Super cheap electronic boil control

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Are you looking to automate, or just manually control a kettle element? A digital motor speed control can be had online for $25 or so. Dead easy to wire up, but you can get dead if you do it wrong. I run a 15 gal. BoilCoil with one, and I love it. Keeps a vigorous boil going at 60% power.

If it's automation you want, I'm the wrong guy.
 
I tried to copy a link from Amazon, but since I don't have a clue what I'm doing, I just give you enough search words to find it.

RioRand 10000w 220v scr digital heat regulator

$17.99, Prime.

Mount the panel in your face plate, mount the heat sink and circuit board, plug in the comnecting cable and the control wiring is done. Feed your 220 wires into the input, take the output wires to the element and your done. Except for grounding and GFCI. No way am I qualified to explain that, but you must do it, and do it right. Else you die, ok?

I use two of these, one to control a 15 gal BoilCoil, and one to control an itty bitty Chugger pump. One pulls 25 amps @220v, the other about 1/2 amp at 110v. The controls don't seem to care, they just work.
 
We know, Brundog. First thing I asked was automation yes or no. He said no, so I said what I said. Nothin' at all against automation, just not my thing. I just wanted to get away from the noise and inefficiency of propane.

Cheap is what I'm all about. Don't know why they call it "fixed" income. Pretty sure it's broke. [emoji16]
 
I was inspired by that same box from high gravity. The grey housing is from a big box home improvement store.

Auber Instruments is a great place to look. I used a 40amp ssvr, a rheostat, heat sink, high amp switch, and a project box to drive a 5500 watt element. I think I added a light for $4 for fancy factor.
All but the project box came from Auber Instruments. About $40 when I made one, caught stuff on scratch and dent or clearance. Can be done for a fraction of that $250 price tag.
 
teesherv said:
I was inspired by that same box from high gravity. The grey housing is from a big box home improvement store.

Auber Instruments is a great place to look. I used a 40amp ssvr, a rheostat, heat sink, high amp switch, and a project box to drive a 5500 watt element. I think I added a light for $4 for fancy factor.
All but the project box came from Auber Instruments. About $40 when I made one, caught stuff on scratch and dent or clearance. Can be done for a fraction of that $250 price tag.
Click to expand...

Teesherv - this is exactly the info I was looking for. I'm not opposed to automation, just tryingto take baby steps. A simple controller like this should be easy to turn around and sell when I upgrade.

Have any wiring diagrams of your set up?
 
BrunDog said:
I would suggest the Auber EZ Boil. Good product for good price.
Click to expand...

Schreiner said:
I just want to manually control a 5500 watt element. I plan on adding a 240 volt 30amp GFCI breaker to my breaker panel.
Click to expand...

Right now you "just" want to manually control the boil - but what are you going to want in a six months or a year? The EZ Boil is very nice and while you wind up spending more money, at least it will have more capability, so you can do things like mash recirculation or step mashes. A kettle with an EZ Boil can function as a mash tun, HLT, or boil kettle - or as a stand-alone BIAB setup. I'm still kicking myself for not starting out that way - at this point I would have saved a couple of hundred dollars if I would have started with an e-BIAB setup in the first place.
 
ancientmariner52 said:
$17.99, Prime.
Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MFEA5AE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is the simplest cheap approach to controlling your element power and could give you a better looking controller than the one at High Gravity for under $60 all-in.


Schreiner said:
Teesherv - this is exactly the info I was looking for. I'm not opposed to automation, just tryingto take baby steps. A simple controller like this should be easy to turn around and sell when I upgrade.

Have any wiring diagrams of your set up?
Click to expand...

The Auber SSVR will function the same as the SCR that Mariner linked, just minus the fancy display. That SSVR can be had on eBay for $8 including the heat sink You'd just have to add a the rheostat for a few bucks. The wiring diagram is available on Auber's site, although you'll want to include a switch.

mirthfuldragon said:
Right now you "just" want to manually control the boil - but what are you going to want in a six months or a year?
Click to expand...

This is very true, but it's often hard to predict where the costs will stop escalating. To go from the SSVR to the EZBoil you end up adding a temperature probe somehow which increases complexity.

I think moving to electric you have to accept that you either buy a $75 solution that gets electric power functioning just like the regulator knob on your propane burner, or you buy a $150 solution that gets electric power with the capability to reach and hold a set temperature.

I think most people would be happier if they spent a little extra to get the temperature control first, myself included. I've got the EZBoil now and love it, I could have saved probably $100 if I had gone this way at the beginning. But there are people who really don't need or want the control and for them it's better to save all the money and just go with a knob and be done.
 
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Thanks, Beardedbrews, this was my thinking, as well.

Schreiner wanted to manually control a boil kettle. The control I suggested does that. I wanted a digital readout so I can easily repeat power levels. A rheostat knob just doesn't look as cool.

As I'm sure we all know, a temp control doesn't work for boiling, due to latent heat of vaporization. Water just raised to boiling temp is very different from water just beginning to boil. It takes 1 btu/lb to raise water temp from 1°F below boiling to boiling temp. Then it gets weird. To make this water boil takes another 970.3 btu/lb to make the water boil, BUT THE TEMP DOESN'T CHANGE. (Ref. Keenan & Keyes, "Thermodynamic Properties of Steam", 1936, Table 1). The exact numbers change with air pressure. This is why steam will burn you sooo much worse than hot water. It contains so much more energy.

If I understand the Ezboil, it switches to manual control at your programmed boil temp. In an automated system that would be helpful, but not in a manual system.

I use a PID device for my HLT, but that's as much automation as I want. I like tweakin' and twistin' and pokin' things.

