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Maybe it was a few minutes longer. I didn't save my temp data so it's just an estimate. I was definitely pushing the recirc as fast as possible, basically matching the pump flow to the drain flow. 3 to 4 quarts per minute seems about right.
 
Hi,

I know the thread is old but was hoping someone could help me with the parts list. I can't open it on my computer. Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
How would you be regulating the position on valves 1 & 3? By hand until you find a 'good' position, or do you have plans to setup some sort of control for this?

sizzrimsv31.jpg

I know this is re-hashing an old thread, but I am currently building my RIMS system and love this idea that Sizz has so intelligently come up with. I just had an idea to eliminate the pump and was hoping to get some advice or ideas. The set-up would be close to the same with the exception of removing the second pump. I would make it a 2-tier system with the BK lower allowing the wort to drain instead of being pumped Once the sparge and boil were complete I could switch a few extra valves and pump the fermentable wort through a CFC into a fermentation vessel. Any thoughts?
 
So, also definitely aware of how old the thread is, but when I saw the picture of the kegs and RIMS tube setup, the first thing I saw was that the wort could be drained from the MLT and pumped through the RIMS tube into the BK. This would obviously have the advantage of getting the wort closer to boil temp. Not sure if that's how people are doing it, but that just occurred to me as a potential idea. I'm still sourcing everything for y build (still need pumps and electronics) so I don't have a working knowledge of the system. Just seems like a potentially helpful idea.

Does anyone do this or have have any negatives of doing this?
 
Of course after typing I looked again. I didn't see the output of the MLT and at first glance thought it was tapped into the same plumbing as the RIMS tube, but doesn't appear to be.

Either way, seems like it would be feasible to do. If anyone has done it, would love to see pictures and/or drawings.
 
I run a two vessel system as well thats built off of sazz's. Generally when I'm moving the wort from the MLT to the BK I'm sparging using cold water going through the rims tube at a rate that allows me to sparge with 170f water.

Using a 5500w element in the BK, I'm usually boiling in ~12 minutes from the moment the wort fully covers the element.
 
I'm in the same boat danbass, I have rigid plumbing and sparge through my RIMS. I prefer to gravity drain in the BK. I have a ~5000W element and it's turned on as soon as it gets submerged and has things boiling in no time.
 
I run a two vessel system as well thats built off of sazz's. Generally when I'm moving the wort from the MLT to the BK I'm sparging using cold water going through the rims tube at a rate that allows me to sparge with 170f water.

Using a 5500w element in the BK, I'm usually boiling in ~12 minutes from the moment the wort fully covers the element.

I noticed you said you run cold water through rims for sparging. Do you recirc like Sizz or just run water with low flow
 
I recirc as fast as the pump can push through out the mash (there is odd protein that builds up on the element, I'd worry about scorching if I recirced any slower) but then I do a low flow sparge.

Perhaps I need to read back to see what sizz was doing in his sparge. Unfortunately he sold it a year or so ago and is no longer active on the forum.

I noticed you said you run cold water through rims for sparging. Do you recirc like Sizz or just run water with low flow
 
I recirc as fast as the pump can push through out the mash (there is odd protein that builds up on the element, I'd worry about scorching if I recirced any slower) but then I do a low flow sparge.

Perhaps I need to read back to see what sizz was doing in his sparge. Unfortunately he sold it a year or so ago and is no longer active on the forum.

I bought the system from him and then got distracted by arrival of kid #3 so I'm currently tinkering with the rig instead of brewing with it. That said, I remember he did not have problems with scorching. He would recirculate pretty fast, usually not as long as a lot of recommendations, but despite that was always satisfied with extraction rates.

Regarding another post I saw about replacing the 2nd pump with gravity, I think that is a good idea, but it might preclude the option of fly sparging.

Cheers,
Frank
 
I bought the system from him and then got distracted by arrival of kid #3 so I'm currently tinkering with the rig instead of brewing with it. That said, I remember he did not have problems with scorching. He would recirculate pretty fast, usually not as long as a lot of recommendations, but despite that was always satisfied with extraction rates.

Regarding another post I saw about replacing the 2nd pump with gravity, I think that is a good idea, but it might preclude the option of fly sparging.

