My Weldless Electric HERMS build

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Sorry I had to remove the coil to clean it up but here is a photo I took of it last night. They are just 1/2" compression to 1/2NPT adapters.

Brewing_003.jpg


I stuck the compression fitting through the keg wall and then screwed a full coupler on from the outside.
 
I keep meaning to ask and forget... Why did you choose a bottom drain instead of the more ubiquitous side one?

Also, can those march pumps be set to pump either direction? Or if you want to go from MLT to coil first then dump water from the HLT for mashout do you have to switch the tubes around? OR is it pretty much only fly sparging w/ this type HERMS build?
Even if fly sparge, can you still switch the flow of the pump or do you have to quick connect everything?
 
I chose the bottom drain because it makes priming the march pump much easier and I think it looks better. It's also nice to be able to drain the kegs all the way without having to worry about pickup tubes. The only one I went with a pickup tube is on my boil kettle since it will be the only gas fired thing in my brewery.

Nope they only run one direction, thats why I have all the quick disconnects right now. When i'm switching from recirc to sparge I can just move the QD"s around and pump from the HLT to the MLT through the HERMS coil to clean it.

When I finally find solenoid valves that are cheap enough I will be automating all the fluid transfers.
 
thanks for the pic. That's what I had imagined (pretty much) but good to confirm it. Is it water tight easily enough?
 
What sort of control do you plan to use on your automated valves for fluid transfers?

I dont think I could really make efficient use of automated valves on my system, but if you can, I want to know how you are doing it :D
 
Thanks for the links, I think I might actually try finding some actuators and just using the stainless ball valves I have. I've made it without any brass in my system so far.



diatonic said:
These are probably cheap enough to be worth trying: eBay Motors: ASCO Brass 1/2"npt Solenoid Valve (item 120323986890 end time Mar-24-09 14:23:28 PDT)

He doesn't specify what the control voltage is though.

Here's 3 3/4" NPT brass solenoid valves with a current bid of $9.95. Might be worth watchis as well: 3 NEW Asco Red Hat Brass Solenoid Valves 8210G95 2 way - eBay (item 120383361549 end time Mar-03-09 09:36:02 PST)

I'll stop trolling eBay now.
Click to expand...
 
nathan said:
thanks for the pic. That's what I had imagined (pretty much) but good to confirm it. Is it water tight easily enough?
Click to expand...

Yeah I ended up using 3/4" silicone sealing washers for the weldless and they seal up great. The compression fittings work wonderfully so i'm pleased with it so far. It's also nice to be able to pull the coil for cleaning or whatever. I was originally going to solder it but I wanted to be able to remove it.
 
jcdillin said:
Thanks for the links, I think I might actually try finding some actuators and just using the stainless ball valves I have. I've made it without any brass in my system so far.
Click to expand...

I just had flashbacks to my days as a kid building RC cars. I wonder if you could find some high-torque servos to operate the ball valves... the cool thing about using servos is that you could finely control flow.. throw in a float switch and automated fly sparging!
 
The Pol said:
What sort of control do you plan to use on your automated valves for fluid transfers?

I dont think I could really make efficient use of automated valves on my system, but if you can, I want to know how you are doing it :D
Click to expand...


Well once we finish that section of the code the BrewTroller is going to take care of it all. Should be able to automate everything from the initial fill all the way to putting it out through the chiller to the fermenter.
 
diatonic said:
I just had flashbacks to my days as a kid building RC cars. I wonder if you could find some high-torque servos to operate the ball valves... the cool thing about using servos is that you could finely control flow.. throw in a float switch and automated fly sparging!
Click to expand...

Yeah my thoughts exactly
 
Holy crap, I'm pricing the QD's.. are they really 60ish bucks for the male and female connectors? and w/ that being as I expect I need, it would be 4 of them? 240 bucks in connectors? (2x for the HLT for the coil, and 2x for the hoses on the pump?) is there anything cheaper?

OUCH
 
Here ya go...

6739K59 High Flow Hose Coupling For Coolant, Plug, 1/2" Nptf Male, 3/8"

6739K64 High Flow Hose Coupling For Coolant, Sleeve-lck Sckt X Barb, 3/8"cplg Sz,1/2"hose Id

Male on the vessels, female w/ barbs for the hoses.
 
