My (Re)Build Thread - Kal Clone-ish

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jcav said:
Way to go! Good patch job too on that leak. That's really unfortunate. You go through all that trouble, learned a new skill, went for it, did a great job and then oh crap I got a pin hole in the kettle wall.........:mad:



You should be proud, what a sense of accomplishment. I don't think I could pull that off on my Sabco kegs, so I am having the 2 inch ferrules welded this weekend.



John
Click to expand...


I am unabashedly doing this whole build as cheaply as I can, while still getting a nice system out of it. It's the same as my actual brewing philosophy: The fun is in the process. I don't mind doing the learning and the labor, it's a good way to kill the summer hours. Thanks for the kind words. :)
 
Uploading from my phone so the pics will just be at the end of the post. I built my C-HERMS coil yesterday. 25' of 3/8" ID copper tubing ($30 on Amazon) inside 3/4" PEX. Saved some money by digging through a box of copper fittings for the breakout design. Soldering isn't super pretty but it's alright. This will be a counterflow chiller and a counterflow HERMS coil.

I used cheap GatorBite push fittings to transition from the PEX to the copper so I could maximize the outer flow. $4.75 each or so. Any fittings that went inside the tubing were pretty tight around the copper coil (1/2" OD). I removed the plastic inserts for the same reason, the PEX seems strong enough without them. In retrospect I might have wanted to use 1" PEX but it only comes in larger lengths. As it is I got 50' of this stuff for $14 since they couldn't find the 25' rolls they said they had online.

There may be a few different configurations for the breakout plumbing but I just used what I had. A few pieces are FITTING reducers instead of normal, which means one end is pipe size, not coupling size. Saves on splices, but they also make tees with reduced ends. Using parts I had on hand I built the whole thing for $60 or so.

One other note: If anybody tries to do this, don't insert the copper into the push fitting until it's soldered onto the rest of the assembly or at least the tee and maybe a but more. You don't want to be soldering right next to the push fitting, it might melt something. I realized this after taking the first pictures above, but they're removable. It's just best to not keep refitting them, I gather. The only challenge is putting the whole assembly on, slipping it over the copper coil (tight fit) and getting it inserted into the fitting, without bending the coil or pushing it into the PEX. Not too bad, though.

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About done with the power wiring. I'm golfing today but I'm hoping to get the alarm and RTD circuits wired tomorrow. Need to install the XLR jacks, and I still have to order my power receptacles. Along with my element adapters. And elements. :) I got a great job offer so I might celebrate and just get pre-made element housing kits instead of building my own like I had planned.

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Nice and clean, interesting how you joined/spliced some of those wires that share the same run. Congrats on the new job, that's awesome!! Might as well splurge a little and get them pre-made like you wanted to!

Keep up the good work!

John
 
SilverZero said:
About done with the power wiring. I'm golfing today but I'm hoping to get the alarm and RTD circuits wired tomorrow. Need to install the XLR jacks, and I still have to order my power receptacles. Along with my element adapters. And elements. :) I got a great job offer so I might celebrate and just get pre-made element housing kits instead of building my own like I had planned.
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I do really like my element guards from Brewhardware, some people say they are flimsy and maybe they are compared to the others out there but its good enough for me and its much cheaper. The StillDragon are close in price but after you factor in buying the 2" gasket, 2" ferrule, and 2" clamp its not really that much cheaper.
 
The thing I like about the StillDragon element guards, is that you don't have to turn the cap and screw it in to assemble it. Therefore the wires aren't under as much stress as they will be twisted a little, even if you start with a one rotation counter clockwise turn before you install. You just clamp the end cap in position and your done. I could be wrong though just my two cents... Bobby has excellent products and he stands by them. I have bought several items from him including my stainless ripple elements. I ended up going with StillDragon element guards and they are very well built also for the money and are heavy metal and plenty strong. I already had the 2 inch ferrule welded to my vessel though...

John
 
I have a stilldragon housing as well. I love the clamp together assembly and also, not sure if others have it, the stilldragon has a drip notch at the end of the cap where the wire come out. I see other housings are made water tight but, what happens if a small leak occurs between the element and pot and leaks into the housing? How would you know?

As for it not coming with a gasket, it does come with one. The gasket it comes with is not for the wire side. The wire side is supposed to get assembled without a gasket otherwise it would block the drip hole.
 
jcav said:
Nice and clean, interesting how you joined/spliced some of those wires that share the same run. Congrats on the new job, that's awesome!! Might as well splurge a little and get them pre-made like you wanted to!

Keep up the good work!

