My HLT project

X2 on wanting to see Fareds. I have a bunch of Herculiner left over from lining the inside of my Jeep and would love to put it to use!

I just wanted to say that I am still in love with this project and what it accomplished. I get lots of staring when people view them in person, and they don't believe I actually built them from scratch. Thank you forum for all the ideas you have given me over the years!

I know that this thread has been dormant for awhile but I was looking for something like this and you have given me some great ideas. I'd like to build a herms system with a keggle for the HLT and MLT. I like your ideas of insulation and spraying that with rhino liner. I will probably use this (http://www.mcmaster.com/#thermal-insulation/=kvilms) instead of reflectix. I will also be using a heating element and ranco temperature controller. With regard to the thermowell, how essential is this? This may seem like a silly question but I thought that the probe was waterproof. I am thinking of using SABCO's lid and false bottom for this mash tun. Any ideas/improvements/comments are greatly appreciated. Congrats again on the great setup!

SteelCityBrewery said:

With regard to the thermowell, how essential is this? This may seem like a silly question but I thought that the probe was waterproof.

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I am thinking the probe is water resistant not water proof, but even if it is I wanted mine protected more than just freely submersed.

I am thinking of using SABCO's lid and false bottom for this mash tun. Any ideas/improvements/comments are greatly appreciated. Congrats again on the great setup!

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Sounds great! I use a Sabco FB in my MT. I really wish I could fine a way to plug up the hole in the center though. I really like the bottom drain on my MT so I don't have to fool with a dip tube. I wish I could go electric so I could get a bottom drain on my kettle too. Maybe some day. Let us know how your build turns out.

Right now I have two Igloo coolers, one of which I use as a mash tun, the other I use to store boiling water (I boil water in 2 gal batches on the stove and throw it in the cooler to keep it hot until I have enough for a mash/sparge/extract boil). The hot water cooler liner is warping and on the verge of cracking and I have to find a new vessel to hold the water. This seems perfect, can be applied to an old kettle too. My question is: how is the x-liner holding up over time and with all the cleaning? Does it crack or anything when bumped, perhaps when cleaning? I would try doing it myself with some sort of liner in a can (herculiner?).

Also, what's this lid project? What does it look like? Pic? Link?

So can the Ranco controller, controll a heating element? I was told that the Johnson temp controller cannot do this on a 2000 watt element or 20amp circuit