Simple Stupid stir plate

[brottman]

Hi everyone, I decided to make my own stir plate out of nothing but a computer fan, adapter, and magnets. I discovered that I could mount the magnets to the fan and place my flask on top without it impeding the movement of the fan/magnets at all!

My main question is - does this look like it is spinning fast enough? I'm wondering if maybe the power adapter isn't giving the fan enough power to spin at its normal speed.

Here is a video of it working:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJLTAilZa-I&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

 

[schematix]

If you're pulling a vortex and the stir bar is stable then you're good.

Are you doing anything for speed control? Have you tried it on wort yet? I've found the dynamics of water vs wort is significant.

 

[brottman]

Nope to speed control or wort/must testing. I just hacked it together tonight and tried it out on water. The adapter is giving the fan everything it's got and I definitely don't think it's 'too' fast so don't see a need for speed control.

It is pulling a vortex, although it's much more pronounced with less liquid in the flask.

 

[schematix]

Awesome if it works. Can you post some close up pictures and details on your power adapter?

 

[DU99]

All i am using is a multi tap power pack.just change the voltage output

 

[bd2xu]

Looks a little slow to me but usable. I use a 12 v adapter I think. I found a 9 was too slow.



Primary: Helles, ordinary bitter
Secondary: Maibock
On tap: Oatmeal Brown, Irish Stout, Amber Ale, Orange Belgian IPA,
Bottled: Dwarven Gold Ale, La Fin Du Mond clone, Hefeweizen

 

[Trox]

You may want to consider putting it in an enclosure since one active starter can end up shorting the fan out. I've actually had 2 Wyeast 1056 starters take off where I had a good size mess to clean up when I got home from work.

 

[Trollheim]

I did something very similar myself. I found an old power supply that had a 120mm fan and grill. I removed the guts, lowered the fan inside using bolts and put a rare earth magnet on the fan from a butchered hard drive.

Oddly I found only lower voltages like 7v worked well without throwing the stir bar.

 

[grainbill]

friend of mine built his into a cigar box....

 

[Brettomomyces]

friend of mine built his into a cigar box....

I did too...

Fan i found on amazon had a control knob and a USB hook up to power

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/whats-diff-between-co2-beer-gas-404610/

Literally all I did was mount it inside and attach a hard drive magnet. It will throw like no other, but if i position the stir bar right in the middle, then begin power it works fine.

 

[drksky]

You may want to consider putting it in an enclosure since one active starter can end up shorting the fan out. I've actually had 2 Wyeast 1056 starters take off where I had a good size mess to clean up when I got home from work.

Fermcap is your friend.

 

[rekoob]

a bit hard to tell but if you get a bit of a vortex you're good.
Nice job.