My new brew system, a brutus 10 with some nice modifications

yes, both pilot and thermocouple connected. pilot is functioning, but I have not verified that the thermocouple is functioning properly. how would I do that? and yes, the knob is set to 'on'

midnightbrewing said:

yes, both pilot and thermocouple connected. pilot is functioning, but I have not verified that the thermocouple is functioning properly. how would I do that? and yes, the knob is set to 'on'

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If the pilot flame stays on, then the t-couple is good. Is the gas valve yer using for the proper gas?

I think so... it's the same model as most folks on this thread have purchased. http://www.pexsupply.com/Honeywell-VR8200A2132-1-2-24-Vac-Standing-Pilot-Gas-Valve-11588000-p

upon further inspection, the gas valve is for 3.5"WC and my regulator is standard 11" WC. so it looks like I do have too much pressure at the valves and it's locking up. as I look closer, perhaps I need the LP conversion spring kit but I thought the valve was already situated for LP... if the spring conversion isn't the answer, would I just find some in-line 3.5" WC regulators?

midnightbrewing said:

upon further inspection, the gas valve is for 3.5"WC and my regulator is standard 11" WC. so it looks like I do have too much pressure at the valves and it's locking up. as I look closer, perhaps I need the LP conversion spring kit but I thought the valve was already situated for LP... if the spring conversion isn't the answer, would I just find some in-line 3.5" WC regulators?

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Most gas valves can be converted from natural (3.5) to LP (10 or 11). Seems like that would take care of it.

ShaKeyJ said:

Most gas valves can be converted from natural (3.5) to LP (10 or 11). Seems like that would take care of it.

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Yes. Use the spring conversion kit. that's what I meant to say.

yeaaaahhh... so about that whole "research" thing. I didn't do mine.

well I feel sheepish.

Thanks for the help getting me turned around and in the right direction. except for a couple of 304 stainless pieces; that was the last hang-up to the first brewday on my new stand! I'll get some more photos working in a little bit.

Hey Josh or anyone else that can naswer,

I have completed the control panel for my brewing rig. Today when I connected it to the brewing rig (i.e. the gas valve solenoid) I over heated the tranformer and blew the fuse on the main load. I am using pretty much the same components as Landin's rig.

I did a control panel dry run Friday before connecting to the solenoid to check voltages at all the points. I indeed had 24V at the panel connectorsfor the solenoids when they were in both the AUTO (PID) mode and the MANUAL mode as selected by the 3-way switch. That 24V disappeared when switched to the OFF mode, as expected.

Today, I connected the cable from the panel connector to the solenoid on the gas valve to what I thought were the right connections, one being TH and the other TR (see wiring diagram for gas valve on page 7 of the above pdf link). When I powered on the control panel, I blew the fuse.

Upon opening the box, I noted the transformer to be VERY hot. I removed the cable from the panel connector so the solenoid was no longer connected, replaced the fuse and tried a dry run again. The fuse blew immediately. I suspect I have damaged the transformer and that is what led to the second fuse blowing.

Does anyone have a description for wiring the gas valve? I have the PDF that shows the wiring diagram for the gas valve, but I dont really understand how to modify it for this application. I suspect I have wired the gas valve incorrectly and thus blown the transformer.

Thanks for any help!!!!!

JW

What is the volt amps rating of your transformer? I had bought one that wasnt rated high enough and could only power one solemoid at a time.

40vA. Didn't think of looking at that. I don't know what the Honeywell 8200 requires, though.

Either way, I'm only powering one solenoid during the mash. I'm using a HERMS setup, so I only need to heat one tank.

Sorry. My dad kept all the electrical-skill genes to himself.....

Sure do appreciate the help!!!

JW

This is from the VR8200/4200 manual:

POWER UNIT:
Hold-in current: 300 mA maximum.
Drop-out current: 250 to 90 mA.

If your valves are 24v and they draw .5 amp as the pex supply listing shows for them that means you only need 12vA for each, i read somewhere on the forums here thatnyou should add a buffer for safety like 10 or 20%. All that said you should be okay, the vA shouldnt be your problem unless you are running other stuff off of it. Are you sure all you have on your 24v circuit is your gas valves? Also the transformer i bought can be wired three different ways to create different voltages. It can be a 6v ro a 12v or a 24v depending on how you connect it. What transformer did you endup with?