John
Click to expand...

Yeah, I realized early on that most of these little connections can't share two terminal ends, so using the 2-to-1 butt splice connectors works out. Still a pain but hopefully they'll hold well. My dad has a case full of wire terminals and crimps so I'm not short of what I need.
 
dmcman73 said:
I have a stilldragon housing as well. I love the clamp together assembly and also, not sure if others have it, the stilldragon has a drip notch at the end of the cap where the wire come out. I see other housings are made water tight but, what happens if a small leak occurs between the element and pot and leaks into the housing? How would you know?

As for it not coming with a gasket, it does come with one. The gasket it comes with is not for the wire side. The wire side is supposed to get assembled without a gasket otherwise it would block the drip hole.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that? According to their website at the bottom in bold.
http://stilldragon.com/index.php/element-guard-kit.html

Does not include 2" Clamp & Gasket to connect to the ferrule.
Click to expand...

Which implies that the gasket is for the wire side.
 
The Stilldragon kit is nice. Liquid can still drain from the housing with the seal installed.
 
FuzzeWuzze said:
Are you sure about that? According to their website at the bottom in bold.
http://stilldragon.com/index.php/element-guard-kit.html



Which implies that the gasket is for the wire side.
Click to expand...

I bought it from the vendor on eBay. When I contacted them about it, they stated that the gasket was for the liquid side but it could be used on the wire side if I wanted to. They also added that if I use it on the wires side, to cut the gasket and create a notch where the drip hole is so it won't have a lip on it, the edge of the gasket extends up a bit blocking the drip hole just slightly.
 
dmcman73 said:
I bought it from the vendor on eBay. When I contacted them about it, they stated that the gasket was for the liquid side but it could be used on the wire side if I wanted to. They also added that if I use it on the wires side, to cut the gasket and create a notch where the drip hole is so it won't have a lip on it, the edge of the gasket extends up a bit blocking the drip hole just slightly.
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I kinda like that idea of cutting the gasket to create a notch, to line up with the notch on the back plate cover. Might have to use that one when I assemble mine. Thanks for the tip dmcman73!

John
 
jcav said:
I kinda like that idea of cutting the gasket to create a notch, to line up with the notch on the back plate cover. Might have to use that one when I assemble mine. Thanks for the tip dmcman73!

John
Click to expand...

Might be easier to assemble it uncut then use a xacto knife to trim it away from the notch.
 
Wiring is essentially finished. Just need to wire the SSRs but I'm waiting on a heatsink. I also put in my old Switchcraft receptacles because I still haven't ordered new ones. Lazy.

I ran a ground run to each XLR connector, which I realize was redundant since pin 1 is already ground, but it's already done.

I decided to hardwire the main power. I found the strain relief lying around so I just went for it. A lot of my crimp-on terminals for 10-gauge wire were slipping off, so I had to triple check them all as I installed them. Getting short runs of 10-gauge is hard, too, like where the contactors run to the outlets. I should have done a better job of just making them long and looping them inside. Also lazy.

At least the zip ties cleaned things up a bit. Hopefully I'll get the hestsink tomorrow and wire up the SSRs. Then I can power up the panel and see what I did wrong. :)

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Still waiting on the couplings for my kettles, but my heatsink, 2 triclamp element adapters, and a 2nd Chugger pump arrived. I installed and wired up the SSRs and I'm pretty sure that means the panel is done. :)

I also knocked out a simple thermowell for my Vittles Vault fermenter. Chrome-plated copper faucet riser, 20" so I can trim it to my preference. I just clamped the end closed in a bench vise, then I dropped a few drops of flux into the bottom followed by about 1/2" of silver solder. Torched it until it glowed and flowed, it seems to be totally sealed. Fits the BrewPi DS18B20 probe nicely.

I think I'm mostly done spending money on this project, too. That's pretty nice.

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It's probably hard to see from that angle. Hot leg comes in to the far right terminal and is jumpered to the same terminal on the left relay. (It's kinda coiled up once behind the jumper wire.) Then each relay has its own line down to the power cords for each element.

Because there is also a mechanical relay between each SSR and its corresponding outlet, even if both SSRs are closed (which they will be just by virtue of the settings for each one's PID) current will only flow through one, selected by a three-way switch.

Just like this:

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/control-panel-part-2?page=13

except I don't have a shunt so the one hot leg just goes straight to the SSRs.
 
Here's a start-to-finish of my boil kettle fitting attachments.

It all starts with a couple of pilot holes:

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My trusty sidekick, Drilliam Shatner. No, wait . . . Drill Ferrell! Drill Pullman? Drillian Michaels? I'm still working on it.

