Quick HERMS planning question

[iijakii]

Wanting to see if this is the most logical way, or if anyone has suggestions I haven't thought of.

I'm doing a 2x 120v eHERMS build. Originally wasn't wanting to go HERMS due to budget, but dat bling. So I've made some design changes I feel won't be adverse and will let me keep it on the budget SWMBO won't castrate me over.

2x PIDs. One probe to the BK (heating up strike water), one probe to either the HLT or MT. Haven't decided on this yet. I'm not sure I want to just do the HERMS coil output and not have an overall temp readout of my mash. Although that might be unnecessary since the temps would likely be the same as long as flow isn't bad. Still, I know how much delta can happen in a SS mash tun. I've heard of cons to using the overall mash temp to drive HLT probe. Would also make the initial heating of water tricky.

I'd have two elements in the BK and one in the HLT, capacity to only run two. I was thinking on the second outlet I'd just unplug it from the HLT and plug in the second BK element when it's time to boil. Then I'd have have the second element's SSR coil on a switch between the two PIDs. That way when I have it plugged into the HLT it's getting cycled by the Mash PID. Then when I go to boil I switch it back to the BK's PID and run the two elements in series manual mode.

I don't see any cons to this, but I'm not sure if i'm straddling two worlds here for not much gain, and need to either go full 3 PID or should just go super budget single.

 

[iijakii]

Think I might have a better solution. Problem was that I really want the mash + hex temp readouts, but need to have one in the BK as well to heat strike (or else I'd have to install a second element in the HLT to get decent strike water times).

Solution:

No probe in the BK, but one PID reading at mash drain and one at hex output like most people do. When heating strike water I could do half-and-half in both the HLT and the BK and heat simultaneously, then pump over to the HLT towards the end to have the temperature readout to nail strike temps. They should heat quite evenly due to being almost identical. Then run both BK off manual mode from either PID when it's time for boil.

And yes, it would be more simple if I just went 220v. Not an option though.

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

A few considerations, you can put a probe in the BK and just switch the cable from one vessel to the other, the PID will need some kind of temp reading even for manual mode, may as well be the right vessel. If you have two PIDs you can still control both vessels at the same time if you have enough power for that, you don't need a PID to monitor the mash temp, you can get a cheaper unit to just display temp or depending on your fittings you can put something like this http://brewhardware.com/measurement-devices/thermometers-71/153-probecompression2 on the exit of your MLT. I personally don't like using the temp reading in the mash tun to control the heating in the HTL. What are you doing to evenly distribute the heat in the HEX vessel?

Anyway just some buzzed ramblings, I'm sure you'll come up with something great.


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[iijakii]

What kind of cheaper temp display do you mean? I might go that route. I feel like I've been on a constant "oh, one more" tilt, so I'm wary of adding another RTD + display, they add up quick. But I do acknowledge that functionality gained might be worth it.

 

[jeffmeh]

Also, you mentioned running the elements in series. Should be in parallel.

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[augiedoggy]

What kind of cheaper temp display do you mean? I might go that route. I feel like I've been on a constant "oh, one more" tilt, so I'm wary of adding another RTD + display, they add up quick. But I do acknowledge that functionality gained might be worth it.

landoflincoln uses a cheaper digital temp display that looks a lot like the volt/amp meters some of us use.... They can be found for under $10 I think.

For the low cost of $21 I decided to just use an extra pid that way if one did malfunction I could swap it out with another if needed. Plus It I add a rims unit My panel is better prepped for it. so far my herms is working well though.

 

[iijakii]

Lol, HERMS and RIMS? I've never heard of anyone doing that. Were you planning on doing the RIMS just for step mashing? I know HERMS rise times aren't the greatest. To be honest I can't remember the last time I really did a step mash though.

 

[augiedoggy]

No I bought the 1000w cartridge element after seeing the day cheap rims thread and though I could save time with it because I could heat my sparge water to 170 while using the 1000w rims for mash recirculation at the same time... but I haven't built the rims yet to test and honestly all the scorched wort horror stories haven't motivated me much.

 

[iijakii]

You use the HLT as your HERMS vessel, so why worry about that? Just start ramping up to 170 at the end and you have your sparge water ready. Although new toys to mess with...

 

[iijakii]

Nice the simple temp displays are pretty cheap. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-DC-...293?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8ba9f81d

DC power though, but not a dealbreaker. Think I like the aesthetics of having that over a non-utilized PID, too. Can't find a cheap 1/32 DIN yet unfortunately.

 

[iijakii]

Well, bought some **** today. My credit card got frozen about $800 in. Guess there's some sort of trigger built in for massive eBay sprees...

Made this wiring diagram, think it's what I'll be doing so far. Note: using TD4s, just stole the icon from PJs drawings and was too lazy to white the Auber out. Will have to go in and change the pins once I get them in.