Ps my dad kept most of those genes too. He is a phd, i found a Local HS physics teacher/neighbor and A LOT of forum searching to figure out wiring my system!

Figured out my problem. For whatever reason, the LED lights were eating the voltage and not passing enough along to trigger the gas valves.

I have DPDT switches, so I just wired the lights to the second pole and now my burners fire just fine!

Still can't figure why I was getting the correct voltage on the meter with the bare wire, but not when connected to the valve - but with those lights wired in separately, everything's fine!

midnightbrewing said:

I'm still stuck after switching out the NG spring to LP on the honeywell VR8200.
should there be an audible click when sending the right voltage to the valve? When I test my bare wire leads, I get 28vac, which is the right voltage, but when I test the voltage across the TH/TR on the unit, I get only 2.7vac on the meter.

usually I have a better nose for this kind of stuff, but I'm so very confused right now.

Click to expand...

When you test for voltage, the wires should be connected to valve and hold tester one on each at same time. If you got 2.7 when the burner had call to be on then something isn't sending power to valve.

my build is complete. first brew is 9 days away! pics/write-up here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/its-brutus-10-a-363645/

Thanks for answering all my questions.

After scrutinizing this thread for many hours, I came to a revelation that cleared up so many things for me. Radio Shack 8-position jumper. Bump for my dumb ass figuring something out finally. :fro:

OregonBrews said:

After scrutinizing this thread for many hours, I came to a revelation that cleared up so many things for me. Radio Shack 8-position jumper. Bump for my dumb ass figuring something out finally. :fro:

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Like the ones pictured in my control panel. Upper right corner of the back plate.
DONT FORGET the jumpers too. (unless you like making a bunch of little jumper wires!) lol...

So when can I place an order for mine?

Hi, j Awesome build project. I'm doing one, too but not quite so fancy. Although your design has given me pause to reconsider and maybe add the storage component to the build. I love that. What casters did you use and how did you affix them? Thx

JacquesG said:

Hi, j Awesome build project. I'm doing one, too but not quite so fancy. Although your design has given me pause to reconsider and maybe add the storage component to the build. I love that. What casters did you use and how did you affix them? Thx

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Thanks! The casters are locking swivel casters bought on ebay. I welded them on.

Did you use any fuses other than the integrated fuse on the 110v power input?

brewspore said:

I am building single tier 3 burner system with 10" banjos. I've tested boil times using high pressure propane and low pressure propane feeds (via Honeywell gas control) to the burners. I can definitely say the low pressure burners take about 40% longer to boil 20 gals of water compared to the high pressure fed burners. I have the correct orifices installed depending on the pressure and have tweaked the air / gas mixture in every conceivible combinations but the low pressure just does not compete or burn as clean as the high pressure fed burner. I don't know why, perhaps it's the banjos are designed for high pressure in mind?

Anyway I'm going with low pressure to the HLT and MT, with high pressure on BK so I can get a quick and rolling boil going. I don't need burner temp control on BK so don't need the Honeywell gas control there

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I had a question about this: Is there a difference in flame height between the low pressure burners and the high pressure one? If so, how did you compensate in regards to the positioning/height of the burner for the BK?

Thanks,

Mike

Your stand is awesome. I'm currently building a stand myself and thinking about using your burner mount idea. I was curious to know how the wind screens are working. Did you buy the aluminum pre cut to the size or did you or cut it yourself? Thanks.


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Thanks. I made the burner rings from .050 Stainless. I have seen some for sale. They block the wind very well.


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Here is my take on the Brutus 10.

beerinasippicup said:

Here is my take on the Brutus 10.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5m6Aaux_mo

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How many more times you planning on linking your video?

Dude..... that vid is awesome!!!

