RIMS or HERMS heat control question.

EDIT: Sorry I don't think I explained my question well.

What I'm trying to understand is, for those of you using RIMS or Herms how are you regulating your heat? I'd ultimately like to do it electronicly. the only way I know of would be to use a shut off valve in the gas line. Is there some other method? I think in order to do this I would need a pilot light, right?

Maybe all this is not really needed I don't know, I'm planning to start getting some supplies and I'd like to get parts that will work with future plans.

Any thoughts?

RIMS usually include an electic heating element and pump that can be controlled with a thermostat/controller. I had a set up once that utilized a copper coil in my hot liquor tank and used a pump with a controller that had it probe in my mash. It worked well and utilized my regular gear.

If you are going to regulate your gas you will need either a pilot or an electronic ignitor.

I am in the prossess of building an AG system that will be able to be RIMS.I am using 2 4500watt electric elements in my HLT and a temp control much like the Johnson Controls. I havent fired it up yet but its based off a friends system and he loved the control.
JJ

jaybird said:

I am in the prossess of building an AG system that will be able to be RIMS.I am using 2 4500watt electric elements in my HLT and a temp control much like the Johnson Controls. I havent fired it up yet but its based off a friends system and he loved the control.
JJ

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That is what I am talking about! Now I am the last one to be saying this, but with the modified grains we have, why worry about any of this?

Just a question for debate and to stir things up. A juicy bone tossed into the pack...

Brewpastor said:

That is what I am talking about! Now I am the last one to be saying this, but with the modified grains we have, why worry about any of this?

Just a question for debate and to stir things up. A juicy bone tossed into the pack...

Click to expand...

Do you mean why worry about RIMS? That is what I'd like to know. Is there any need to get this crazy?

I'm currently using a cooler and seems to be working fine. Should I just stick with that?

I recirculate through a home made heat exchanger. I have a 2.4kw electric element, at the bottom of the heat exchanger, controlled by a PID controller and I measure the temperature at the output with a thermo couple. It copes with my 10 imperial gallon system admirably.



/Phil.

Todd said:

Do you mean why worry about RIMS? That is what I'd like to know. Is there any need to get this crazy?

I'm currently using a cooler and seems to be working fine. Should I just stick with that?

Click to expand...

I think that it is great fun and really interesting to play with equipment and gadget for brewing. Some are time savers, others really improve the beer and the process and others give you a higher degree of control. IMHO I believe that single temperature/single step infusion mashes can make great beer all day long NEARLY across the spectrum of beers. You don't need anything like the craziness I have to brew absolutely amazing beers. A three vessel, infusion set-up is all you will ever need. If you want to take that and go from there, well, welcome to the club of the addicted. "Hi, my name is Brewpastor and I'm a gear-aholic..."

-rant complete-

PS - seveneer, cool toy!

Brewpastor said:

I think that it is great fun and really interesting to play with equipment and gadget for brewing. Some are time savers, others really improve the beer and the process and others give you a higher degree of control. IMHO I believe that single temperature/single step infusion mashes can make great beer all day long NEARLY across the spectrum of beers. You don't need anything like the craziness I have to brew absolutely amazing beers. A three vessel, infusion set-up is all you will ever need. If you want to take that and go from there, well, welcome to the club of the addicted. "Hi, my name is Brewpastor and I'm a gear-aholic..."

-rant complete-

PS - seveneer, cool toy!

Click to expand...

Thanks for that, it is easy to get caught up in all the toys and what you really need.

I'm planning a HERMS rig right now because I've got a couple kegs to work with. Do I NEED it? no way. I make great beer with a cooler/manifold/turkey fryer in an apartment kitchen. Do I WANT it? oh hell yeah.

I think the main benefit will be recirculating the wort during the mash to help with clarity - if I recirculate in the cooler setup I have now, I inevitably lose some heat during the transfer. The HERMS (just an old 20' immersion chiller in a HLT keg kept at temp) will allow recirculating without losing heat - I'm not that concerned with using the HERMS to raise mash temps for different stages, although I'm sure I'll play around with that. Clearer wort isn't really very important - and there are other ways to get this too.

Main benefit - it's fun as hell. (And since I'm using such a simple setup for it, it'll be cheap too - no PIDs, control panels, etc.)

There is something alluring about a system where you can just pour the cold water into one vessel, pour the cracked grain into another vessel, then just sit back in your patio chair with a home brew in your hand ... and press the "Brew" button.