RIM advice - bring it on!

I am putting a RIM on my set-up. I have a 1500 W, 120 V element, the hardware to put it into a 1.5" stainless T, a dedicated pump, a Ranco controller, and a thermo well for the probe. My thought is to wire the controller into a socket and then plug the element and the pump into the controlled sockets.

I think I will draw out of the MLT manifold and flow it back into a slightly submurged ring at the top of the grain bed.

The thermo well will go into the MLT, resting near the bottom.

What am I missing, what is your advice?

Brewpastor said:

I think I will draw out of the MLT manifold and flow it back into a slightly submurged ring at the top of the grain bed.

What am I missing, what is your advice?

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I don't know much about RIM's, but my first thought was that you will be depositing hot wort on the top and that may lead to heat stratification.

But if I am drawing from the bottom, wouldn't it balance out?

Brewpastor said:

But if I am drawing from the bottom, wouldn't it balance out?

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It will certainly help, but as the grain absorbs the heat the top grains will be drawing heat from a hotter wort than the grains at the middle/bottom. Stratification will definitely happen top-to-bottom, or vice versa. The big question (for someone who knows) is; It enough to make a difference?

You are missing nothing. I would say that it works perfectly!

The best place is to put your probe at the output of the MLT. This allows you to monitor the final temps better and not allow you to overshoot your mash temps.

As you know, I have been doing this for some time. I have found that there is no better way!

Lonnie Mac said:

You are missing nothing. I would say that it works perfectly!

The best place is to put your probe at the output of the MLT. This allows you to monitor the final temps better and not allow you to overshoot your mash temps.

As you know, I have been doing this for some time. I have found that there is no better way!

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The outlet is a great idea. Now I just have to figure out how I might confire that. The Ranco probe is not water proof so I need a thermo-well. Maybe I can construct a new outlet line with a well in it. Thoughts or suggestions Mr. Brutus?

pldoolittle said:

It will certainly help, but as the grain absorbs the heat the top grains will be drawing heat from a hotter wort than the grains at the middle/bottom. Stratification will definitely happen top-to-bottom, or vice versa. The big question (for someone who knows) is; It enough to make a difference?

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Nope. I have been testing that theory with my RIMS system. there is no huge difference between the top and the bottom as long as the MLT is insulated. In an un- insulated MLT of the stainless kind, you will have a degree or two difference top to bottom depending on the surface area. Grain depth doesn't seem to make a difference either. I started with a 6 inch depth and tested all the way up to full capacity of my five gallon set up and then to the capacity of my stainless HLT converted for mashing for the purpose of these tests. On the stainless version the top two inches ended up being 3 degrees hotter than the rest and all but the outside inch stayed on target. The outside inch being on par, a degree lower than the rest. I am going to collect some more data and then see if I can talk the wife into running a T-score analysis for significance. I have feeling though that it won't be. The result being that the stratification will not matter. We will see. Only time and data will tell. Even with the stratification the consistency is hard to beat. My suggestion to those who care for this sort of thing is to insulate. S.

Brewpastor said:

The outlet is a great idea. Now I just have to figure out how I might confire that. The Ranco probe is not water proof so I need a thermo-well. Maybe I can construct a new outlet line with a well in it. Thoughts or suggestions Mr. Brutus?

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You may need the super Tee!

It is nothing more than two 1/2 MPT garden hose adapters, a QD from Lowes and one of these short thermowell’s from Morebeer, except these now come with a heat guard. You can move it around and monitor everything from mash temps to chill to fermenter strike temp... You can even take it to work with you and keep it in your pocket like I do...

I didn't say that...

http://morebeer.com/view_product/16673/

Brewpastor said:

The outlet is a great idea. Now I just have to figure out how I might confire that. The Ranco probe is not water proof so I need a thermo-well. Maybe I can construct a new outlet line with a well in it. Thoughts or suggestions Mr. Brutus?

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Install the probe into a small glass tube. One that just fits the probe and then seal it with epoxy. Then use a stopper to install the probe in the flow stream or drill a hole in a CPVC cap that is a hare small and place the cap on a tee or how ever you would like to do it. This seems to work well. S.

Lonnie Mac said:

You can even take it to work with you and keep it in your pocket like I do...

I didn't say that...

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I hate to say it, but you did.

That looks like a pretty simple build and it would come in handy for all kinds of applications.

Oh I do love a good project.

slnies said:

Install the probe into a small glass tube. One that just fits the probe and then seal it with epoxy. Then use a stopper to install the probe in the flow stream or drill a hole in a CPVC cap that is a hare small and place the cap on a tee or how ever you would like to do it. This seems to work well. S.

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I see what you are getting at, but I like the thermo-well better because of the variety of applications it leads to.

What I need is a thermo-well that is built into a 1.5" tri-clover cap. I think that is what I will be focusing on. I could then just pop a tri-clover T on my existing set-up and call it good.

Anybody know of a Tri-clover cap with a thermo-well attached? I think I need to talk with my stainless friends.

edit: or just buy this:

A tear just came from me eye!

The triclovers probably have threaded ends. Just get a tubing x NPT fitting, drill it out to 1/4", and run a thermocouple that's been rtv'd in 1/4" tubing into it, or get a 1/4" RTD. Piece of cake.

slnies said:

Nope. I have been testing that theory with my RIMS system. there is no huge difference between the top and the bottom as long as the MLT is insulated. In an un- insulated MLT of the stainless kind, you will have a degree or two difference top to bottom depending on the surface area.

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That's great information. Thanks you and Lonnie for chiming in. Ignorance about that is one thing that's been holding me back from making my RIMS system. Do you know if stratification is of consequence in an insulated MLT like a round cooler?

I don't know if Palmer covers that in How To Brew or not. He does have a lengthy section on MLT design related to flow. I will look tonight and see what I can find.

On my system I want the RIM move for temperature management/stability and not so much for stepping. When I have a smaller batch (less grain in the tun) the loss of thermal mass causes my termperatures to drop more then I want them to. A RIM will help me hold the temperatures through my mash cycle. In this case I don't imagine issues of heat stratification will be much of a factor. I hope that I am not having much fluctuation at all and therefore won't have much variation in the tun.