A Couple Q's re: Stir Plates from a First Time User

[Evan!]

I got my eBay stirplate in the mail today. I've seen them in action but never used one before. This one came with a little stir bar, maybe 1" long...in profile, it's octagonal, and in the middle, it has a little protruding ring which raises it off the surface a little bit as it spins.

At the same time, I have a 2" stir bar that I got from AHS awhile ago, anticipating getting a stirplate soon. That one is square in section, and has no protruding ring. I don't have a flask yet, so I tested it out using gallon glass juice jugs that have a very slight convex bottom. The little 1" octagonal one works fine at full speed; however, the 2" bar gets thrown every time before I can reach full speed.

My question is two-fold: first off, I don't really need the big 2" bar, do I? I mean, I got a pretty good little vortex going with the 1" bar. Second, if I were to get a flask, would the flat bottom help the 2" bar from getting thrown? I mean, aside from the obvious advantage of being able to boil the starter wort directly in the flask, I'm fine with these jugs. Plus, I always make big 2000mL starters, which, as far as I've seen, is the size of the biggest flasks (without spending an arm and a leg), which means that I'd have to lighten up my starter volumes to account for starter krausen...or...do you not even get a krausen with stirplates because of the vortex???

 

[findthefish]

The 1" bar should be fine. A flask might help, due to the shape and weight of the 2" bar, but really the 1" bar is all you need.

I never really get much krausen due to the constant stirring.

 

[Desert_Sky]

2" might work for a 2000ml flask if you should go that route. I use a 1000ml and the 1" bar works very well for that situation

 

[BrewSapiens]

I believe that the flat bottom on the flask will help the larger/squarish stir bar. If the 1" is working than the longer one isn't really needed. With a stir plate you don't get much krausen.

P.S. I've heared that you can roll a corny dip tube o-ring halfway down on a stir bar to give it a pivot point.

 

[Revvy]

I don't seem toget krausens unless I turn off the stirplate.

 

[Evan!]

Thanks...suspicions all confirmed.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I don't seem toget krausens unless I turn off the stirplate.

Which is why you need to keep an eye on the speed and use the correct length stirbar. Ive had the bar slip off center in the middle of the night a few times only to wake up and see the krausen coming down the outsides of the flask

 

[PseudoChef]

Welcome to the club. Stirplates are so friggin' awesome.

 

[Evan!]

Welcome to the club. Stirplates are so friggin' awesome.

I'm psyched :rockin:

 

[da5idzero]

I just found a will scientific "dyla dual" stirplate/hotplate combo for eight bucks at a recycle center. I dont quite know what to do with it yet. The magnet stops spinning if it gets too hot ( it looks old) but i have other heat sources the $8 stir plate couldn't be passed up, though. Is the stir bar also magnetic, or is it just steel? I am starting to amass a lot of all grain equip. after doing it for a while, and yeast starters are something I definitely want to start playing with.

Thanks for letting me jump my questions in on this thread!

 

[Evan!]

I just found a will scientific "dyla dual" stirplate/hotplate combo for eight bucks at a recycle center. I dont quite know what to do with it yet. The magnet stops spinning if it gets too hot ( it looks old) but i have other heat sources the $8 stir plate couldn't be passed up, though. Is the stir bar also magnetic, or is it just steel? I am starting to amass a lot of all grain equip. after doing it for a while, and yeast starters are something I definitely want to start playing with.

Thanks for letting me jump my questions in on this thread!

Well, you shouldn't need the heating element, so I wouldn't worry about that. The stirbars are magnetic too, and coated with foodgrade silicone so you can boil them with the starter wort to sanitize them.

 

[findthefish]

Well, you shouldn't need the heating element, so I wouldn't worry about that. The stirbars are magnetic too, and coated with foodgrade silicone so you can boil them with the starter wort to sanitize them.

Most of the stir bars are coated in PTFE (Teflon), and some are glass. I haven't seen any coated in silicone before.

 

[Evan!]

Most of the stir bars are coated in PTFE (Teflon), and some are glass. I haven't seen any coated in silicone before.

That's what I meant, teflon, not silicone. Time for another pint of Blonde...

 

[findthefish]

That's what I meant, teflon, not silicone. Time for another pint of Blonde...

Yum, save some for me

 

[Evan!]

