I have been toying with the idea of moving into the electric route on my mash tun and have read several threads and articles on the likes. I am still not ready to put my mash directly on a heater element that will do nothing but get gunked-over over time. However, I was headed in this direction if I couldn't find anything better and was planning on building a mash stirrer and just "knowing" I was going to be replacing water heating elements when they looked the least bit grungy (cause thats just how I roll, lol). Since I "need" a mash stirrer to get the temperature stable anyway, I thought to myself, "Why not use rigid copper tubing, and standard copper fittings to make the mixer? Why not solder copper paddles to the framework and why not drop a element down inside the now finished mash stirrer and control it with a Ranco ETC and a PWM circuit ran to a SSR to control the temp?" After asking these questions and wanting to know more about something I know nothing about I start this thread to hopefully learn more and get an idea or three.
First off, control I don't think is a problem. I am more worried about what kind of element to use. I know I can't use the standard water heater element because it would be heating air inside the copper tubing and most aren't happy with a dry firing, not to mention the tubing would have to be large diameter 1" or more. I started thinking about a cartridge heater like Mcmaster-Carr carries or similar. I would think this would be the best bet for this style of application, but I don't know. Here's where you guys and those huge brains come in. My design for the mixer leaves me with a hollow rigid tubing coming out of the top of a mash tun lid I will make directly in the center. I am putting the lid opening just off center and cutting it so when open it will miss the gear I plan on attaching to the end of the copper tube. I figure with a motor even more offset of center and it being chain driven around the stirrer gear this will give me a little more lid room than attaching everything right on top of the copper tube shaft. Well since I have a open tube, why not drop in a heating element (cartridge type- small diameter 1/2" or less and as long as I need one 6-10") and kill two birds with one stone. At first the idea sounded like a lot of parts. I wasn't thinking about how the element wouldn't need a turntable connection since it is so much smaller than the copper tubing I would use for the stirrer shaft, and how it would just spin inside giving off its heat. I have no idea what wattage heater I would need, or if I would have to get one with protected leads etc to get me from the element to the top of the stirrer shaft, or if there is a better idea out there I haven't heard yet. My thinking was the all-copper construction of the mixer would be great for heat transfer from the element and I am not worried about scorching after hearing everyone that uses elements in direct contact of their mash tun's contents. So.... after saying all of this, I really hope this becomes a long thread of great ideas. I just think the simplicity of the system after everything is built would be great having everything in the lid. Rev up and spit me some knowledge people.:rockin:
I love to brew, and like the hands on of hot water step infusion or single infusion, but man what I wouldn't give for a "Ronco, set it and forget it" mash tun, lol.
First off, control I don't think is a problem. I am more worried about what kind of element to use. I know I can't use the standard water heater element because it would be heating air inside the copper tubing and most aren't happy with a dry firing, not to mention the tubing would have to be large diameter 1" or more. I started thinking about a cartridge heater like Mcmaster-Carr carries or similar. I would think this would be the best bet for this style of application, but I don't know. Here's where you guys and those huge brains come in. My design for the mixer leaves me with a hollow rigid tubing coming out of the top of a mash tun lid I will make directly in the center. I am putting the lid opening just off center and cutting it so when open it will miss the gear I plan on attaching to the end of the copper tube. I figure with a motor even more offset of center and it being chain driven around the stirrer gear this will give me a little more lid room than attaching everything right on top of the copper tube shaft. Well since I have a open tube, why not drop in a heating element (cartridge type- small diameter 1/2" or less and as long as I need one 6-10") and kill two birds with one stone. At first the idea sounded like a lot of parts. I wasn't thinking about how the element wouldn't need a turntable connection since it is so much smaller than the copper tubing I would use for the stirrer shaft, and how it would just spin inside giving off its heat. I have no idea what wattage heater I would need, or if I would have to get one with protected leads etc to get me from the element to the top of the stirrer shaft, or if there is a better idea out there I haven't heard yet. My thinking was the all-copper construction of the mixer would be great for heat transfer from the element and I am not worried about scorching after hearing everyone that uses elements in direct contact of their mash tun's contents. So.... after saying all of this, I really hope this becomes a long thread of great ideas. I just think the simplicity of the system after everything is built would be great having everything in the lid. Rev up and spit me some knowledge people.:rockin:
I love to brew, and like the hands on of hot water step infusion or single infusion, but man what I wouldn't give for a "Ronco, set it and forget it" mash tun, lol.