Finally, hot water through the magic of electricity!!

[Fly_Rodder]

When I first started this home brewing hobby about a year ago, I realized the pains of kitchen brewing almost immediately. The small pot (not enough clearance on the stove for anything big), chilling wort (first purchase after the first batch was an IC), bottling (first project was a keezer), and the limits of extract brewing.

The more I read about homebrewing, the more I wanted to have a dedicated space. It's cold in NY, so I wanted it inside. Propane inside is loud, expensive, and dangerous. Plus you have to monitor how much propane you have on hand. Etc. it wasn't long after I wondered if brewing electrically was feasible that I stumbled on HB Talk and eventually Kal's system. I then figured that was the way to go for what I wanted to accomplish, but I didn't want to spend that amount of money on a hobby I had just picked up. But I also didn't want to spend money for a system to tide me over but wouldn't lead me towards one similar to Kal's.

So after fiddling when I could and after an absolute ton of help from the members here (Kal, PJ, Psych, Johnodon, Aubiecat, and Walker), I finally finished up my two vessel & grant e-system. Eventually it'll be expanded, but for now it's everything I need.

Many many thanks to everyone on this forum for ideas, tutorials, diagrams, and parts.

Beer next weekend!

 

[l3asturd]

Great job! Looking forward to taste testing! Haha

 

[aubiecat]

Thanks for the shout out! I am glad I could help in any small way I could.
Glad to have another e-brewing brother added to the clan.
Automation has made brewing so much easier and you have much more control over every aspect of the brewing process.
I like the bars on the side of your CP. I'm thinking about adding them to mine.

 

[Fly_Rodder]

Thanks for the shout out! I am glad I could help in any small way I could.
Glad to have another e-brewing brother added to the clan.
Automation has made brewing so much easier and you have much more control over every aspect of the brewing process.
I like the bars on the side of your CP. I'm thinking about adding them to mine.

They add bling, but because I have the CP on the table for now, they make it easier to move - just grab and go. They're 9" drawer pulls, but at least for the ones I picked up HD, the standard bolts are waaay too long for the plastic box. I ended up using some shorter ones out of my box o' bolts.

Your wiring photos helped a ton.

 

[iijakii]

Awesome. I heated water with electrons last week and it was the most exciting moment in recent memory!

 

[BeerguyNC61]

Awesome setup! The brew stand looks nice. Care to share the plans on the stand if you have any?

Thanks

 

[Fly_Rodder]

Awesome setup! The brew stand looks nice. Care to share the plans on the stand if you have any?

Thanks

That's almost exactly the same as Kal's on the electric brewery. I just used 1x2s with a 1/2" spacing for the slatted top.

 

[kpr121]

Very cool and simple build. Looks like you have plenty of room to expand too! One question, and its only because I dont see it in the pictures: How are you handling GFCI protection? I assume this is a 220v build?

Awesome. I heated water with electrons last week and it was the most exciting moment in recent memory!

Sounds like someone needs a woman in their life.... or at least a trip to the boneyard! :rockin:

 

[Fly_Rodder]

Very cool and simple build. Looks like you have plenty of room to expand too! One question, and its only because I dont see it in the pictures: How are you handling GFCI protection? I assume this is a 220v build?

Plenty of room. Its built to expand to a second pump and cooler for a HLT maybe. If/when i go for the full-on HERMs, I'll redo the panel, but thats a while down the road once the wallet recovers. Right now I'll just batch sparge to a grant.

As for GFCI, I relocated my existing but unused 220/30 dryer line a few feet and mounted a spa panel above and to the left of the stand. The spa panel plugs into the dryer outlet and a dongle with a twist lock connector hangs down a bit. The CP plugs to the connector.