Help a noob design my first AG set up

Hi guys, I'v been brewing partial for quite a while now and have helped a local guy with several AG batches. I am now about to begin building my own set up. I have a few things Im already set on and the rest is up in the air.
1. I'm sticking with electric, no ng here but I have plenty of 220
2. for now it will have to be compact and easily mobile. Being a college student in an apartment the set up will stay at my dads house and he wants it to be able to be put away and not take up much space.
3. I currently have 2 stainless kegs to work with and will probably stick with that for now. I dont like the idea of having any plastic in my set up.

Right now I am thinking one keg for an mlt, spout on the bottom with a 5500w uld element controlled by a PID. Preheat the water in it add the grain and let the element maintain temp. I have a 16 qt pot so I would heat that on the stove for sparge water. Then either turn the other keg into a Bk??? or just drain into it, remove the grain and put the mash back into the mlt and use that as a boil kettle?? I want to build a full 3 tier set up someday when I am done with school and get my own place but this will have to do for now. My dad was thinking instead of a water element mount a stove spiral element to the bottom of the keg for heat. I'v never seen it done so Im not sure if that would work or be efficient.

Any ideas, comments, experiences are really appreciated.

thanks guys

I just came across this thread today and it sounds like you should talk to these guys!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/brutus-20e-build-61699/

I think, and this is my own opinion that the stove element under the keggke would be dangerous and inefficient. Do you have a 220V 30Amp line in your apartment? It sounds as if your idea would work with the element mounted in the kettle as long as it is a low density element so you don't scortch the wort. You could dial up the strike water temp with your PID, when at strike temperature add the grains and control your mash temperature. Have a false bottom in your MLT and heat your sparge water on your stove. Buy a second element for your other keggle and use it as a boil kettle. You don't need another PID for that. Should work just fine. Sweet little setup.

The set up will stay at my dads house for the time being, plenty of 220 30a breakers to use. I doubt there are any open breakers at the apartment. Im not sure how the stove element on the bottom would work out, I figured it would be more efficient to heat the wort than the bottom of the keg. I was concerned because most people have a hlt in their set up which seams like one more step that could be skipped almost as easily.

GC89 said:

The set up will stay at my dads house for the time being, plenty of 220 30a breakers to use. I doubt there are any open breakers at the apartment. Im not sure how the stove element on the bottom would work out, I figured it would be more efficient to heat the wort than the bottom of the keg. I was concerned because most people have a hlt in their set up which seams like one more step that could be skipped almost as easily.

Click to expand...

It is very difficult not to have three vessels because you have to heat the sparge water somewhere.

GC89 said:

I have a 16 qt pot so I would heat that on the stove for sparge water.

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Even in your setup you will need a third vessel (in essence a HLT) to heat the Sparge Water.

makes sense, I guess I figured there was more of a reason that most people used an hlt instead of an element in the mlt. So what about PIDs any suggestions? Im looking to keep this relatively inexpensive but I want one that will do what its supposed to and last. Also the only thing Im not big on about elements is the grounding, in theory it will be the path of least resistance but not safe enough. I was planning on installing a GFCI but is that enough protection? As for elements what do you think is needed, I was thinking 5500w uld for the mlt because I will be heating the primary mash water in it. What about for a boil kettle another 5500w would be nice but is it needed and what are my options for a simple controller?

Lots of good info...take some time and start reading

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/bling-bling-electric-herms-conversion-93217/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/elec-herms-wiring-diagram-93614/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/switching-power-between-elements-pids-possible-109153/index2.html#post1204292

I actually just looked at the pols Herms conversion, I think I will go with this PID a 40a SSR and the basic thermocouple.

The thing Im trying to figure out now is false bottom and element placement. I am thinking for now I will find a very large bag to hold the grain. This is if I would find one large enough to allow the grain to spread out and be stirred easily. I would like to do a false bottom in the future. I would think the element will have to be placed as low as possible and below the false bottom and grain bed to evenly distribute the heat and prevent temperature layering. Since the false wont be able to sit right on the bottom I dont know how to design it so it will actually do its job. Any ideas? Iv read alot about peoples herms designs but most use and hlt so I havent found anything that addresses these issues. Are my assumptions wrong? Or maybe would I be better off going with a HLT/BK and a MLT?

I'll definitely get to ready on those other links, Appreciate all the help

The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards building a HLT/BK and MLT. So I would heat the strike water add it to the mlt add more water as needed to maintain temp. Then heat my sparge water, drain it into my 16qt pot empty the mlt into the HLT sparge from the 16qt pot and then the HLT becomes the BK and done. Any imput?

Built a guide for the grinder today so I will be cutting the tops off tomorrow and going from there but Im still a little on the fence as to what will work out the best.