I've been brewing for about 5 months now using propane, and a couple days ago I realized that there are 3 20A electrical sockets on separate circuits near my apt garage. So, the only logical thing to do is to build a fully automated electric brewery
At the bottom of the page you will see my preliminary plan in picture form. I am planning on using a BCS-460+expansion or BCS-462. It seems like the easiest option, but if something about my setup requires the brewtroller I'd be fine with switching.
I would be super grateful for any input on why this will or will not work, and how I can improve my plan to make it simpler or cheaper.
According to my picture the BCS will be connected to
5 1500 watt heating elements (1xHLT (own), 1xMLT, 3xBK)
2 Cheap Pumps (P38I on ebay, own 1)
1 Chugger pump (own)
3 Temp Probes
1 Sump Pump (own)
2 Solenoid Ball Valves
1 Float Valves (maybe an extra one or two for redundancy)
Goals
Automate everything except Dough-In, Transferring Wort to Carboy, and hop additions
Keep It Cheap
Can do hop rests
Very accurate, near perfect repeatability
Extended Goals
Self cleaning cycle
Step Mashing (not sure if 1500W element is gonna cut it)
Able to run two cycles at once (can begin second beer in mash tun while first beer is still in BK)
Brew Day Step by Step List:
1) Add initial water to MLT and HLT (calculated from beersmilt) abnd use elements to heat the water up to the correct temperature
2) Manually dough In
Begin BCS-460 program, every following step is now automated
3) Use RIMS tube to to raise mash temp and hold temp while recirculating wort though fly sparge (60 min)
4) Raise temp for mashout (20 min)
5) Open MLT Mechanical Ball Valve which will begin gravity draining the MLT
6) Turn on Pump 1 to begin fly sparging (60 min)
7) Pump one turns off once water level reaches HLT float valve, ending fly sparge
8) HLT and MLT heating elements turn off, three BK heating elements now turn on
9) A half hour later the wort should all be transfered to the BK.
10) BCS-460 sends me a text message the wort is near boil and its time for hop addition
11) I add hops and press a button to begin boil program
12) I continue to get text messages when its time for hop additions
13) Chugger pump turns on near end of boil to sanitize plate chiller and beigin whirlpooling
14) Boil is complete, elements turn off
15) Garden hose solenoid opens, sending water through plate chiller
16) Garden hose solenoid closes at 180 degrees for hop rest for 20 minutes
17) Garden hose solenoid opens again
18) At 70ish degrees garden hose turns off and I transfer wort to carboy
Purchase List
BCS-462
8 Relay Module,Board, for 8051, PIC Project, 12V
DC 12V Electric Mini Water Pump 103 GPH (P-38I)
Stainless Float Valve
1/2" MPT 4" long BCS-460/462 Temperature Sensor
18" Rims Tube Kit
Plate chiller with wingnuts and inline probe assembly
1/2'' SS304 Valve--12V Motorized Valve TFCWX CR02 NPT
Packard C240B Packard Contactor 2 Pole 40 Amps 120 Coil Voltage
Update 11/21/13 - Added schematics, added purchase list
At the bottom of the page you will see my preliminary plan in picture form. I am planning on using a BCS-460+expansion or BCS-462. It seems like the easiest option, but if something about my setup requires the brewtroller I'd be fine with switching.
I would be super grateful for any input on why this will or will not work, and how I can improve my plan to make it simpler or cheaper.
According to my picture the BCS will be connected to
5 1500 watt heating elements (1xHLT (own), 1xMLT, 3xBK)
2 Cheap Pumps (P38I on ebay, own 1)
1 Chugger pump (own)
3 Temp Probes
1 Sump Pump (own)
2 Solenoid Ball Valves
1 Float Valves (maybe an extra one or two for redundancy)
Goals
Automate everything except Dough-In, Transferring Wort to Carboy, and hop additions
Keep It Cheap
Can do hop rests
Very accurate, near perfect repeatability
Extended Goals
Self cleaning cycle
Step Mashing (not sure if 1500W element is gonna cut it)
Able to run two cycles at once (can begin second beer in mash tun while first beer is still in BK)
Brew Day Step by Step List:
1) Add initial water to MLT and HLT (calculated from beersmilt) abnd use elements to heat the water up to the correct temperature
2) Manually dough In
Begin BCS-460 program, every following step is now automated
3) Use RIMS tube to to raise mash temp and hold temp while recirculating wort though fly sparge (60 min)
4) Raise temp for mashout (20 min)
5) Open MLT Mechanical Ball Valve which will begin gravity draining the MLT
6) Turn on Pump 1 to begin fly sparging (60 min)
7) Pump one turns off once water level reaches HLT float valve, ending fly sparge
8) HLT and MLT heating elements turn off, three BK heating elements now turn on
9) A half hour later the wort should all be transfered to the BK.
10) BCS-460 sends me a text message the wort is near boil and its time for hop addition
11) I add hops and press a button to begin boil program
12) I continue to get text messages when its time for hop additions
13) Chugger pump turns on near end of boil to sanitize plate chiller and beigin whirlpooling
14) Boil is complete, elements turn off
15) Garden hose solenoid opens, sending water through plate chiller
16) Garden hose solenoid closes at 180 degrees for hop rest for 20 minutes
17) Garden hose solenoid opens again
18) At 70ish degrees garden hose turns off and I transfer wort to carboy
Purchase List
BCS-462
8 Relay Module,Board, for 8051, PIC Project, 12V
DC 12V Electric Mini Water Pump 103 GPH (P-38I)
Stainless Float Valve
1/2" MPT 4" long BCS-460/462 Temperature Sensor
18" Rims Tube Kit
Plate chiller with wingnuts and inline probe assembly
1/2'' SS304 Valve--12V Motorized Valve TFCWX CR02 NPT
Packard C240B Packard Contactor 2 Pole 40 Amps 120 Coil Voltage
Update 11/21/13 - Added schematics, added purchase list
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