Yum, save some for me

It's delish! Just 2-row, aromatic, willamette and amarillo. bad. ass.

 

[da5idzero]

Thanks for that, Evan. I thought of trying a steel bolt, or something just to try it out, but I will get the right part when the actual starter happens.
P.S. Happy Birthday! Mine is the 2nd. ( I just checked your profile). Is that why the new stirplate? At any rate, have fun, and keep us posted on the progress.

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

You could also try one of these:

http://www.espchemicals.com/product...ion=10&Category_ID2=149&CategoryDescription=0


Or:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-x-1-4-TRIANGU...ryZ119121QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem?refid=store

 

[devils4ever]

I built my own stirplate with a computer fan and strong magnets. I use a small (1") bar and can get nice vortex going easily. The trick is to not run the thing too fast or you'll throw off the bar. I don't think you need much speed to get decent aeration. I don't get much sediment or foam unless I turn it off and let things settle down for a while.

 

[Bytor1100]

I got my eBay stirplate in the mail today. I've seen them in action but never used one before. This one came with a little stir bar, maybe 1" long...in profile, it's octagonal, and in the middle, it has a little protruding ring which raises it off the surface a little bit as it spins.

At the same time, I have a 2" stir bar that I got from AHS awhile ago, anticipating getting a stirplate soon. That one is square in section, and has no protruding ring. I don't have a flask yet, so I tested it out using gallon glass juice jugs that have a very slight convex bottom. The little 1" octagonal one works fine at full speed; however, the 2" bar gets thrown every time before I can reach full speed.

My question is two-fold: first off, I don't really need the big 2" bar, do I? I mean, I got a pretty good little vortex going with the 1" bar. Second, if I were to get a flask, would the flat bottom help the 2" bar from getting thrown? I mean, aside from the obvious advantage of being able to boil the starter wort directly in the flask, I'm fine with these jugs. Plus, I always make big 2000mL starters, which, as far as I've seen, is the size of the biggest flasks (without spending an arm and a leg), which means that I'd have to lighten up my starter volumes to account for starter krausen...or...do you not even get a krausen with stirplates because of the vortex???

Also, my 2" bar dosen't seem to be centered magnetically. My 1", and 1.5" bars spin perfectly. But when I put the 2" one on the plate, it sticks to the magnets off center, so as it spins it gets thrown. I noticed this because I started out with the 2" one and had to off center the magnet on my stir plate. When my new bars showed up, none of them work. I just don't use the 2" one anymore.

 

[Seawolf]

Not a fan of the 2" stir bar. I threw mine every time I turned the stir plate on. I switched to a 1" and it works great. Btw, I have a flat bottomed 2000ml flask.

cheers!

 

[Alemental]

Also, my 2" bar dosen't seem to be centered magnetically. My 1", and 1.5" bars spin perfectly. But when I put the 2" one on the plate, it sticks to the magnets off center, so as it spins it gets thrown. I noticed this because I started out with the 2" one and had to off center the magnet on my stir plate. When my new bars showed up, none of them work. I just don't use the 2" one anymore.

Yep, I went the same route with a longer stir bar. It got tossed alla the time. The conclusion I've reached is that if the stir bar is longer than the magnet in the stir plate, it will never center properly. One end will catch the stir plate magnet and just stick, making it unbalanced. You are far better off with a bar that is too short rather than one that is too long.

 

[Seawolf]

Yep, I went the same route with a longer stir bar. It got tossed alla the time. The conclusion I've reached is that if the stir bar is longer than the magnet in the stir plate, it will never center properly. One end will catch the stir plate magnet and just stick, making it unbalanced. You are far better off with a bar that is too short rather than one that is too long.

Where was this thread when I was shopping for stir bars!?!?

 

[DutchK9]

I would have to get my 2" stir bar on it perfectly and start the fan slow or it would throw the bar. When it did spin though, it worked like a champ.
I just bought a 1" bar, and plan on trying it on the next batch.

As far a the krausen, I am not expert by any means. I have only done two liquid starters with my stirrer. The first was a WYeast 1056 and with it spinning, it had krausen so big it was oozing out of the airlock in my 1000ml flask.

The other was a WYeast 3068 and it made no krausen at all. I thought I screwed something up but Revvy calmed my fears and was correct. Fermentation started in my primary about 3 hrs after pitching that yeast.