My RIMS Build... Almost ready to run.

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ikonis

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Joined
Apr 8, 2009
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Location
Tyler, TX
I was building an E-HERMS build, but learned two major things:
  1. Coolers are expensive, especially when you hack two of them up beyond repair.
  2. It is hard to fix a leaking cooler. (Well for me it was!)

The inspiration for me to go "waste" more money on this hobby was Sawdustguy's RIMS for dummies thread. So, I went back to that and decided to use all that I had already purchased to do a RIMS.

RIMS%20Tube.JPG

There is the tube I came up with using all 1/2" SS fittings... Mounted with exhaust hangers. I'm just waiting on the ELD heater element to get to the house before I can go any further.

RIMS%20Rack.JPG

There's the whole stand. It isn't too big, since I brew in my kitchen, it needs to be able to be put away. The copper pipe needs a ball valve (on the way) on it... I usually start building then realize that I am missing more pieces to the puzzle. No biggie, I can cut the copper and put some male fittings and plop in the valve. It will go to the HLT that is sitting on the stove. Since I'll be heating up the sparge water during the mashing, I can pump it through the heating element on the way to the mash tun.

RIMS%20Control%20Box.JPG

The control box, plain and simple. Was a box I saw at the hobby store, fitted my needs perfectly. Would have a shot of the inside, but the camera's battery died on me. Everything is fused up so my house cannot blow up the electronics. :)

RIMS%20Manifolds.JPG

The return and sparge manifolds. Had the copper laying around. Both have QD's on the top. The wire at the bottom of the return manifold is so that I can adjust the height of the manifold as needed.

In the next few days, I *should* be able to do a wet run on this and see where I need to go from there.

I'd appreciate any help on learning the ins and outs of the PID controller, since I have never used one. Any settings I should change? Or should they stay the same. I thought I've read people changing some of the variables for better accuracy... but maybe I am mistaken.
 
I think you are going to like the RIMS, works great for me. I don't use a regular PID so I can't help much with that. I use a BCS and with my set up I need to set my temps about 3F higher than what I want my mash temps to be. I use a Keggle so I am guessing your system might not need any adjustment at all.

Good luck with it!
 
As requested... After the battery on my camera recharged.
RIMS%20Control%20001.JPG

Front

RIMS%20Control%20002.JPG

Top/Rear... The agitator label will probably be removed... an extra socket now without a HERMS build.

RIMS%20Control%20003.JPG

Rat's nest of wires.
Those are 2A slow blow fuses going to the left socket (pump/agitator sockets)
And a .25A fast acting fuse going to the PID
 
We set our PID up a year ago, I don't remember what changes we had to make.
I do remember we had to do a "learning" with water to establish it's memory or something. It should be in the instruction sheet.
 
Looks like an Auber PID? Typically there is some fiddling to do with the PID, but the manuals do a good job of explaining the settings. In your case, you should really only have to set it up for Auto Tune. After about 4 on/off cycles the PID will finish its auto tune function and run in auto mode very effectively.
 
Thanks for those close up shots of the control box. This is great, I too have to be able to take down and move my brewing equipment, so this was great to see.

Thanks
 
Looks like an Auber PID? Typically there is some fiddling to do with the PID, but the manuals do a good job of explaining the settings. In your case, you should really only have to set it up for Auto Tune. After about 4 on/off cycles the PID will finish its auto tune function and run in auto mode very effectively.


It is indeed an Auber PID. I am aware of the autotuning... And if that is all that I need to do, then great! Just in unfamiliar territory here... and haven't gotten to play with it yet ;)
 
When you get to play with it... you will see things very clearly. AutoTune is easy to set up, just keep that RIMS element wet :D
 
I called SUYI at auberins. He helped me setup up all the parameters...I WOULD HAVE NEVER FIGURED IT OUT without him. There were some defaults that were incorrect and he caught them....very cool guy.
 
Finally got to play with it after the ULD element came in.

RIMS%20001.JPG

Front

RIMS%20002.JPG

Left

RIMS%20003.JPG

Right

It didn't leak on the first try! (A first for me... everything always leaks a few times) Went ahead and did the autotune and it works out amazingly. Circulated some PBW through it along with a nice rinse of hot hot water through it. I plan on trying this out on this coming Sunday (if not tomorrow). Thanks to everyone especially Pol and Sawdustguy for all the help. Your threads were a wealth of information.
 
Well.. just cleaned up after the first true run of the system... Got an 83% efficiency on a play on Biermuncher's Newcastle clone... and next to nothing to filter out after the boil. (I use a hop bag currently.

I now need a new project to build ;)
 
Technically, I guess I already have that with the stand up kitchenaide mixer... just need the mill attachment I suppose. Not sure how well that would work...

I guess the proof will be in the "pudding" on whether I scorched the wort... took awhile to get it all circulating.
 
Ike,
Nice compact design. I'm building a stand that is similar but will be a garage system and will have some "all terrain" wheels if I need to take it outside. I was wondering about the ground from your heat exchanger. It looks like a metal strap is attached to one of the muffler hangers and then soldered to the power cable. Is that correct?
 
Ike,
Nice compact design. I'm building a stand that is similar but will be a garage system and will have some "all terrain" wheels if I need to take it outside. I was wondering about the ground from your heat exchanger. It looks like a metal strap is attached to one of the muffler hangers and then soldered to the power cable. Is that correct?

That is almost exactly it. It is actually two copper pipe straps soldered together ;)

I am thinking about adding some wheels to this rack also. It is not fun to haul this in hand from one side of the house to the other.

Another observation after running this build a few times now: The mash tun needs to be about one inch higher for the priming of the pump. And do not turn the heater on until everything gets moving through very well (scorched my first batch).
 
Thanks! I just bought a package of copper pipe straps at HD today. I straightened out two of them for the same purpose. Also, thanks for the pump priming tip. I have a HWD element that is 2000w and an ULWD 4500w element. The ULD element is the type that doubles back and the element touches the side walls of 1.5" pipe. I'm going to now use the smaller HWD element and keep the wort moving to avoid scorching.
Thanks again!
 
I just squeezed my ultra low density element together so it doesn't touch the walls. The 2000w was just too scary and I was sure I'd scorch the wort easily.
 
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