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Holes drilled out to 3/4" which is the full diameter of that step bit, so I just run it through. These Concord pots drill so easily. Took about 30 seconds per hole, including pauses to add more thread cutting oil.

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Dimpling tool made from a 1/2" bolt, a couple of 1/2" sockets (Craftsman, of course), and some washers and a nut:

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About two full turns of the wrench to get the dimple going without making the hole too large for the fitting:

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Just baaaaarely too tight to get the coupling threaded all the way through:

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I gave the assembly another half turn or so and it was perfect. To be continued . . . .
 
Once the hole was big enough to thread the coupling through I assembled the dimple tool again with the fitting in place of the smaller socket and pulled it through to seat it and pull the tiny bit just past the threads through. Half of them got a nice mechanical fit, the other half came out a bit loose. Oh, and I sanded and cleaned everything before this step so I'd know it was ready if it did seat well.

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Hey, this riding mower works way better than the sawhorses I was using for the ferrule soldering a few days back!

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This fitting was not a great mechanical fit, so I hung a long rod through it just to weigh it down and keep it straight while I heated and soldered. I wrapped each fitting with two wraps of silver solder before fluxing and heating. It also helped to tweak the position once the solder flowed but was still wet, so I could get everything straight.

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Here's the flow on the second fitting before and after cleaning off the roasted flux:

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I have about 2" of silver solder left from the $10 kit I got at Airgas, which means it was enough for two 2" ferrules and six couplings using a pretty generous amount on each, plus a tiny bit of touch-up work on the ferrule that leaked the first time. Plenty of flux left from the 0.5 oz. bottle.
 
Leak testing was a success on all three kettles! This isn't the final plumbing, just something to hold the water in. Sorry, California, I know that's a lot of water to be throwing around on a hobby. I guess if I was serious about water conservation I wouldn't be a home brewer. :eek:

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Did a quick sponge bath with some Oxiclean on all three vessels and put them back in the boxes. Next steps include fabricating element enclosures and a brew stand, and then getting cam locks and hoses. Most of that might not happen until I've moved into the new house early next month. I have a feeling I'm going to be short on free time after this week. Summer is ending and work starts up again soon!
 
Well, I really wanted to have my element enclosures built today, but I ordered the wrong part. Had to reorder and now it will be some time. I did get some TC end caps and drilled a couple of them for cord grips and grounding lugs. That was actually easy going with the drill press once I figured out how to secure the piece for torque. I didn't take any pictures but I'll put up a pic of the rig later.

I dry fit my element in the kettles for fun, too. They sit 4" up at the top of the element, which will require just over 4 gallons to cover. I'd never brew less than 5 anyway, and probably won't do less than 10-12 very often so it should be okay. But I do wish I'd mounted the ferrules lower (like at 2" instead of 3-1/2" on center). I think my rationale was to leave plenty of room for a false bottom or whatever, but at least in the HLT there's no need to have it mounted very high at all, especially using TC mounting hardware. If I was still using a junction box enclosure it might be useful to have it higher, but I'm not.

Let's see... what else? I ordered a dryer plug and cord to replace the SOOW I already have, because it's cheaper. Anybody need 6 feet of 10/4 SOOW?

I also got some bits and pieces for a more durable BrewPi box on order, so that's coming as well. I'm moving slowly because I know I'll be moving into the new house next week or the week after. I guess I could count up how many camlock fittings I'll need and start looking for deals on those. That and silicone tubing. I'll wait until I get paid and then get going that direction. Maybe I'll cut some copper and build a manifold for the mash tun. I might have all the pieces I need.

That's all for now!
 
Got my stainless spool tubing today so I cut it and assembled one element enclosure just to see about sizing. It's probably too long, I just used regular lead-free solder so I might take it apart and cut it down an inch or less. I figure I saved $30 or more making this myself (times 2) vs. the cheapest enclosure I could find pre-made. Plus DIY is so fun! I'll document the other one tomorrow.

Still not moved so I'm still not ready to test my panel. I'll order camlocks and hoses, and cut my element cords and finish that side of things tomorrow. I'll also show y'all the hunk of steel I'm planning to mangle for my brew station.

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I guess it wasn't as good as I thought. Adding up all the costs and dividing them up says $32.60 per for everything shown except the element itself. Stilldragon can do a pre-made version of this (which is what I copied) and ship it for $43.11 each. So I guess I saved $23 on the whole shebang doing it myself. Plus my own labor.
 
