System comparison for new E-Brewer

[BLANK1911]

Hello all, I have been lurking for a long time and now I am just tired of searching the net for the answers I am looking for and not finding them. I have been brewing for about 3 years and have recently switched to all grain which I have had some good success with.

I recently moved into a house with an entirely unfinished basement and am planning a dedicated brew space there because I'm so sick of dragging out and setting my equipment up in the garage to brew that I don't brew nearly as often as I'd like to.

Anyway, my intent and sole reason I bought a house with an unfinished basement was to make the dedicated brewing space and I want to go electric. I have been drooling over Kal's Electric Brewery for about 2 years but scraping the money together has been difficult. I have been looking for comparisons of a number of different systems but have found very little information from people who have brewed on or owned different setups.

I want single tier electric and will be using keggles and I want to have a HERMS system. I am hoping that I can find some general ideas of cost and satisfaction differences between Kal's system, Brewtroller or a custom designed controller or any others. I am fairly handy with electronics and engineering and what I cant get done myself I can find the help with.

Any opinions, pro and cons of any option and maybe a rough cost estimate of your setup would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[celtic_dude]

Hey. I am in the same boat as you (sort of). Had to redo my basement due to mold reasons but that is ok now. Have a better use of the space. I am also drooling over Kal's setup and have been slowly piecing together a basic version of what he has but with room to grow. I bought an oversized enclosure to start so thT I have room to grow and I am starting g with a 50amp circuit also to have room to grow. I plan n installing an element in my hlt ant my bk along with running a HERMs system. At first I was trying to keep cost down and go simple but even a startup system does take a little money to get going. I am still piecing at the moment and have put in about $600 so far and still need to purchase a few moser things. But I know that once I am up and runn g, t will be well worht not to have to stand out I. The freezing cold.

 

[milldoggy]

I have a kal clone in my basement and could not be happier. The control allows me to be absent during heating of the strike and mash. This gives me time to spent with the family, ultimately allowing me to brew more. Make sure to get a sink and wait for the right one. I think my sink is one of my favorite brewery items. I found a massive single tub sink with a huge drainboard. It makes cleaning so muxh eaiser. Had to drive 3 hrs each way for it, but was worth it.

Happy to share more pics if you would like.

 

[sennister]

It depends on what you want as far as controls with the system. I am going down a similar path as you with a HERMS brewery. Got a deal on empty kegs from the local microbrewer. Cut the tops off and they have been sitting there for a while. Was planning on going propane initially and eventually electric. Picked up one of the needed pumps until I can get the second one. The second one will likely wait till I am up and running. Initially I thought I would do PID controlled thinking I would build a single element control panel and move the power cord/temp probe as needed or do a heat stick. Then I realized once you build the panel with one PID/Contactor/SSR it really isn't that much to add the other at the same time and just be done with the panel. The time saved in not having to tear the panel all apart and rewire things made it worth it. I discovered this kit for sale which I was thinking about getting.

2 Element 50A PID Kit

Ultimately I wanted more automation over the brewery so I started looking at Brewtroller and BCS. I discovered that the problem about going with PID then later moving to Brewtroller or BCS is that I would have cut a bunch of holes in my panel which I would no longer need and I would have bought a bunch of equipment that I don't need anymore. For instance the Temp probes used with PIDs are different than what the Brewtroller and BCS use. So I started looking closer at what the interface and brewing is like on the Brewtroller and BCS.

The benefit with the Brewtroller is that you can do more with it. Liquid level sensors for instance. You have your display and controls right on the panel but I didn't seem as easy to load your program for brewing into it. While all the controls are on the panel, I wasn't sure how much I would like the input methods.

With the BCS it means everything is controlled with a computer. This can be good and bad mainly because you need a display for everything in the brew space. I didn't think I would like to run to a computer and press buttons all the time. Then I discovered that the BCS lets you add up to 4 inputs on the control panel. You can use buttons on the computer but they can also be physical input buttons. For a display you can add PID Displays to the BCS and with that you can pretty much run everything from the panel or from the computer. I started looking at the kit for this and there wasn't a huge price difference to get started with BCS

2 Element 50A BCS

In the end I started looking at the complete systems and ended up going with that.

2 Element 50A BCS Kit

With this kit on the way, it is the biggest purchase needed. The rest of the stuff can be ordered in smaller batches. The other advantage of getting all the stuff for the panel at once is that I can work on building that and once done move on to the other things.

