Single vessel BIAB electric build

Awesome build! That's exactly what I've been looking to put together. I had some concern about the clearance for the element under the basket in the 62qt pot, but it looks like that wasn't an issue for you.

For the element box/connection, did you just follow Kal's instructions?

I used Kal's method to mount element but had to use a single gang box in order to mount the element low enough to clear the bottom of the basket.

I like the cart mod may give it a try.

Todd,

Questions/Comments about your chassis:
1. are your element and pump hard-wired? I don't see any outlets/connectors on the back of your box. Or . . . did you run short lengths of wire out the rear to female connectors for your element and pump?

2. Is this your box?
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=143

3. Since you're familiar with the tolerances inside your box, do you think it would work to mount the SSR/Heat Sink on the top where you have your EPO, then fit the EPO in the upper right corner of the front panel?

4. Moving the SSR/Heat Sink from the rear would allow room back there for the connectors for Power IN, Element, Pump, Temp Probe.

5. Otherwise, do you think there is room on the top for both the heat sink and the EPO?

6. How necessary do you think the EPO is on a simple single-vessel BIAB controller is - especially if you have GFCI protection as well as internal fusing? I can understand the need when one is dealing with 3 vessels (2 of which have elements), 2-3 pumps, and various other electric valves and solenoids.

If I have my brewstand on a cart as you do, I would like a controller box like yours, johnodon's, or jsguitar's that sits on the stand. If I set it up indoors on a countertop, I might prefer a box mounted on the wall that looks like voltin's.

Thanks,
Keith

Thanks,
Keith

kzimmer0817 said:

Todd,

Questions/Comments about your chassis:
1. are your element and pump hard-wired? I don't see any outlets/connectors on the back of your box. Or . . . did you run short lengths of wire out the rear to female connectors for your element and pump?

Click to expand...

They are not hard-wired, I ran dongles out of the rear and terminated them with the appropriate plugs (240/30 and 120/15). Installing outlets in the rear panel and moving the SSR/heatsink to the top seems as though it would make things too crowded for my liking (inside the box).

kzimmer0817 said:

2. Is this your box?
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=143

Click to expand...

Yep.

kzimmer0817 said:

3. Since you're familiar with the tolerances inside your box, do you think it would work to mount the SSR/Heat Sink on the top where you have your EPO, then fit the EPO in the upper right corner of the front panel?

4. Moving the SSR/Heat Sink from the rear would allow room back there for the connectors for Power IN, Element, Pump, Temp Probe.

5. Otherwise, do you think there is room on the top for both the heat sink and the EPO?

Click to expand...

Either layout would likely fit/work, it just depends on your tolerance for a crowded hard-to-work-in control box.

kzimmer0817 said:

6. How necessary do you think the EPO is on a simple single-vessel BIAB controller is - especially if you have GFCI protection as well as internal fusing? I can understand the need when one is dealing with 3 vessels (2 of which have elements), 2-3 pumps, and various other electric valves and solenoids.

Click to expand...

If something goes horribly wrong causing sparks or flames to start shooting out of my rig, I don't have to think about what to do. I (or somebody in the near vicinity) can simply react by punching the EPO. I like the feeling of safety that gives me.

Todd,

thughes said:

They are not hard-wired, I ran dongles out of the rear and terminated them with the appropriate plugs (240/30 and 120/15). Installing outlets in the rear panel and moving the SSR/heatsink to the top seems as though it would make things too crowded for my liking (inside the box).

Click to expand...

I wondered if you had done that. I wouldn't expect it to have been hard-wired yet be on a cart. I know this sounds personal, but how long are your dongles?

I don't want things too crowded in the box. Using the wire grippers for the main power in, the pump dongle and the element dongle should leave plenty of room for the temp probe connector. Then the SSR and heat sink are mounted centrally on the rear.

If I place the EPO on the front panel with the SSR/Heat Sink where you have the EPO, that will free up even more space on the rear. As you said, it's a matter of personal preference.

If something goes horribly wrong causing sparks or flames to start shooting out of my rig, I don't have to think about what to do. I (or somebody in the near vicinity) can simply react by punching the EPO. I like the feeling of safety that gives me.

Click to expand...

Having the EPO on the top is cute - sort of like one of those buttons a contestant hits when he has the answer. I've also considered putting it on the front as jsguitar did. Depending upon your position at the time of the emergency, it's hard to tell if it would be easier to swat down onto the EPO or punch it from the front.

Are your lighted pushbuttons easy to operate - you can push them on and off without sliding your control box backwards?

Thanks,
Keith

Dongles are 18" long. (more than long enough for the girls I brew with)

Having the panic button on the top makes it an easy target but mounting on the front would work too (probably better, as I have accidentally bumped it on more than one occasion).

Push buttons are easy to operate and rubber feet on the bottom of the control box keep it from sliding around.

