Going electric and automating

[Monster Mash]

I've decided to use electricity to heat the HLT and MT to save money on propane and also I want to wake up in the morning and have everything heated so I don't have to wait.

So far I've built the control panel and got it mounted but since Im brewing this weekend I won't have the elements put in the pots and get 220v to my back patio until next weekend.

This is what I have so far.....

On the back side I used spa timers to turn on the heaters at set times....

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Wow, that's serious stuff there! Let me guess... EE?

 

[Monster Mash]

Nope, just an obsessed brewer...

 

[Fiery Sword]

Seinfeld quote:

I think I felt movement!!!!!! :rockin:

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Too cool monster man!

I work with computers, but I know I'm too retarded to even attempt something like that. In addition to the 3 burners, I'd have a 4th flame coming from the control panel.

 

[Orfy]

Not quite porn but nearly.

 

[mageac]

i was browsing through your yahoo! photo album and I must say you do have a very nice setup. did you make those brewpots and, if so, what are they made from?

 

[olllllo]

Allow me to save you some typing MM:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/search.php?searchid=286790

 

[aseelye]

MM, looking at the posts referenced in ollllllllllllllllllo's post, what do you use for a fermenter? Making a 25 gal batch would be cool, but filling 5 carboys with the same stuff would seem to be inefficient compared to a larger fermentor of sorts. Also, do you find your hop utilization to be any different at those larger levels than we do in the 5 gallon world?

 

[drost]

MM, that looks great!

Keep us informed on your status.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Wow. Just wow. Do you have automatic stirrers for the brew kettle too? That would be the cat's ass....

 

[Spyk'd]

You da monsta!



Like way nice. Good job.

 

[Monster Mash]

MM, looking at the posts referenced in ollllllllllllllllllo's post, what do you use for a fermenter? Making a 25 gal batch would be cool, but filling 5 carboys with the same stuff would seem to be inefficient compared to a larger fermentor of sorts. Also, do you find your hop utilization to be any different at those larger levels than we do in the 5 gallon world?

I took the pool filter housings and welded 3gal corny tops on them. I had to fabricate long dip tubes in order to transfer with Co2....

Here is a pic of transfering from primary to secondary, when finished I remove the primary and just push the secondary into the fridge.

 

[kladue]

MM,
Have you found longer temperature probes for the temperature switches or are you going to use the sensors supplied with the switches and fabricate your own thermowells.

 

[Kaiser]

MM,

I have been thinking about electic as well. What are you using to heat the mash and what are you using to boil the wort.

I have trouble finding something that would work for the boil w/o having a high heat density (like water heater heating elements have)

Kai

 

[Monster Mash]

I am making thermowells out of stainless tubing. The probes that come with the Love controllers are too big for corny dip tubes so I had to go buy new stainless tubing.

Im only going to use electric for the HLT and MT. It would take a lot of amps to get 28 gallons to boil and with the 30 amps the HLT and MT are pulling I would almost need a nuclear power plant to run this thing.....

 

[Kaiser]

Im only going to use electric for the HLT and MT. It would take a lot of amps to get 28 gallons to boil and with the 30 amps the HLT and MT are pulling I would almost need a nuclear power plant to run this thing.....

You are right. I'm looking into building only a 10gal electric brewery. Based on the calculations I did so far, the power supply shouldn't be the problem.

Kai