 

[crazyirishman34]

A note on the Brewtroller. It is very easy to load a recipe into the controller. All you need to do is export your recipe from Beersmith or what ever brewing program you use. Then you use brewtroller live to upload it directly to the brewtroller. Or you can use the rotory encoder to add the parameters of the recipe in to the brewtroller

 

[Yooper]

Hello all, I have been lurking for a long time and now I am just tired of searching the net for the answers I am looking for and not finding them. I have been brewing for about 3 years and have recently switched to all grain which I have had some good success with.

I recently moved into a house with an entirely unfinished basement and am planning a dedicated brew space there because I'm so sick of dragging out and setting my equipment up in the garage to brew that I don't brew nearly as often as I'd like to.

Anyway, my intent and sole reason I bought a house with an unfinished basement was to make the dedicated brewing space and I want to go electric. I have been drooling over Kal's Electric Brewery for about 2 years but scraping the money together has been difficult. I have been looking for comparisons of a number of different systems but have found very little information from people who have brewed on or owned different setups.

I want single tier electric and will be using keggles and I want to have a HERMS system. I am hoping that I can find some general ideas of cost and satisfaction differences between Kal's system, Brewtroller or a custom designed controller or any others. I am fairly handy with electronics and engineering and what I cant get done myself I can find the help with.

Any opinions, pro and cons of any option and maybe a rough cost estimate of your setup would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

My system is great for me- and it was pretty cheap. It's not pretty, and it's not a Kal clone. I have three keggles, a HERMS coil made out of an old immersion chiller, two pumps, and the MLT and the HLT is bottom draining. I spent about $450 on this current control panel, but I did reuse some parts (like the PID). There is a stirrer with a motor for the HLT.

My stand is shelving, with lawnmower wheels for the mobility. It's ugly, but it's effective and I love it. I wanted a single tier, but with the smallest footprint possible to fit into my laundry room.

Here's a photo:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/single-tier-all-electric-herms-with-tippy-dump-56565.html

 

[Bobby_M]

I'd recommend starting here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/bcs-vs-pids-280003/

As fascinated as I am with software based solutions like Brewtroller and BCS, I am 99% sure that the additional features will go underutilized. I know for sure that I'm going with PID based controls on my build. At this point it's just a matter of any extra controls, selectors I want to build in. Kal's panel design is a good place to start, but don't follow it blindly if it doesn't suit your own process flow. How much current can you afford to run? Do already have a circuit in the area where you're going to brew or are you starting from scratch? If so, it's a lot cheaper to run a 50a circuit now than to upgrade from 30 later.

 

[sennister]

A note on the Brewtroller. It is very easy to load a recipe into the controller. All you need to do is export your recipe from Beersmith or what ever brewing program you use. Then you use brewtroller live to upload it directly to the brewtroller. Or you can use the rotory encoder to add the parameters of the recipe in to the brewtroller

I have read that you can upload directly to the brewtroller. I have also read that people have had issues with it. Not sure how wide spread it was. The rotary encoder is then the most reliable method to upload it. For me (not the case for everyone) I am going to be brewing in my pole barn which is chilly in the winter. I don't want to stand there entering data. With the BCS I can power it on and sit in my living room on my laptop programming my brewday. In theory it just seemed a little easier for me to do this on the BCS interface. We will see. I haven't personally seen either one in action and base this simply on videos I have seen and reviews I have read.

Here is a review comparing Brewtroller to BCS.

http://www.revivalbrew.com/2013/02/brewtroller-dx1-vs-bcs-460.html

Bottom line is the reason there are multiple products out there, is largely because there isn't a single perfect solution for everyone. I could see at some point once a RaspberryPI solution that has evolved to the point where it is as polished as BCS, I might go that route. For me BSC looks to work the best. The main point of the first post was that if the OP's intent is to go with a Brewtroller or BCS type solution, consider the costs involved. While it is more cost effective to go with a more manual solution to start with you may find you spend a lot more money in the end. If you start with PIDs you may be buying temp probes again as well as a new enclosure. It wasn't that much extra for me to jump right to BCS compared to going PID first.

Another reason I went BCS is that if I don't like it brewing, I do like what I see in using it for a fermentation chamber controller. So while I will use it for brewing now, I might later use it for fermenting if I go with a RaspberryPI solution later.

 

[kenh]

What you do depends on your budget and many homebrewers, including me, can't afford a full system like KAL's.