Hey awesome job! I am building one now without the control box, maybe take that on later. I was wondering about the height? Is 30 inches high enough to be able to put your keggles down below without hitting them on your burners? In other wards, Are you happy with the clearance you have when storing them below?
Thanks
Jim

Josh, are you happy with the height as far as clearance for storing the keggles down below?
Thanks
Jim

Josh,
Great tutorial. I am doing the research to do my own B10. Now that you have had yours up and running for a while, is there anything you would have done differently? Burners, gas distribution, controls, etc?

jlandin said:

_______________
*************
PLEASE READ!!
_______________
*************


Hopefully that got your attention. ;-)

I get a TON of messages from HBT users about my Brutus 10. I try to reply to all of them, but I have a couple of suggestions to people reading my build thread...

1) Please don't PM me if you think the question is something that can help others. Ask it in the thread instead! I get A LOT of duplicate questions and it would serve the community much more if we get the question/answer into the thread.

2) Please read the entire thread before asking me questions. It's only 20 pages (at this time) and MANY of the questions I get, have already been answered.

If everyone followed these two suggestions, eventually the build thread will be complete and will contain everything you ever wanted to know about building a clone of my system.

This was a really fun build, and I learned a lot in the process. I'm eager to help out wherever I can, so please do ASK AWAY! If you PM me with a question about this build, don't be surprised if I reply with "Ask this in the thread".

--
Josh

Click to expand...

Just a reminder^^^

Also many people ask, if I had the build to do over again would I do anything differently. After brewing over 500 gallons on this system, the answer without a doubt is no. This is the finest beer making machine I could have ever expected.

To all of the people posting and sending me pictures of their systems, I want to say that I'm truly honored to have inspired your design.

Cheers,

--
Josh

Josh,

First let me say thank you for the inspiration and GREAT documentation on this project.

I have one question. The frame with not having any center support do you have any issues with the frame bending at all with the full weight of filled keggles?

Thanks

bpaulik said:

Josh,

First let me say thank you for the inspiration and GREAT documentation on this project.

I have one question. The frame with not having any center support do you have any issues with the frame bending at all with the full weight of filled keggles?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Not a chance that tubing will bow on that short of a span. It's 1.5" tubing. I used 2" and as thin as I could go and I know it wouldn't buckle. I did put in a center support only because I had thought about mounting both pumps to either side of that vertical support. Instead I kept them on the horizontal cross bar.

Thanks for the info. I'm starting to gather my parts and just wanted to make sure.

Thank you.

Hi is there any chance of getting a build sheet ? I know you gave a hint of the total height but am looking for more schematic type measurements before being wasteful on material order. I am really digging the store away for the kegs and how the bg14's gas entry's all face the same direction! Amazing stand! The outside dimensions are 20" (deep) x 60" (long) x 30" (high).

Hey how wide is the wind girt? It looks like 2" or so by 11" diameter?

I love this thread and all the info in it. Josh's build and the countless of others after is a great help in building my own.

Couple questions are arising though..

1) Just curious what the advantage of using the IEC inlets and outlets are as opposed to using standard NEMA plugs. I want two inlets for the pumps on my control panel, and I currently already have a March pump with a 3 prong nema plug on it. Should I look into some sort of adapter for my pumps plug or did you guys buy pumps with IEC plugs??

2) Why the 1/4" NPT on the RTD Sensor with a 1/2" to 1/4" NPT reducer on the TEE instead of just getting a 1/2" NPT RTD Sensor.

#1 - You can use whichever plugs you have. The cords on the pumps weren't long enough for me, so I was going to splice them anyway.

#2 - If you can find 1/2" NPT RTD's go with that. I had 1/4's so I had to reduce.

Cheers,

--
Josh

Thehopguy said:

I love this thread and all the info in it. Josh's build and the countless of others after is a great help in building my own.

Couple questions are arising though..

1) Just curious what the advantage of using the IEC inlets and outlets are as opposed to using standard NEMA plugs. I want two inlets for the pumps on my control panel, and I currently already have a March pump with a 3 prong nema plug on it. Should I look into some sort of adapter for my pumps plug or did you guys buy pumps with IEC plugs??

2) Why the 1/4" NPT on the RTD Sensor with a 1/2" to 1/4" NPT reducer on the TEE instead of just getting a 1/2" NPT RTD Sensor.

Click to expand...

So now you have your dream rig.

What's your new hobby going to be?