circulate your mash through the HERMS coil. When your done mashing, you unplug the HLT element and plug in the Boil Kettle element. There is a knob on the controller which allows you to control your boil without messing around with PID settings.
High Gravity has a step by step YouTube video which is what sold me on his panel. He shows you exactly how to run a brew day with his panel.
[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=dwr3gQeMSMI[/ame]
Here are the links for each of these systems.
For Mash and Boil Control:
$799.00 - High Gravity EBC III
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=3858&idcategory=158#.Ulrv01Ao5sQ
$419.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller with Element Switch
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...W&Product_Code=BC-240V-SW&Category_Code=CNTRL
$359.95 - Kegkits Complete 240V Electric Brew Controller
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...de=W&Product_Code=BC-240V&Category_Code=CNTRL
For Boil Control:
$295.00 - High Gravity EBC II
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/prod...Infinite-Power-Control-p3073.htm#.UlrvrlAo5sQ
$285.00 - RBS Controls
http://www.rbscontrols.com/deluxe-controller.html
$249.00 - High Gravity Electric Kettle Controller
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=3084&idcategory=158#.Ulrv81Ao5sQ
$219.95 - Kegkits 240V Electric Brew Pot Controller
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...de=W&Product_Code=EB-240V&Category_Code=CNTRL
I wonder how many more systems are out there?
alien
Well-Known Member
I think the idea is that you put a NEMA L6-30R female connector body on a cable coming out of the box, and you plug the element into that assuming it's got a L6-30P plug on a pigtail.
Either that or you could put a L6-30R receptacle on the side of the box. Either way the bits don't come with the kit.
Thanks for clarifying.... From there the box then plugs into a GFCI protected plug?
UofMontanaAlum
Well-Known Member
When I was shopping for my controller I asked Kal if he had thought of building a more simple BIAB controller and at the time he said he already had a prototype in the works. I wasn't willing to wait so I went with High Gravity but you might check with him to see if he's any further along with the idea now.
huntb
Well-Known Member
cliffhanger1821
Well-Known Member
Electricbiab.com makes a controller that looks great and is priced right, I just haven't heard of anyone else with it. I'd love to get one but would hate to be the only person with it, therefore no bug fixes or replacement parts if needed. I really like all of the features he packed in (PC connectivity!) for such a low price. I don't know if I could build a single pid controller for that price with auber parts, maybe with eBay parts.
MX1
Texas Ale Works
I have looked at that a few times, but something just does not sit well with me, call it my gut feeling...
Tim
That looks really impressive for the engineering - the website and final form lets down what could be an awesome product. And the fact that you have to wire your own plug to it - aka you take responsibility of the final wiring so if anything goes wrong it's all on you
Hopefully that guy has trademarked his company name (or did his research an doesn't get C&D himself) because of the PicoBrew Zymatic currently raising funds on Kickstarter!
biertourist
Well-Known Member
The Still Dragon option is pretty awesome for the boil kettle and there are plenty of simpleish single PID controllers that you can use for the Boil Kettle (STC will save you some $$ vs. Auber; you can save a bit on cheaper thermocouples, too although accuracy will suffer slightly).
If you go this route you can also have a much smaller electric project box for the HLT and even use a plastic NEMA 4 box which will be much easier to cut / drill.
On the GFCI side you can save $$ going with the Home Depot spa panel box vs. a dedicated breaker -or find a used breaker on Ebay if you're brave.
The NEMA plugs are a must for safety and unfortunately, not cheap. (I went with the SwitchCraft connectors but they are a HUGE PITA and not as safe as I'd like; I will not go with them on my next build although they are SUPER convenient, cheap, and look fantastic.)
If you only plan to do single infusion mashing the Still Dragon kit can get you started pretty cheap but someone really does need to build a simple, plastic STC-based HLT control box for use with a spa panel.
Adam
If you go this route you can also have a much smaller electric project box for the HLT and even use a plastic NEMA 4 box which will be much easier to cut / drill.
On the GFCI side you can save $$ going with the Home Depot spa panel box vs. a dedicated breaker -or find a used breaker on Ebay if you're brave.
The NEMA plugs are a must for safety and unfortunately, not cheap. (I went with the SwitchCraft connectors but they are a HUGE PITA and not as safe as I'd like; I will not go with them on my next build although they are SUPER convenient, cheap, and look fantastic.)
If you only plan to do single infusion mashing the Still Dragon kit can get you started pretty cheap but someone really does need to build a simple, plastic STC-based HLT control box for use with a spa panel.
Adam
Wow, that controller from electricbiab.com DOES look awesome. Has NOONE had any actual experience with one?? Also I really dont like that kickstarter, atleast not for your only setup, maybe a quick experiment. Who wants completely automatic brewing? Whats the point...
cliffhanger1821
Well-Known Member
Let me know how you like it. I've had my eye on it for a while, been trying to figure out if I should buy this or build something from auber ins. Give us a good gouge!
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