I finally settled on a 3 tier system with a hot liquor tank and boil pot converted from kegs and a 10 gallon GOTT cooler with a RIMS tube for mashing. My "brew controller", if you want to call it that is a PWM controller that I switch between my hot liquor tank & brew pot and my RIMS tube is run by at PYPIN TA4-SSR PID controller.

A lot went into my decision - I read a lot of articles on this board and I leveraged my Brother in-law who has been an electrician for over 20 years. I originally wanted a 50 Amp system and after discussing how beer is brewed with him he said "you don't need it" and he was right. I also wanted everything 4 wire and after talking with him I decided on 3 wire with the 120V pump plugged into a GFI protected outlet that was already installed in my basement. I went with a GOTT cooler mash run with a RIMS tube because I was already mashing in the cooler. But I were going to buy it all new I would still use the same setup.

There are a lot of smaller systems out there that can get you started in the right direction without breaking the bank and I'm not much for fully automated systems anyways. If I were to buy everything new I would buy one of these systems to run my hot liquor tank and brew pot.

$219 from www.Towercooler.com
http://www.towercooler.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=99

$295 from www.highgravitybrew.com.
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/prod...inite-Power-Control-158p3073.htm#.Uq4EfCetaKI

$219 from www.kegkits.com
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...de=W&Product_Code=EB-240V&Category_Code=CNTRL

You could control mash separately with one of these.

$189 from www.kegkits.com
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...W&Product_Code=MC-120V-3P&Category_Code=CNTRL

Or there are a few all in one systems out there that won't cost a second mortgage on your house. They offer full control but they don't offer full automation. Also, you will need to control your pumps separately which is no big deal for me.

$799 from www.highgravitybrew.com
http://www.highgravitybrew.com/prod...Infinite-Power-Control-p3858.htm#.Uq4KaietaKI

$359 from www.kegkits.com
http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/me...de=W&Product_Code=BC-240V&Category_Code=CNTRL

 

[BLANK1911]

WOW! thank you all for the great information... Although I completely forgot about BCS so now that complicates my decision. I have a sub panel already wired to the basement that used to serve a hot tub that no longer exists so I am in good shape there.

So as I read your questions to me I think more about what I want and I fear it will be costly. I love tinkering with this stuff and sometimes think I like building brewing equipment more than I like brewing the beer. I want precise control so I can gain better repeat ability and quality. I don't want the system to be fully automated because I still want to brew beer, not have a machine do it for me. I love the idea of having my strike water ready when I wake up or get home from work and the idea of being able to control kegerator and ferm chamber from the same system is pretty cool.

I do worry about interfacing with computers and reliability, that comes from a bad experience with an Uberfridge build that did not work out well which makes me want to lean towards manual buttons and switches.

I guess I have some decisions to make. I don't want to start a PID box with minimal parts and have to redo work and layout when I want to change something or expand, but I really like the big lights and switches.

It seems like BCS or Brewtroller would allow me to start smaller with limited functionality (lower cost to start) and expand as budget allows without wasting time and money completely having to redesign a control box.

Am I on track with that thinking?

 

[kenh]

What started me down this path is I was mashing in a GOTT cooler and brewing with propane. Once I realized how much propane was really costing me I started buying pieces and putting everything together. If I could have afforded to I would have bought KAL's system and I would have also bought two new Blickmann brew pots but I would have stayed with a GOTT cooler mash tun and built the RIMS tube I use.

The only thing I would do different is I would find a way to mount my RIMS tube horizontal and above the water level of my mash tun. It's mounted vertical and I have to put a towel around it every time I drain the RIMS tube. I guess I could still do that - my RIMS tube was the first project I built and before I built my brew stand I use to sit the RIMS tube on top of my mash tun during mashing. I patterned my RIMS tube after a build someone posted on www.instructables.com and my MARCH pump is mounted on my RIMS tube base.

I have friends with the flat style brew stands with two pumps and valves. I have to admit they are a little easier to use than mine - I have to stand on a foot stool while filling my hot liquor tank to make sure I don't over fill. One list member recommended that I install a sight glass and I may install one in the spring.

I've looked at the fully automated systems and there are a couple that look really nice. But I brew for fun and automation would take part of the fun away from me. I want to be involved in brewing my beer - I don't want some machine running my mash cycle when I'm perfectly capable of watching a timer and adjusting my PID. The same goes for my hops schedule.

 

[sennister]

I love the idea of having my strike water ready when I wake up or get home from work and the idea of being able to control kegerator and ferm chamber from the same system is pretty cool.

