RIMS System

I thought I would share some pictures of my RIMS. I built it pretty much from scratch about three years ago. Like most projects, it has undergone some enhancements since then, but the basic design is the same.

The temperature controller uses a PID unit that makes step infusion mashes easy. You just enter the mash temperature setpoint and the controller does the rest. The PID unit controlls a solid state relay for switching the heater element on and off.
Every thing that is electrically powered runs through a Ground Fault Interrupter for added protection.

The heater unit is a 240 volt 4500 watt element that I operate on 120 volts which is supposed to reduce the likelyhood of scorching the wort. The heater is also interlocked to the March pump so that the heater will not come on unless the pump is running also, another safety precaution.

I control the flow recirculation rate with a simple throttling valve on the inlet to the MLT.

The Rubbermade MLT has been fitted with inlet and outlet plumbing and that can be quick-connected to the pump and heater panel for easy teardown, cleaning and storage. Electrical connections have connections in convienient locations for disassembly as well.

Probably the biggest initial problem was eliminating some plumbing leaks on the suction side of the pump that were allowing air to be drawn into the system when the pump was running.

My system uses a number of basic design elements that have floated around for a few years. Thanks to all the guys that did some of the initial design work.

It was a fun project and has produced some very good beers over the years.
Check out the slide show.

http://s200.photobucket.com/user/processhead/slideshow/RIMS And Electric Brewery Gear

Very nice setup!!

I like that. I was planning something similar but using steam instead of the 120 Vac heating unit.

I continue to be impressed with setups here. It's making it harder for me to determine what to upgrade to. What advantages do you think this has over a HERMS setup? What is the rest of your setup for preparing sparge water, boiling wort, and chilling? Is this for 5 gallon batches?

Do you have any links on details for this kind of setup? Do you have a list of parts (particularly the electronics, pump, temp sensors)? Schematics?

JeffNYC said:

I continue to be impressed with setups here. It's making it harder for me to determine what to upgrade to. What advantages do you think this has over a HERMS setup? What is the rest of your setup for preparing sparge water, boiling wort, and chilling? Is this for 5 gallon batches?

Do you have any links on details for this kind of setup? Do you have a list of parts (particularly the electronics, pump, temp sensors)? Schematics?

Click to expand...

For me, the advantage was my comfort level with the design and execution of electrical control equipment and some potential cost savings of having access to used electrical/electronic control components.

I think automation of the temperature control process may be a somewhat simpler for a RIMS.

Some of the discussion over the merits of HERMS vs. RIMS center around the potential to overheat the circulating wort in a RIMS system.

I think that for a properly designed system, wort scorching with a RIMS is not very likely to occur, at least in my own experience.

Both systems, when properly done, can both make excellent beers.

As far as the rest of my equipment, I am using a 1/2 barrel keggle for my HLT. I heat it with a propane burner set on my work bench so it can gravity feed while sparging into the MLT. I monitor my HLT temperature with a digital meat thermometer.

I use a simple copper tubing ring with holes drilled into it for sparging. A manual ball valve on my HLT regulates the sparge water flow rate. I am pretty happy with how it works.

The gray PVC outlet valve pictured on my MLT outlet is connected to a hose which directs the run-off into another 1/2 barrel keggle that sits on the floor (actually on a small dolly for mobility).

I do my boils on a second elevated propane burner. I have a conventional CFC that I built for chilling the wort. I gravity feed through the chiller into a waiting fermentor that in a previous life was a 1/4 barrel Sanke keg .

I am currently working the kinks out of an aerator system using an aquariuim stone and air pump.

One thing I really want to do soon is find away eliminate having lift that damn kettle full of wort up on to the burner. I am considering either a hoist or a transfer pump.

Funny how it never used to bother my back as much when I was just a young pup.

Nice system, PH.

Did you make your own false bottom ? If so, how ?

Thanks

brewman ! said:

Nice system, PH.

Did you make your own false bottom ? If so, how ?

Thanks

Click to expand...

The false bottom that I am using is a modification of a strainer that came with a piece of cookware that my wife was given.

In its original form, it was made of expanded SS screening that was too open to hold grain back. I added some fine mesh SS screen that I had to make it tight enough to serve as a proper false bottom.

The copper pick-up tube just slips through a hole in the side of the false bottom to connect to the outlet fitting of my MLT. The pick-up tube is also just a slip fit into the copper fitting on MLT outlet. Its a copper sweated fitting that is not soldered.

It works well for ease of disassembly and cleaning, yet it stays together and is tight enough to draw off the running from the last 1/4 " of the MLT bottom.

Thanks.

I want to make a custom SS false bottom for my rectangular coolers. That gave me some ideas.

Check out the slide show.

http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/...&current=RIMS.jpg&slideshow=paused&interval=4

Click to expand...

It looks like the slide show no longer works. Can you repost?

try this:

http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa97/processhead/RIMS/