Isn't it about time you stopped researching and started building? :cross:

thughes said:

Dongles are 18" long. (more than long enough for the girls I brew with)

Having the panic button on the top makes it an easy target but mounting on the front would work too (probably better, as I have accidentally bumped it on more than one occasion).

Push buttons are easy to operate and rubber feet on the bottom of the control box keep it from sliding around.

Click to expand...

Todd,

I will probably mount the EPO on front, the SSR/Sink on top, hardwire the power cord, and attach receptacles on the rear for the plug-in devices.

I really like the lighted knobs that I've seen on some boxes, but they cost more than the lighted push-buttons. I'll have to think about it.

BTW, quick question: how long is your main power cord? I remember there being some discussion on how long the cord can be and whether or not one can use an extension cord with 240VAC. IOW, how far away is your brew-station from your spa panel when you brew?

Isn't it about time you stopped researching and started building? :cross:

Click to expand...

Right now I don't have time to get into the thick of building. Baby's home from college on Christmas break, too. Probably going to make an offer on a house.

Of course. I wanted to settle on a design first - both for the control box and for the kettle. Then I can order parts. My son now works at a beer shop, and his boss gave him a old keg (the rim is dented). I just retrieved my angle grinder from my parents' house so I can try my luck at cutting the top off to make an electric brew kettle. We can try our luck at electrifying the keg before I spend money on a new kettle to drill/cut holes into.

I have a lot going on this month. After our Christmas program this evening at church, I went to practice the organ for a couple hours at another church where I will be playing for a wedding on 12/31.

It's possible that I could collect some parts and have it ready to start building in earnest right after the New Year.

I guess, if I don't post some photos of actual progress being made by the end of January, folks will decide that I'm all talk and start ignoring my questions.

Thanks,
Keith

My power cord is @ 20' long. That was more of a financial limitation than anything else, 30' of 10/4 cable was almost $75.00. I bought 30' and used what I needed to wire the box and the element in the kettle, make the dongles, and the leftover became my power cord.

I just wanted to chime in and say "THANKS" to gunner65 & P-J for not only this thread but the many others I have read to gather more information and understanding. HBT forums :rockin: on many subjects. I lurk alot and learn. Cheers

Todd,

If you get the chance, please post a photo or two of the dongles exiting the rear of your controller box. Also, what connectors did you use?

Thanks,
Keith

I would enjoy a few more pictures to if possible. This is pretty much the way I am leaning for my future brewing plans.

BOBrob said:

I just wanted to chime in and say "THANKS" to gunner65 & P-J for not only this thread but the many others I have read to gather more information and understanding. HBT forums :rockin: on many subjects. I lurk alot and learn. Cheers

Click to expand...

I would like to say I appreciate that but I am no inventor I just followed the footsteps of many great thinkers here. If I were going to lay out my list of folks to thank it would be Scuba_Steve, The Pol, and Bobby_M they were the most influential in my design. So I was walking through harbour freight when I was contemplating my brew stand and found the cart thats about all the originality I bring to this. I amy have been one of the first to complete a single vessel all electric but that is because most designs were far more complex than mine and original to so I can take no credit for any of that.

As requested.....

dongles: 120V/15A and 240V/30A. The other heavy one is the 20' power cord and of course the little one is the RTD harness:




dongles plugged into the pump and kettle element:

gunner65 said:

I would like to say I appreciate that but I am no inventor I just followed the footsteps of many great thinkers here. If I were going to lay out my list of folks to thank it would be Scuba_Steve, The Pol, and Bobby_M they were the most influential in my design. So I was walking through harbour freight when I was contemplating my brew stand and found the cart thats about all the originality I bring to this. I amy have been one of the first to complete a single vessel all electric but that is because most designs were far more complex than mine and original to so I can take no credit for any of that.

Click to expand...

I would like to thank all that have shown how they set up equipment. Thughes started this thread and I thank him for the show of how he is set up. Thanks again Cheers

Just punched 3 holes in my 62 qt. Bayou today! Those Greenlee punches are amazing tools... Fittings are in and doing a water-tight test now and a boil test later tonight. I can't really brew until I get an electrician to run a new 240 for me though as the current dryer one I'm testing on is not in a conducive place, nor GFCI'd. Thanks thughes (and many others) for the inspiration.

Update: I don't recirc any more once I have mashed in and stabilized temp; had a couple of burned batches. Best I can figure, the pump was drawing faster than the wort was flowing through the grain bed (even though it was cranked down to a mere trickle) causing some cavitation under the basket resulting in an air pocket around the element allowing the wort to scorch. Now I simply heat to strike temp, dough in, circulate until temp stabilizes, stick the lid on, throw a blanket over it, and come back in 90 minutes. Normally don't lose more that 2 degrees over the 90 minute mash and haven't had a burnt batch since switching to this method.