This is what I wanted as well. From what I have seen only the BCS can do this when comparing it and the Brewtroller. If the BT can allow remote access for initiating a program, I haven't seen it. With the BCS you can fill your HLT and log into the system from work and turn it on. In my case I will likely fill the keggles (HLT and MT) with water and prime the pump before leaving for work. Then I can remotely turn on the pump and HLT element. It will probably take a good 30-40 minutes to get both kettles up to temp.

I do worry about interfacing with computers and reliability, that comes from a bad experience with an Uberfridge build that did not work out well which makes me want to lean towards manual buttons and switches.

While it is easier to have a computer or display available with the BCS there are other options like PID Displays, alarms and such. Physical buttons can be added to the panel. The BT is probably the best when it comes to computer-less control though. The BCS does have smart phone apps though as an option if you don't want a full computer.

I guess I have some decisions to make. I don't want to start a PID box with minimal parts and have to redo work and layout when I want to change something or expand, but I really like the big lights and switches.

It seems like BCS or Brewtroller would allow me to start smaller with limited functionality (lower cost to start) and expand as budget allows without wasting time and money completely having to redesign a control box.

Am I on track with that thinking?

This is exactly where I ended up. For me as I mentioned I decided on the BCS. Not the best for everyone but that is where I went with it.

 

[sennister]

What started me down this path is I was mashing in a GOTT cooler and brewing with propane. Once I realized how much propane was really costing me I started buying pieces and putting everything together.

The propane costs combined with being mid brew and running out is why I was looking at electric or NG. I pretty much eliminated NG because of venting requirement which I wouldn't need with electric.

 

[BLANK1911]

Bobby thanks for the link https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/bcs-vs-pids-280003/. Lots of great information there and Kal writes a great argument describing why he made his system the way he did.

Right now I think im leaning towards the industrial look of the manual PID system for simplicity, (I said I like building this stuff but I hate software and code writing). I also think that my main reason for thinking a web interface would be cool was shot down in the other thread.

Yes it would be really cool to have my strike water heated when I get home from work but do I really want a 50A potentially dangerous system running while no one is home? Throw in there that imperfect computers are controlling what it does I think that takes away one of the 2 reasons I thought BCS would be the system for me.

 

[kal]

Kal's panel design is a good place to start, but don't follow it blindly if it doesn't suit your own process flow.

Bobby's point is a REALLY good one that I find way too many brewers completely overlook.

This is going to sound a bit like a rant, but I find reading online and from the emails I get, that most brewers get this part of their brewery design completely backwards.

The control panel (and the rest of the brewing setup for that matter) are meant to support the brewing process that you use. You need to work out your process first and that then decide for you what you put in your panel, what equipment, and so forth.

Don't buy anything, don't punch anything, don't move.... until you've figured out your process. Not the other way around. For example, it's very common for someone to ask "how many PIDs do I need" but they haven't posted anything about their process so the answer becomes "That depends, what is your brewing process?".

When I worked on my control panel design and the rest of the brewery, I figured out the process first. You need to understand the process you want to use inside and out before you design the panel.

So both BCS and PIDs will work. Which is right for you depends on the process you want to use. Bobby's link has some good discussion on BCS vs PIDs which focuses more on process which was good to see.

Good luck!

Kal

 

[kal]

Bobby thanks for the link https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/bcs-vs-pids-280003/. Lots of great information there and Kal writes a great argument describing why he made his system the way he did.

Because I get asked this a lot, if you're curious, I ended up taking that information and expanding on it quite a bit and posted it here. (Edit: Never mind - looks like I had already updated my post in Bobby's thread when I wrote my expanded thoughts).

I know it's already been said, but at the end of the day don't let someone else's process dictate how you brew if you want to build something from scratch. By all means research other solutions but build what works for you.

Kal

 

[jeffmeh]

Here is the obligatory "beware of kegkits" comment.

 

[BLANK1911]

So what you are telling me Kal, is that I need to build the system that I want, brew on it and then worry about my controller?

 

[kal]

So what you are telling me Kal, is that I need to build the system that I want, brew on it and then worry about my controller?

No. You can't brew on system that isn't built yet. I'm saying you need to figure out the process you want to use and then plan a controller to match that process. That is the best way. That's what I did.

Kal

 

[BLANK1911]

Makes sense Kal, thank you!

