Motorized my JSP Malt Mill

After brewing a IIPA with 16 lbs. of grain crushed by cranking my mill, I finally decided to motorize. I looked at lots of versions with pulleys, but when I saw Rockytoptim's, that's when I decided to do it. Thanks for sharing your information bud! It appears to work like a champ. Next I plan to build an oversized hopper that I can attached and remove with rare earth magnets.

 

Awesome! Wish I was a little handier.. I bet my wife does too..

 

Very nice. I have a malt mill too and I've been wanting to motorize it. What kind of motor is that? What are you using to join the motor to the mill?

 

I got the motor at: https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?catname=&qty=1&item=5-1098

and the rest of the items:

3/8" hub no keyway 6408K133
1/2" hub with keyway 6408K713
Buna Spider 6408K74

Here is the product page
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/116/1163/=7x8sp8


Like I mentioned, I got all the information from Rockytoptim, so credit goes to him. I used a 3 way switch so I could go forward and backward. The motor was a pretty good deal at $40, so that why I finally did it.

 

Looks good, glad I could be of help.

 

Nice job... looks good.

 

Looks good, but I'm wondering why you have the grain feed chute necked down to such a narrow width. Seems that you aren't taking advantage of the full length of those 10" rollers with the slot only about 1/3rd of that width.

 

That neck down is stock from JSP. I think it feeds outwards after getting past the chute, but I've never watched that closely.

 

Hmmm...I did not realize that the chute was a stock item. I'm sure it spreads out some, but I don't understand why it's just not fed in full width. Maybe that would make the mill too difficult to crank or something.

 

I think that is exactly why... It is VERY hard to start if you have grain in the mill even with the factory opening in the hopper. I think it would be next to impossible if you had grain along the entire length of the rollers.

I always have mine running before adding any grain.

 

Yeah, which sort of negates the need for the 10" long rollers in the first place. OTOH, IIRC on the adjustable JSP's, only one end of the roller is moved to change the gap and the opposite ends are fixed in position. The long rollers would help minimize the variance in the gap across the feed zone, so that may have something to do with it too.

 

You are correct about only one end being adjustable. The fixed end has gears so both rollers are driven.

Off topic, but I really like the JSP, I had both the JSP and a Barley Crusher at the same time (I told both vendors I was going to return one)... The Barley Crusher is nice, but about half the weight of the JSP.

Even though the opening is kind of narrow, the JSP devours grain.

 

Do you really need the capacitor for that motor?

 

I made this oversize hopper out of scrap plexiglass and some MDF that cost me less than 2 bucks. I'm guessing that this will now hold about 12 pounds of grain. I flush mounted rare earth magnets and used some epoxy to glue them into the OEM hopper surface edge and into the new hopper edge so that they will align and hold the hopper, but also allow me to remove it easily.

 

I guess so since it came with the motor. I think it allows the initial start up to get the motor turning.

 

I actually started mine with no grain in it without the capacitor hooked up but it was slow to spin up.

On another note I put 14 lbs of grain in mine and it would start with the grain in it. I guess I will have to start the motor before putting the grain in.

 

I'm guessing you mean "wouldn't start"?
I think you definitely want the mill running before you add the grain... It takes a LOT of torque to start with grain in it. I added grain first, the first time I tried to use it and my 18v cordless drill wouldn't touch it, put the hand crank on it... and was SHOCKED how hard it was to turn. I ended up emptying the hopper and started over.

Also, how do you have the motor mounted? Can't really tell from the pics.

You've inspired me... I've had good success with my 18v cordless but I've been meaning to motorize my MaltMill for sometime, ordered the motor and couplings this week.

 

I haven't tried milling yet, but I am really curious if mine will start with the hopper filled. My mill, the JSP sounds different than yours which I'm assuming is the Barley Crusher. I don't have any recent plans for brewing, so the crushing will have to wait. However, I will say that my cordless Panasonic (18.8v) turns my mill with relatively little problem even with the hopper full. Although, last time that I did a IIPA with 16 pounds, the drill got pretty hot by the time that I was done milling. I mounted my motor with a very simple square U-shaped threaded hanger that I bought at the hardware store. The bracket stated that it was meant for hanging lumber. I shimed the back end of the motor with some shim wood stock to keep it level with my mill and then I only bolted the motor onto the table. There is a flat section on the motor that allows the bracket to get very good contact and it's really solid. I'm really inexperienced when it comes to electricity. Originally I had everything wired and the motor would not turn on. I switch two of the wires on the power switch and then everything worked as it should. I'm assuming that I wired the capitor correctly.

 

Yes I meant it wouldn't start with the 14 lbs of grain in it. Here is how I mounted mine.

 

I love the large hopper you made, and the Plexiglas is cool so you can see the grain.....and the magnets are a great idea....you've inspired me!