Nother question... I'm debating false bottom or braided hose for the outlet of the MLT keggle. I know the ones I've seen have a hole in the center for the siphon pipe, but I'm going to have bottom drain. Is there an easy way to fill that hole somehow? Is it better to just use a braided hose or exit manifold of some kind if I'm draining my MLT through the bottom? Also on my boil kettle, is it best to use a false bottom too, or should I just push it through a strainer like I do now before going into the primary fermenter?
 
pompeiisneaks said:
Nother question... I'm debating false bottom or braided hose for the outlet of the MLT keggle. I know the ones I've seen have a hole in the center for the siphon pipe, but I'm going to have bottom drain. Is there an easy way to fill that hole somehow? Is it better to just use a braided hose or exit manifold of some kind if I'm draining my MLT through the bottom? Also on my boil kettle, is it best to use a false bottom too, or should I just push it through a strainer like I do now before going into the primary fermenter?
Click to expand...

Stuff a small stopper in it... problem solved.

I love false bottoms... that is just me. Id use a false bottom with a stopper in the center hole.
 
pompeiisneaks said:
Nother question... I'm debating false bottom or braided hose for the outlet of the MLT keggle. I know the ones I've seen have a hole in the center for the siphon pipe, but I'm going to have bottom drain. Is there an easy way to fill that hole somehow? Is it better to just use a braided hose or exit manifold of some kind if I'm draining my MLT through the bottom? Also on my boil kettle, is it best to use a false bottom too, or should I just push it through a strainer like I do now before going into the primary fermenter?
Click to expand...

Couple options, morebeer sells one that does not have the hole and is hinged which actually is really nice. That is the model I purchased.
There was a member on here that was selling them I think it was jaybird if I remember correctly.

Could just use the stopper like the pol suggested which would be probably be the cheapest option but I would be worried of knocking the plug out while stirring the mash.

I think the false bottom/braided hose is kind of a personal preference but from what i've read the false bottoms have less of a chance of stuck mashes.

My plan for my Boil kettle is using a false bottom which i'm going to cover in stainless mesh so it will be like one giant strainer. It's the only one of the kegs that has a side exit so I don't have to worry about roasting the bottom drain with the burner.
 
I'm just gonna keep em coming. I ordered the compression fittings you linked and they had this weird grey coating on the nut. from the link on the site: "plus the nut has a mo-
lybdenum disulfide coating that acts as a lubricant for easy installation–425° to +1200° F"

How do you get that coating off? Or does it matter? Will it flavor the beer badly? (or the water in the HLT anyway which would also later be pumped in for mashing?)

Ideas?
 
Which compression fitting were you ordering? the 1/4 compression fittings I have they have that grey coating but the big 1/2" models are just plain stainless nut.

None of my 1/4" compressions are inside the tuns so I didnt worry about it.
 
Mine was Mcmaster carr part 8239K26 and its supposedly for water... but not sure now? I hope I didnt waste almost 20 bucks on these dang things ;P I've used some sandpaper on my dremel to clean it a bit and it seems to have gotten it, but the threads still have it. I'm worried it may make off flavors or ruin beer now.
 
Oooh google just saved me some work:

Another advantage of molybdenum disulfide over graphite is that a film of the
former does not age, absorb gas, or dissolve in hot or cold water

From a pdf about the stuff. Very nice. So I don't think it can cause any problems, thus why its on the connections that are safe w/ water. WHEW :)
 
ahh I see why yours has the coating because it's the single sleeve type. Mine is the double compression fitting.

Did you have copper for the hex coil yet? I have about 30ft left over from my coil that i'm never going to use. Unless your going stainless.
 
I used 30ft for mine I think it was a 60ft roll I bought and I cut it in half.



Woohoo, finally got to brew this weekend.

More Pics

dsc_0115.jpg
 
15 feet, but I need to order another 5 to finish plumbing my chiller the way I want.
 
Right now i'm not using any except one on the output of my march pump which is just one of those standard screw types. I've been trying to find the crimp type hose clamps but I haven't found them big enough for my application.
 
You dont use clamps at all? Are you using silicone?

My silicone hoses are very squishy and slippery, I can see myself easily pulling a hose off a barb during a brew session.

Also, my hoses were kept WAY short so as to reduce the travel distance which aids in pumping, I am sure Id get a hose to work its way off a barb during a session.
 

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