Where did you get those bushings/couplings that you soldered into the dimpled holes?
I have been looking for those but only see them coming from China on Ebay...
 
Mdsutton said:
SilverZero,
What wiring Diagram did you use?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I mostly just referred to Kal's info on theelectricbrewery.com and modified it as I saw fit. I had to improvise a little because I wasn't happy with trying to double up some terminals in some components and so forth. I'm comfortable enough with electricity that I can tell how things will work, but ask me again when I've actually powered it up for the first time. :)
 
brrman said:
Where did you get those bushings/couplings that you soldered into the dimpled holes?
I have been looking for those but only see them coming from China on Ebay...
Click to expand...

These aren't exactly the same, you couldn't pull them to dimple but they should solder in the same

http://www.brewershardware.com/Spec...1-2-Male-out-side-and-1-2-Female-inside..html

Actually because of it's flat lip middle wall instead of a sloped one like silverzero used, you might able to solder it to a pot without dimpling the pot, it should give you enough surface area?
 
FuzzeWuzze said:
These aren't exactly the same, you couldn't pull them to dimple but they should solder in the same

http://www.brewershardware.com/Spec...1-2-Male-out-side-and-1-2-Female-inside..html

Actually because of it's flat lip middle wall instead of a sloped one like silverzero used, you might able to solder it to a pot without dimpling the pot, it should give you enough surface area?
Click to expand...

That's what I would have done if I had found those before the shouldered ones I used. Dimpling is fun and gives you some freedom on hole size but it's an extra step and potential to screw it up. Flat to the wall gives good surface area (I'd think the curvature of the kettle is negligible at that size) but you'd have to be careful on the hole to get a good mechanical fit. Even so, half of mine were loose before soldering them anyway. That solder is pleasantly strong.

In other news, I shortened and resoldered the element enclosures down to 2", swapped the SOOW for a 4-prong dryer cord on my panel, and ordered my camlocks and barbs for the plumbing. I ordered high-flow female barbs for the movable hose ends and 3/4 barbs on 1/2 npt fittings for the ends that won't be moving around. Added a couple of tees and various pieces to get it all fitted properly. Doing barbs where possible shaved $30 or so, plus I'm leaning toward thermoplastic tubing. Still have to measure for that.
 
I'm not new to the soldering task - I soldered the flanges to my kettles for the elements. The rest of my setup is weldless, tho, so was thinking the dimpled ones might be easier to solder.

The BrewersHardware ones look great also - perhaps I will go with those.

I am also going to borrow your idea for the extra drain/priming valve after the pumps. Great thinking.
 
As long as you use flux it should pull through the front and solder that shoulder to the inside of your pot just fine with enough heat.
 
FuzzeWuzze said:
As long as you use flux it should pull through the front and solder that shoulder to the inside of your pot just fine with enough heat.
Click to expand...

And I'll remind anybody who cares that I got a $10 Radnor kit from AirGas that covered both 2" ferrules and 6 couplings plus a bit of touch-up work with about half a bottle of flux left over. I just got a 2nd kit to do the element enclosures. So you might be able to find some locally if you're impatient.
 
I've got two bombers of Hop Valley Alpha Centauri in me right now (best beer ever, by the way), so I decided to read through my own thread and take a trip down Memory Ln. It turns out I've broken a lot of promises along the way. I never showed you the frame I'm using for my brew stand, I still haven't closed on my new house (freaking underwriters, man), and I still haven't finished spending money on this project. Off the top of my head, I still need tubing, manifolds for the MT and BK, LocLine for the MT, and I still need to assemble a whirlpool/return arm for the BK. I don't think I'll be moved and assembled in time for a pumpkin ale this year, but I still hope to celebrate Christmas and the birth of my 4th little one with an EPIC CDA. ;)
 
SilverZero said:
I've got two bombers of Hop Valley Alpha Centauri in me right now (best beer ever, by the way), so I decided to read through my own thread and take a trip down Memory Ln. It turns out I've broken a lot of promises along the way. I never showed you the frame I'm using for my brew stand, I still haven't closed on my new house (freaking underwriters, man), and I still haven't finished spending money on this project. Off the top of my head, I still need tubing, manifolds for the MT and BK, LocLine for the MT, and I still need to assemble a whirlpool/return arm for the BK. I don't think I'll be moved and assembled in time for a pumpkin ale this year, but I still hope to celebrate Christmas and the birth of my 4th little one with an EPIC CDA. ;)
Click to expand...

Ha I got a corny keg of hop valley citrus mistress from our house warming party this last weekend. Feels weird not having my own on tap but works :)
 

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