Show us your control panel!

I'm in the process of trying to decide what's to go in my 100% electric setup control panel so some pictures of yours showing what worked/what didn't would be useful as well as your general brewing process. Thanks!

One example:



Link: Wort-O-Matic: The Binford 6100 Wort-O-Matic

Kal

What do I win for having the pimpin'-ist, most awesome control panel EVER?

You sir win some labels! haha Is that one of those ladder brew stands? Those are cool

Labels? We don't need no stinkin' labels! If you don't know what the switches are for, get the hell off my brewladder!

Ah, I like my brewladder but I think I'm going to be replacing it soon. It's a decent enough idea and it looks cool, but in terms of reaching the design goals I think there's a much better way to go about it.

MrNate said:

What do I win for having the pimpin'-ist, most awesome control panel EVER?

Click to expand...

So how does it work? What does it do?

Kal

It's just the HLT controller. Switch on the left is the power. Switch in the middle is the buzzer. Dial knob is temp. Turn on the power, set the temp, set the alarm. When the water is up to temp, the buzzer sounds.

Green light on the left is power, red light on the right indicates power flowing to outlet (i.e. heat is on).

MrNate said:

What do I win for having the pimpin'-ist, most awesome control panel EVER?

Click to expand...

kal said:

So how does it work? What does it do?

Kal

Click to expand...

MrNate said:

It's just the HLT controller. Switch on the left is the power. Switch in the middle is the buzzer. Dial knob is temp. Turn on the power, set the temp, set the alarm. When the water is up to temp, the buzzer sounds.

Green light on the left is power, red light on the right indicates power flowing to outlet (i.e. heat is on).

Click to expand...

Yes, but first ya gotta get a bottle of homebrew out of the fridge, open it on that handy-dandy opener, pour into a glass, and get primed for brewing!

Here's my control panel.



Not every thing is hooked up yet. I still need heating elements for the HLT and BK (still using gas now), and to find a good float switch. But the controller is programmed and ready for them. Just.. need... more... time...

Bernie Brewer said:

Yes, but first ya gotta get a bottle of homebrew out of the fridge, open it on that handy-dandy opener, pour into a glass, and get primed for brewing!

Click to expand...

Can't drink all day if'n ya don't start in the morning!

What do I win for having the pimpin'-ist, most awesome control panel EVER?

Click to expand...

My favorite part is the bottle opener. Can't mount a bottle opener on a laptop!

mattmcl said:

My favorite part is the bottle opener. Can't mount a bottle opener on a laptop!

Click to expand...

Booze with USB Flash drive bottle opener

You can mount that to your laptop.

Hell, I'll bet you could epoxy that same starr opener to a laptop if you really wanted to.

eccsynd said:

Here's my control panel.

Not every thing is hooked up yet. I still need heating elements for the HLT and BK (still using gas now), and to find a good float switch. But the controller is programmed and ready for them. Just.. need... more... time...

Click to expand...

That control panel will be added to my collection of needed parts for my future brewing system even before the systems keggles get modified to my design. Have a safe and prosperous New Years. Take care Adam and the family.

I access my control panel via Start>settings...

Here's mine. Wood and tape.

as long as it works...rube goldberg would be proud

bakins said:

Here's mine. Wood and tape.

Click to expand...

Two PID controllers and four 15 or 20A SPST switches?

So what's what? How's it work?

Kal

kal said:

Two PID controllers and four 15 or 20A SPST switches?

So what's what? How's it work?

Kal

Click to expand...

2 PIDs - BK and HLT
2 DPST switches - for BK and HLT
2 "normal" switches - for 2 pumps.

heres the guts of mine



ANd the full monty

Well, here is a pic of the original!

But it has evolved into some of the most BEAUTIFUL control panels!

Lonnie Mac said:

Well, here is a pic of the original!

Click to expand...

Lonnie, the man himself

whats happenin guy?

Ha! Just hanging out my good friend! Waiting for someone to build the Brutus 3bbl!

I love these threads man... It is fun to see the great creations!

gimme the vessels and Ill build it.


then we can split the profits

Here is mine... firing it up today to brew my "Freedom Ale".

Throwin the hat in the ring:

How are you guys getting that great lettering and graphics on your control panels? Is it adhesive or some kind of labelmaker?

Thanks
Mike

I silkscreened mine freehand with a sharpie marker on masking tape! :cross:

That was a joke I did but somehow these were in all the pics I used!

I actually have a silkscreen I made with all the handy info, I just never took everything off to use it...

mrbowenz said:

Throwin the hat in the ring:

Click to expand...

mrbowenz; now that is a great looking industrial water proof control panel.
Hats off for doing it the correct way, the best I have seen. Congrats and enjoy it.

I must add John Berre's looks great also but have not seen the cabinet the brains are protected by. I know it must be up to high standards also as well as Adam's 460 Beta system. Dang it Adam I can't run across your control panel as my eyes start to hurt from staring at it.

Hears mine:

keiths said:

Hears mine:

Click to expand...

That yellow must allow for brewing in the dark, J/K.
Looks like a waterproof enclosure but are the rocker switches waterproof?
Nice complete looking unit overall.

Not as fancy as some, but it's shiny and gives me temperature control for the HLT and the MLT and lets me control each pumps independently. It's worked nicely for me so far.

Here is my control panel. I have a one barrel brewery (30-35 gallon batches). My BK and HLT both have two 4500 watt elements. I have one control system for both vessels.

OK, I am not so tech savvy and cannot figure out how to post the pictures here.
However, here is a link to two pics of my control panel.
http://picasaweb.google.com/sehaun3333/Brewing

JUST completed... From left to right... HLT, BK, PUMP.

HLT is 1500W and has a JC A419 mounted to the HLT for temp control
BK is a 5500W RIPP element that is run by the PID and K type thermocouple
Pump is the typical March 809.




The 120VAC outlet on the left is for the March pump
The 120VAC outlet on the right is for the HLT heater, temp controller and mixer
The 240VAC outlet is for the 5500W element
The SSR heat sink protrudes from the back of the box

The Pol said:

Click to expand...

Come on, no diamond plate or shiny beer porn?I expected more from you...

Ha ha no... enough diamond plate. When the sun is out I have to wear sunglasses to brew as it is!

Why do they have to be water proof, I dont spray it with water.

Nor do I... some people do though. Just for kicks.

BrewBeemer said:

That yellow must allow for brewing in the dark, J/K.
Looks like a waterproof enclosure but are the rocker switches waterproof?
Nice complete looking unit overall.

Click to expand...

There just as water proof as all the house switches I see being used, but like I said I am not that sloppy and dont get it wet.

Nobody means to spray them with water. Same reason why outdoor switches and plugs need to have covers: Because moisture may seep in or accidents may happen.

People may use indoor house switches as is but that doesn't make it right. A lot of people do do it right by using covers. They're really cheap, available at Home Depot and similar places and look like this:





They're only a few bucks each. Why not use them?

Kal

kal said:

Nobody means to spray them with water...
Kal

Click to expand...

I have a spray nozzle attached to my water hose. While brewing on Sat. it fell and landed just right and then got stuck in the on position . It started spraying water all over the place. By the time I could get to it (carrying a sanke keg at the time) it has sprayed water all over my garage, my rig on one side of the room and my radio on the other. The only thing I was worried about was the radio as my control panel is water resistant. I'm sure the control panel would have been fine but why not spend a couple extra $$ to make sure.