Cheers,
Frank

Frank congrats on the purchase, but can I for your opinon as to why you think it may preclude fly sparging. I am not sure I follow what you mean I may be missing something. Thanks
 
Frank congrats on the purchase, but can I for your opinon as to why you think it may preclude fly sparging. I am not sure I follow what you mean I may be missing something. Thanks

Thanks!

I think in the current plumbing configuration, when fly sparging, pump 1 is used to recirculate some of the output from the MK through the RIMS while fresh water is also being added from the supply. At the same time, pump 2 is used to fill the BK.

It's likely I'm missing something as this system is a big leap up from my turkey-frier based single burner brewery. I'd love suggestions and ideas on how to best use this setup. I'm currently upgrading the plumbing in stages with tri-clover fittings; the RIMS/MK side is almost done and is based around the Brewer's Hardware RIMS. I'm going to permanently attach two tri-clamps to the frame and use that to mount the RIMS. My welder friend is out of town for a couple weeks now, so that part of the upgrade has to wait. With the exception of the RIMS mount, the MK side is all ready for a leak test, so I'm planning to temporarily mount it this weekend with a heavy gauge coat hanger and a spring.

Frank
 
I'm currently upgrading the plumbing in stages with tri-clover fittings; the RIMS/MK side is almost done and is based around the Brewer's Hardware RIMS.

I forgot to mention another simple upgrade that's waiting to be welded - the MK and BK are currently sitting on a slab of particle board with holes cut in the bottom to accommodate the outlets from each keg. Due to the angles involved with the outlet plumbing on the kegs, this makes the system very difficult to move in pieces. I'm addressing this by removing the particle board slab and adding a couple pieces of angle iron to support each keg. That will have the added benefit of making the valves and hoses below the kegs much easier to access.

Frank
 
Thats awesome please post pics of your progress if you can. As for the fly-sparging-my thoughts were to just let the wort drain once it is done mashing into the BK. Then just run tap water slowly in the RIMS system while recirculating being careful not to run dry until it flows into the MLT @ sparge temp. I thought Sizz had the output of the MLT isolated from pump 1 but ran to pump 2 to fill the brew kettle. I figured running a 2-tier would allow me to eliminate the second pump and just let gravity do the work of pump 2. Any thoughts?
 
That should work, I do a very similar thing but have three vessels. This system in it's current configuration would allow for gravity draining.
 
Thats awesome please post pics of your progress if you can. As for the fly-sparging-my thoughts were to just let the wort drain once it is done mashing into the BK. Then just run tap water slowly in the RIMS system while recirculating being careful not to run dry until it flows into the MLT @ sparge temp. I thought Sizz had the output of the MLT isolated from pump 1 but ran to pump 2 to fill the brew kettle. I figured running a 2-tier would allow me to eliminate the second pump and just let gravity do the work of pump 2. Any thoughts?

I will definitely post some pics.

Your description of doing it with one pump sounds feasible. Sizz was also using Pump 2 to recirculate between the BK and the CFC. No reason you couldn't just swap hoses on one pump and use it for that purpose as well.
 
I will definitely post some pics.

Your description of doing it with one pump sounds feasible. Sizz was also using Pump 2 to recirculate between the BK and the CFC. No reason you couldn't just swap hoses on one pump and use it for that purpose as well.

No, I would be using pump 1 to recirc the incoming low flow tab water until it reached sparge temps through RIMS tube as it slowly filled with more (now heated) tab water it will come out through fly-sparge tube into MLT. Sizz had quite the idea and it took me a while to get what he was doing.
 
I wont be able to today, but I'll try to get my manifold diagrammed as well. The one thing we love about my system is its on a 50 amp service and can brew in parallel.

As soon as we get the wort to the BK and finish sparging, we can clean out the mash tun, get strike water ready, and mash a second beer while the first beer is in the BK. We're usually able to complete two 5 gallon batches in ~4:30.

Not sure I'd be able to use sizzs method of sparging, though it is clever, because we use both pumps at the same time for two different beers. It does make for a slow sparge though.
 
I wont be able to today, but I'll try to get my manifold diagrammed as well. The one thing we love about my system is its on a 50 amp service and can brew in parallel.

As soon as we get the wort to the BK and finish sparging, we can clean out the mash tun, get strike water ready, and mash a second beer while the first beer is in the BK. We're usually able to complete two 5 gallon batches in ~4:30.