 

[sennister]

No. You can't brew on system that isn't built yet. I'm saying you need to figure out the process you want to use and then plan a controller to match that process. That is the best way. That's what I did.

Kal

I would agree with this totally. I did as much of this as I could without building a system. Of course you can't predict everything. For me the best way to do this was to join some brewers from my local home brew club as they were using their electric systems and asking tons of questions. What they are doing, how they are doing it, what they would do differently in their panel. Some are on their second or third revision of a panel so find out what they changed and why. For me, because I went BCS, it gives me a little more flexibility in terms of how I am running the outputs the trade off is more complexity. For instance if you went PIDs from AuberInst. They make lots of PIDs that are all a little different. I think Kal mentioned above that if they were all the same there would be no reason to have the different models. Here is an example: They make one with a Ramp/Soak mode and one without Ramp/Soak. The one with Ramp/Soak would be great for a HLT in HERMS or a RIMS tube so you can automate a step mash if you like. It would however suck as a PID controlling a BK because it doesn't have the ability to set a manual duty cycle like what most people do with a BK PID. However if you process means you never plan to step mash, well then you don't need to spend the extra money on a Ramp/Soak PID. Though it might be nice to consider it as your processes may change. This is where you want to at least consider growth and if possible plan for it. For instance maybe go with a slightly larger panel from the start to give more room for growth should you go that way. For me to go from the 16x16x8 panel to the next size up was only an extra $50. Where it would cost me $150 (in today's prices) to do it later. As far as wall space or space on an arm off a table, the two sizes really didn't matter much in my application. Again no right answer with this. It comes down to what works best for the individual.

 

[kal]

For me the best way to do this was to join some brewers from my local home brew club as they were using their electric systems and asking tons of questions. What they are doing, how they are doing it, what they would do differently in their panel.

Agreed. I didn't have the chance to see many electric setups but I did brew on one during a local club meet. It was a single single PID box with nothing else in it (other than an SSR and the necessary plugs).

I spent a lot of time watching other brewers use their gas fired setups to get a sense for what they liked, what they didn't like and used to get my process down. Also spent a TON of time (many hundreds of hours) on this forum just reading.

I suppose it helps too that my background is in electrical engineering/process design. I have years of experience designing assembly line systems where you basically have to talk to the guys that are doing the work on the line and then design/build a system for them to make their lives easier. So some of this came as second nature to me.

The one with Ramp/Soak would be great for a HLT in HERMS or a RIMS tube so you can automate a step mash if you like. It would however suck as a PID controlling a BK because it doesn't have the ability to set a manual duty cycle like what most people do with a BK PID.

I did look at this one for the HLT but after mapping out the process steps and programming you'd have to do before brew day I decided it was just simpler to use the same PID everywhere.

There were a few times like this where some automated tool (at first glance) seemed to make things simpler but then I realized that with the process I wanted to use, I'd have to spend 10 mins ahead of time to automate something that would take 5 seconds on brew day and was prone to errors. An auto-rise to mashout temp after your 60-90 min mash is a great example: I could use a PID to automatically do this but (a) it only takes 5 seconds to go from mash temp to mashout on brew day and (b) there's no way you can make a mistake. You would never after 9 minutes of mashing raise the temp from (say) 150F to 168F because that doesn't make any sense. But if you programmed this step ahead of time you may fat finger your entry and set the mash time to 9 mins instead of 90 and then walk away. That would effectively ruin your brew day. When you go manually, mashing too long (100 or 120 mins) instead of 90 has zero adverse effects. So for things that are not timing critical (and do not save time to begin with) I do them all manually.

YMMV of course.

Kal

 

[sennister]

I did look at this one for the HLT but after mapping out the process steps and programming you'd have to do before brew day I decided it was just simpler to use the same PID everywhere.

There were a few times like this where some automated tool (at first glance) seemed to make things simpler but then I realized that with the process I wanted to use, I'd have to spend 10 mins ahead of time to automate something that would take 5 seconds on brew day and was prone to errors. An auto-rise to mashout temp after your 60-90 min mash is a great example: I could use a PID to automatically do this but (a) it only takes 5 seconds to go from mash temp to mashout on brew day and (b) there's no way you can make a mistake. You would never after 9 minutes of mashing raise the temp from (say) 150F to 168F because that doesn't make any sense. But if you programmed this step ahead of time you may fat finger your entry and set the mash time to 9 mins instead of 90 and then walk away. That would effectively ruin your brew day. When you go manually, mashing too long (100 or 120 mins) instead of 90 has zero adverse effects. So for things that are not timing critical (and do not save time to begin with) I do them all manually.