As I mentioned to Brundog, I got no problems with automation, for them as likes it. I'm not for or against.
 
As with most homebrew rigs it comes down to personal preference. I built a box very similar to what Schreiner linked a couple of years ago. Then I wanted two kettles, something fancier (wow factor), and to put all my electrical in one box. I went to an EZBoil. Turns out, I didn't like or even use the thermocouple and slight automation EZBoil provided, so I went to the DSPR1 from Auber (just like the EZBoil, just no option for temp control).
Again, personal preference. And probably cost.
 
Schreiner said:
I just want to manually control a 5500 watt element. I plan on adding a 240 volt 30amp GFCI breaker to my breaker panel.
Click to expand...
that would not be a great idea if your trying to keep thing simple and cheap.... a 50a spa panel is cheaper than a 30a gfci breaker in many cases.. its actually cheaper to use a regular 30a breaker in the main panel and mount the spa panel where your oulet is going to b. this gives you a main power switch near your brewing area and the gfci protection.
 
The current generation EZ Boil units offer programmable step mashing. This is a huge benefit because it precisely automates a critical part of the process leaving me free to stir the mash and adjust re-circulation rate in real time. Recreating intricate multi-step mashing schedules from books or historical sources adds a level of authenticity to recipes and is as simple as a pushing a few buttons and hitting 'start'.

I'm adding a temperature logger with a separate probe stuck directly in the mash to validate how closely the actual temps follow the desired mash profile.
 
augiedoggy said:
that would not be a great idea if your trying to keep thing simple and cheap.... a 50a spa panel is cheaper than a 30a gfci breaker in many cases.. its actually cheaper to use a regular 30a breaker in the main panel and mount the spa panel where your oulet is going to b. this gives you a main power switch near your brewing area and the gfci protection.
Click to expand...

Are there other advantages to using the spa panel? the 30amp 240 V GFCI breaker that fits my panel looks to be about the same cost as the spa panel:

this:
https://www.menards.com/main/electr...fault-circuit-interrupter/p-1464866379487.htm

vs. this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQT1AS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
 
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I've read on here that GE gfci breakers are subject to false trips. For that reason I decided to use the Square D spa panel. Also, I like to have 220v circuits off when I plug and unplug. The spa panel puts the breaker right beside the outlet.
 
The idea is if there is a problem, the spa panel is right there to shut it off. I used one until I had a fancier panel with a bright red e-stop idiot button in middle of the brew panel. Now the gfci resides in the breaker-box, which is less than 10 feet from my brew stand.
The spa panel is a safety step closer to the brew area.
 
Jayjay1976 said:
The current generation EZ Boil units offer programmable step mashing. This is a huge benefit because it precisely automates a critical part of the process leaving me free to stir the mash and adjust re-circulation rate in real time. Recreating intricate multi-step mashing schedules from books or historical sources adds a level of authenticity to recipes and is as simple as a pushing a few buttons and hitting 'start'.

I'm adding a temperature logger with a separate probe stuck directly in the mash to validate how closely the actual temps follow the desired mash profile.
Click to expand...

I've been looking at the EZboil controllers (and if I'm not mistaken, your thread on the subject). They look super slick! I may hold off and build a proper panel when the funds allow. What's one more f%&*!ng winter of brewing in the garage. ;)
 
Schreiner said:
I've been looking at the EZboil controllers (and if I'm not mistaken, your thread on the subject). They look super slick! I may hold off and build a proper panel when the funds allow. What's one more f%&*!ng winter of brewing in the garage. ;)
Click to expand...

It's really only one or two batches of beer difference in price between a very basic regulator and a very functional EZBoil system.

$50 Auber 120 (or 75 for the 310)
$10 PT100 RTD
$13 SSR and Heat Sink
$11 Main Switch
$13 Short Power Cord
$7 Element Outlet
$?? Enclosure of some sort.
(Optional)
$4 Pump Switch
$4 Pump Outlet
 
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augiedoggy said:
lowes and home depot have carlon p[lastic electronics enclosures for $16-36 that will work well.
Click to expand...

Neat thing about those jumbo GFCI panels is that they are probably big enough to use as the enclosure. You might even be able to skip the big dpdt switch that way... I guess it probably violates some code to use that box that way though.
 
I never heard them being mentioned as gfci panels? are you sure we are talking about the same thing? I use a few myself they are sold as watertight electrical enclosures... The ones I use the most are 12x12x8"
 
Schreiner said:
Are there other advantages to using the spa panel? the 30amp 240 V GFCI breaker that fits my panel looks to be about the same cost as the spa panel:

this:
https://www.menards.com/main/electr...fault-circuit-interrupter/p-1464866379487.htm

vs. this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQT1AS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Click to expand...

wow, that is a great price on a new ge gfci breaker. most other manufacturers are over $100 new. i have a square d qo panel and went with a gfci breaker in the panel rather than a separate spa panel (of course, i waited for an 11% off sale at menards to make the purchase:p). sure, i spent around an extra $50 compared to using a separate spa panel but it was worth it to me: one less piece of equipment to mount/install, one less thing to go wrong, fewer terminations that could potentially come loose, etc.
 
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After much consideration I've decided to build a more typical brewery controller. (Santa is being extra generous to me this year!) I will share my build on a new thread as progress merits!
 
teesherv said:
In that case, I highly recommend looking at Auber's DSPR line of SSR controls. Either EZboils or the DSPR1 are great tools and are easy to set up, use, and get support for.
Click to expand...

Yep! The more research I did, the more I realized those controllers are worth it. I'm going with the DSPR310 for the RIMS controller, and a simple DSPR1 for the boil side.
 

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