Not sure I'd be able to use sizzs method of sparging, though it is clever, because we use both pumps at the same time for two different beers. It does make for a slow sparge though.

That would be great. To make two brews that is sweet
 
Hey Sizz, how are you liking the on-demand RIMS after a few years of use? I'm just starting on my build and considering a similar system for strike/sparge water:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/its-time-hybrid-rims-herms-ebuild-327669/

Are you able to consistently hit your temps after the water has settled in the mash tun? My biggest concern is tuning the heating element (I also have a BCS).
 
Sizz sold this system to me a bit over a year ago. I've been rebuilding it and just put up a pic while running a leak test. I've simplified the fluid paths a bit and am using one pump instead of two. When I'm ready to run the wort chiller, I move one of the pump inlets from the mash liquor tun to the CFC output.

The trickiest part is controlling the temperature in the MLT, which wants to get way too hot with the 5500 watt ULWD element in the RIMS. I'm considering going to a lower wattage element - any comments?

I guess at this point I should become un-lazy and start a new thread for this - since I've taken the whole thing apart and put it back together with a bin of extra NPT fittings left over, I finally feel like it's really mine :)
 
A friend of mine has agreed to weld a mounting bracket for the new RIMS to the frame for me, and while we're at it we're going to remove the particle board from the top and add some pieces of angle iron to make a frame to support the MLT and the BK.

I'm also toying with mounting re-orienting the one pump so I can place the RIMS in between the two vessels.
 
I push pretty fast on my two vessel system and I don't have any problems with scorching while re-circ mashing. However, I did add a 110/220v On/Off/On switch to both 220v outlets on my box for both my RIMS tube and my BK. If you were worried about the element being too hot during re-circ, you could explore that.

Also, I'm not sure you'll be able to sparge on demand with less than a 5500v element, right?
 
Another friend just got a 3D printer Printrbot Plus and has agreed to print me a mounting bracket for the RIMS! It should have a clip section to hook over the angle iron of the stand, and a curved section to hold the RIMS, which will be mounted horizontally. Holding the Brewers Hardware RIMS would involve two of these, one for each of the main sections. We'll try to design the mount wide enough that the element chamber screw-on section clears the frame. I should be able to post a link to the design once it's done and will definitely let you know how it goes.

I'll have to move the pump to accommodate mounting the RIMS horizontally, but I'm only using one pump so I could either move it down to the bottom of the frame, or just use the 2nd pump and remove the 1st one entirely.
 
One thing to think about... I'm in the testing phase of a similar two vessel RIMS system. When I tried to mount my RIMS horizontal and heat tap water up to sparge temp, I had a harder time maintaining a constant temp. I think steam was building up along the tube and I may have been partially "dry firing" the element. I'm going to compromise and mount my RIMS at an angle.

That doesn't mean your's won't work. Just test it completely before mounting it permanently.
 
I'll definitely test it before it's permanent. That's one advantage of the 3D printing route - it's just extruded plastics and if it doesn't work out how you envisioned, melt it down and print another.

Do you have any more details about your set-up and how it didn't work out? How did you mount it at an angle?
 
Gotta love plastics I guess. :)

I've only tested the MLT/RIMS side of my system. Part of the problem is setting aside extra time to do an all-grain batch vs extract. Once I actually brew with it I'll probably need to tweak things.

Right now my RIMS is to the left of my MLT. The outlet of the RIMS is hard plumbed with 1/2" stainless tubing to the back of the MLT and it's angled forward. It's resting near its inlet on the front rail of my brew stand. If this works, I think I'll weld a bracket to the rail to hold it.
 
The trickiest part is controlling the temperature in the MLT, which wants to get way too hot with the 5500 watt ULWD element in the RIMS. I'm considering going to a lower wattage element - any comments?

I'm not familiar with the BCS, but with an Auber PID, you can scale the Output High Limit down, which would solve your issue, but prevent you from heating on demand sparge water, so it would have to be switchable. Although, if the PID algorithm is tuned properly, you shouldn't be overshooting your set points, so that would be the first thing to check.
 
Im looking for a parts list but i know this threads pretty old . I was really looking for the element in the rims tube. anybody know?
 
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