Cheap motor for mash stirring

It doesn't get much better than this. I plan on using one when I get my system up and running again.

Actually, ice cream machine motors were my other avenue of approach. I couldn't find any for less than about $30.

I purchased a couple wiper motors for another project. They have an amazing amount of torque for the power input.

Hmm. I was thinking about this a while back. Would motors from a blender be any good?

ClutchDude said:

Would motors from a blender be any good?

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Not unless you're looking to make a smoothie out of your mash...

Blender motors are direct drive, high speed AC motors. Wiper motors are DC motors geared way down to a very low speed with high torque. Not even remotely the same.

You could probably find a wiper motor pretty easily at any local junkyard, and they'd probably let one go cheap, especially from an old/unpopular car.

Nice find, keep us updated on how well it works. I am going to need to get a motor pretty soon.

What about a motor for a rotisserie (however you spell it)? What kind of speed are you looking for in that application?

ClutchDude said:

Would motors from a blender be any good?

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A blender motor would be worthless, but perhaps you're thinking of a stand mixer? I actually looked for a broken Kitchenaid stand mixer on eBay and some online appliance parts stores. I think the top portion of one of those would be awesome!

sigmund said:

What about a motor for a rotisserie (however you spell it)? What kind of speed are you looking for in that application?

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This one has the opposite problem as a blender motor - it's way too slow, though the torque is probably more than adequate. I want something in the 20-50 RPM range. The wiper motor has two speeds, roughly 30 RPM and 50 RPM. The slower speed seems just about ideal, and several foot pounds of torque should be plenty.

I have used a rotisserie/spit motor for mash stirring. About 15 RPM. But here's the thing.
I put 4 paddles on it, so the effective RPM was higher. Given the huge torque, it worked fine and plugged straight into the wall, without need of DC. Problem was it was a bit noisy.
(I now recirculate to distribute heat, and don't have a PITA motor sitting on top of the tun.)

Yuri_Rage said:

It doesn't get much better than this. I plan on using one when I get my system up and running again.

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I have been using a car wiper motor for awhile now and it works great I dont know the RPM's but it does turn nice and slow.

Yuri_Rage said:

Actually, ice cream machine motors were my other avenue of approach. I couldn't find any less than about $30.

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Yard sales. I've seen so many ice cream makers at yard sales it's amazing. I paid $1 for mine last summer. Still haven't used it yet though.

What sort of current draw do these wiper motors have? >5A under load? I suppose a cheap PC PSU could run one just fine, but if you don't already have one you'll have to factor in the cost of the power supply if you're going with a DC motor, which could put the cost on par with an ice cream maker. Yuri probably already has a box full of old power supplies of all sorts, though.

I'd check a local Auto Salvage yard before i'd buy a wiper motor off the net. I have to think they'd be cheaper there.

The idea is intriguing at the least. And early on, I had considered devising such a device but now I just don't see the point. Of course, I graduated myself to a direct fire tun and re-circulate the wort through the grain, some time ago. Which is essentially, enzymatically, the same thing.

I got mine for free from a Auto Salvage yard, I just ask them if they had any that didnt sell and had been on the shelf for to long and they gave me one. I use a 12v computer power supply to run mine, But I do have a good supply of them since I am a Computer tech at a School.

If I would've seen this about a month, I probably wouldn't have converted my IC to a CFC.

GilaMinumBeer said:

I'd check a local Auto Salvage yard before i'd buy a wiper motor off the net. I have to think they'd be cheaper there.

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Don't count on it. I've rarely had a positive experience at a junkyard. Most are rip-off artists. I have a passionate distaste for junkyards based on quite a bit of experience across several states and regions.

Anybody use automatic stirrers for decoction stirring? Something with an open frame rather than a sealed lid?

Thanks
KD

Does everybody who stir use steam, I know yuri does, and I have a ice cream maker and i'm debating on making it into a mash stirrer, cause i don't know if it will actually help

I'd like to incorperate the motor from an ice cream machine into my MLT. Any one who has accomplished this DIY Automated Mash Stiring pm me or post up what you have and learned. A local Brewery here gets a whopping 93% efficiany because of the mash rakes, I like to think we all could improve the efficiancy thru this teqnique.

Cheers

I was at goodwill the other day and saw at least 10 ice cream makers priced at about $3 each. It comes with an attachment for a paddle. I would suppose it would be easy to modify the paddle and make it longer. $10 could make the whole thing work.

I use these in another project and they've got some serious torque.

Burden Sales Surplus Center Item Detail

B

Well in hopes some one who has made a automated mash stiring device from a Ice Cream Maker motor see's this, I am interested in your DIY notes and expierence. I plan to use the old garage sale item in my 7 gallon MLT.

Sorry for high jacking this thread but this one is the same subject.

Cheers