Single kettle electric frankenstein brew

[Koffie]

Hi,

Normally I brew with my neighbour with a 60 liter HERMS setup. Inspired by GrainFather , I'm rebuilding my old electric pot, trying to do with styff laying around.

Started with only buying a BIAB bag, resting in a RVS strainer. Works OK but was messy.
After that I bought a RVS pot with 21 liter capacity. This is going to be the inner malt-basket. As soon as it arrived I took my powertools and started making little cuts in the bottom of the pot
For now, I could start brewing but isn't finished yet. I have cut all the wires in the bottom of the electric pot and rewire them through my own relay and Ardduino.
I have taken a sous vide sample sketch and adapted this is base for my electric PID heater.
I can add 6 different temperature steps (including the boil) with 6 different timers. The boil timer can have 6 different hop additions.
Pump will be operated manual, no need to turn this on or off with the arduino. Yesterday I did a full test of several water temperatures and timers. Works very good.
This week I will be doing the first test batch with the inner malt-basket and the arduino.

ToDo :
- Arduino code is not finished yet, still some rough edges
- Waiting for a better ball valve to replace current plastic valve. When this arrives I will add a stainless bazooka screen on the inside of the valve to act as a hopfilter.
- Also waiting for a tank style DS18B20 to permanently install in the kettle.
- When everything is installed make nice container for the LCD

 

[I_am_Foley]

I use a pretty similar kettle. Always had trouble keeping consistant temps- 4-5°c variation in temp from one side of the kettle to the other.
Have often thought about automating temp control.
Really looking forward to seeing how this progresses!

 

[Koffie]

I use a pretty similar kettle. Always had trouble keeping consistant temps- 4-5°c variation in temp from one side of the kettle to the other.
Have often thought about automating temp control.
Really looking forward to seeing how this progresses!

The thermostats in this lidl/silvercrest kettle isn't very accurate. That's way I have put a arduino with SSR between it. The knob has no function anymore. You can see on the LCD when the heatingelement is powered on or not. Funny to see that with just poking a few seconds can easily get to that accurate last degree

 

[Koffie]

Some progress

First relay was melted (but functional) so I addedd a new relay with heatsink. To prevent such melting in the future , I added a extra sensor in the hardware compartient and created a option for overheat alarm.
Cable for controller is finished, time to wrap it up.
I have 3d printed a little box to hous the Arduino, to avoid flaying around in the bottom of the kettle.
The Arduino is powered through the 12 volt powersupply for the pump, but I also installed a USB cable. This way I can change the code without taking apart the kettle.
I have bought some isolation to wrap on the outside of the kettle, and put something between the hardware and bottom ot the kettle.

MAde a short vid, but forget to talk in English

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUeljwMyDcw[/ame]