YMMV of course.

Kal

That makes sense. It is easier to run a stop watch or timer than program a PID. Of the local brewers I was working with, they all were using the manual methods like you. When they bought their PIDs the Ramp/Soak version wasn't available. While it can be still run like a traditional PID, why spend the extra money on the Ramp/Soak version if you don't trust it or don't want to spend the time programming it like you pointed out. I don't remember the cost difference. I don't think it was a lot but I think it was a little more. I think where it would be a bigger issue is someone that doesn't do their homework. They might look at them and say well it is a couple bucks more, I might as well spend the extra money as it must be better and it would be easier if they are all the same for placement reasons. Then get it all installed only to discover that the manual duty cycle is missing from the PID when they are mid brew session.

 

[kzimmer0817]

As fascinated as I am with software based solutions like Brewtroller and BCS, I am 99% sure that the additional features will go underutilized. I know for sure that I'm going with PID based controls on my build. At this point it's just a matter of any extra controls, selectors I want to build in . . .

(emphasis mine, KZ)

Bobby, I'm shocked! Are you spending all your time designing and manufacturing components for everyone else, and, yet, you have no electric brewing setup for yourself?

Keith

 

[Bobby_M]

That's correct. I'm brewing infrequently on my own but when I do it's still on my manual gas fired RIMS. The business requires an incredible amount of time so when I get a minute, I'd rather get a batch in the fermenter than screw around with my system.

 

[BLANK1911]

So, I just cant stop thinking about this project. I have not brewed in a few months and I have started to build my brewing stand for a PID based eHerms system. I have been pouring over all of the options I can go with using PID's and I have been considering many of P-J's incredible diagrams and now I am seeking your thoughts.

As it stands now I want to build this thing incrementally, I will plan out the face of the panel and cut all of the holes out. I will install parts on a per vessel basis as I am able to scrape the money together. The way I see it, I can start with an e Kettle and get to brewing indoors like I want to and only mount the components in the panel that will control the kettle. I figure I could glue small plastic inserts over the unused holes until they are filled. This will allow me to continue brewing while slowly gathering parts, plus I love tinkering with this stuff almost as much as brewing the beer.

Now as far as options on the panel, at first I was thinking about 30A 1 PID but the more I think about how my brain works I know I will want to tinker/go bigger when that is completed. So in interest of not duplicating my work and waste resources I am considering going 50A 2 PID with the capability to expand to 2 elements in the kettle and HLT to allow potential for 1BBL brews.

I have long considered starting a nano but that dream is still in the distant future. My thought is I can incrementally build the homebrew system of my dreams while having the option to convert it into a 1BBL nano system should the opportunity come about without having to build or buy an entirely new system.

Any thoughts you all have would be greatly appreciated...even if you think im crazy:rockin:

 

[iijakii]

If I were you I'd just build the ekettle with a very basic 1PID system in a super-cheap plastic enclosure. Once you have the money and an idea of what all you want to do, you can reuse everything and you'll only be out what, $20 on the enclosure? Or maybe even free if you have a computer case or something you could repurpose.

 

[kenh]

If I were you I'd just build the ekettle with a very basic 1PID system in a super-cheap plastic enclosure. Once you have the money and an idea of what all you want to do, you can reuse everything and you'll only be out what, $20 on the enclosure? Or maybe even free if you have a computer case or something you could repurpose.

I did basically the same thing but I mounted everything on a plywood panel first. But I brew in my basement & the kids aren't old enough to climb down the stairs yet. Just recently I moved everything into a steel housing.

Two pieces of advice:

If you are not sure about electricity and safety get help. I was lucky, I had help from my brother in-law, who is an industrial electrician. It's impossible to follow instructions off the internet including instructions from this site because there are so many "experts and opinions" that are opposite from each other.

If you don't understand wiring or don't know someone local who can help you are better off buying something already built and hiring an electrician to wire power for you.

 

[BLANK1911]

Thanks guys, great suggestion. I may go this route once I get my stand built. I really want to avoid duplicating work but just getting the kettle running will get me back brewing much sooner. Thank you for the word of caution on the electricity, I have an electrician friend who will review my work before I fire it up.

Does anyone have a simple 1 pid only wiring Diagram?

 

[iijakii]

There are a few in the PJ Wiring Diagram thread here in this subforum.