temp control for HERMS and RIMS?

[gddunton]

I am trying to understand the HERMS and RIMS system a bit better. Do most people who use these system include automatic temp control (temp probe and auto temp adjustment) or do people tend to control the temp more manually, or do they "set it and forget" with one temp at strike and no additional temp maintence?

 

[gddunton]

And I guess this isnt just for RIMS or HERMS but for all mash types.

 

[atoughram]

Now your asking two different questions... On my RIMS I have a PID controller and always have. Before RIMS, when I used a cooler prior to 2002, I did a single infusion. "Set it and forget it"

 

[showcow]

You could have a herms system where you constantly recirculate and adjust manually, but it would be difficult to find the right amount if heat to apply. Though you wouldn't be able to manually adjust an installed element. Induction would work for this.

You could also do a direct "fire" recirculating mash with induction, but again it would be annoying to fuss with the temp. Especially since building a 1 PID setup can be pretty cheap.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I've always been manual on my HERMS. I have it my keggle HLT using NG. I've not had any trouble running it manually. I had more of a hard time adjusting temp before recirculating the water around the HEX. I'm in the process going all electric and will be automatic then. I will say on my 20 gallon batches my temp changes are not as fast as I thought they would be.

 

[kal]

I do a "set and forget" method with my HERMS setup. Temp is maintained automatically.

I simply set the HLT PID to whatever mash temp I want, and the mash temp follows:

In the picture above I've set the HLT PID to 149F. The mash has reached that temp now too.

I recirc with HERMS during the mash:

This allows for any sort of step mashes I want, mashouts, etc.

No need to calculate amount of water or strike water temp or any complications like that. No need to fiddle/adjust anything.

Here's a video of it in action:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frsuCg35V8Q[/ame]

Kal