I have the same mill ....I wired mine in with a run capacitor and a start capacitor, the start cap is wired to a button on my stand so if I ever forget to start the mill before adding grain I gust hit the button momentarily and it kick up the torque.... I bet i could fill the entire length of the rollers with wheat and get it started with my "turbo" button.:rockin:

my build is here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/motorized-grain-mills-time-show-them-off-159950/index6.html#post1998134

 

Vincemash

I looked at your build and would be interested in adding extra start cap. How would I wire in the extra cap. Does it just get connected back to other cap? Or could I just get a larger cap and replace the orginal start cap and only have one?

 

We have the same mill (JSP MaltMill) except my rollers are gear driven which forces them both to rotate. I guess that could account for the difference in starting force... with both rollers turning, I think mine will be more aggressive at pulling grain in on the startup.

Thanks for the details about how you mounted the motor!

 

That's pretty cool....a turbo button. Now with all this talk, I'm really anxious to try this out. I also like how you ran a sack to your bucket to keep all the grains flowing only into your collection bucket. Boy, that looks like a huge motor you have mounted.

 

All I did was wire the start cap in parallel with the run cap, and then just wire in an "off momentary on" (from radio shack) push button to it. You definitely cannot have the start cap on all the time as it would burn out the motor and/or the capacitor, its made to just give a short "burst". Motor Start Capacitor 108-130 MFD uf 110-125 VAC Volts.

Also, you need to make sure your motor can handle a start cap

Yea, that's just a chute to keep the dust in the bucket, its from an old rain coat I had laying around. I also kept the part that was under the mill originally and that sits on my bucket to keep all the dust in the bucket as much as possible.

The motor I bought 10 years ago was called a "beefy bodine" from www.sciplus.com (archived page) for $29.50.... they don't carry it anymore but you can still get the same motor for a more expensive price here:
www.herbach.com

 

MW...

I have the same motor and would like to wire it the way you did. Can you provide a wiring diagram for your build?

I was going to follow the diagram here http://www.lamabrewery.com/the_mill.htm but it is for a different motor and electricity confuses the hell out of me. I would prefer to follow the wiring diagram of someone who has teh same exact equipment.

TIA!

John

 

Check out Rockytoptims's thread as there is a link to a wiring diagram (lambdabrewery) which I used: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finished-my-motorized-mill-186036/

He is the one that got me started. If you still need help, I will do my best, but I'm no electrical engineer either.



Edit:

Sorry, I missed that you did look at this link. I did follow that diagram. If it doesn't work for you, I'll check out my mill and send you specific instructions.

 

My main concern is that the wires are colored differently. I don't believe that the motor we have has a red wire. I don't want to assume that red translates into black on his drawing.

Also, I am not very knowledgeable about switches. Are the posts marked clearly (+ -)? Looking at his diagram, are the switches oriented so that On and Forward are Up?

John

 

im also curious on how this was wired for the reverse switch

 

Thanx for the INFO!

 

A couple of people asked how to do the wiring of the switches to get the forward and reverse functionality.

Here's the wiring diagram that is on the website that sells the motor:



You can see that the only difference in forward or reverse is which side of the capacitor (blue or black wire of the motor) you have the voltage source connected to.

You need a 3-way switch, and a regular switch to pull this off.... edit: or a SPDT (single pole, double throw) switch with a center off position... see next post.

Below is a pic of a 3-way switch. Check your specific switch to identify which screw is which, but the basic principle is that there is one screw that is the "common" terminal. This is where your 120v comes in (labeled "C" in the pic.) With the switch in one position, current will be allowed to flow from "C" to the screw labeled "1". When you flip the switch, current is allowed to flow from "C" to the screw labeled "2".



This is a standard switch. When it is in one position, no current flows. When it is on the other position, current is allowed to flow from one screw to the other.



You use the normal switch as your main power switch, running the 120v hot line through it and then connecting to screw "C" of the 3-way switch.

You connect screw "1" of the 3-way switch to one of the motor's wires, either blue or black, just pick one. You connect screw "2" to the other wire.

The two switches together now form a path from your voltage source to the blue or black wire, depending on which way the 3-way switch is flipped.

 

Here's a cheaper solution that will get you the forward/reverse and on/off with a single switch. If you are considering ordering, just add this item to the shopping card:

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=11-3069&catname=electric

It's like a 3-way switch, but you can put the switch into the center position and current doesn't flow anywhere. Flip the switch up or down and you get either CW or CCW rotation of the motor.

 

Thanx for the wiring, This is the way I did it also, forward and reverse one switch.

 

I just wish I hadn't been brain dead. I never even though to look for the center-off switch on surpluscenter.com when I bought the mill, so even though I posted it here, I myself failed to get one.

I could have gotten the thing for $1.50 shipped to my door. My Lowe's doesn't sell switches like that, and True Value wants $8 for it.

I saw a couple for $3 on radio shack, though. I might go pick one of those up for myself, but... kicking myself for not getting one at the same time I bought the motor.

 

Funny!

I would have NEVER thought about it, when you posted the drawing, I was holding a switch that I had bought in High school (long time ago), so I may have paid a buck for it 30 years ago. No clue why I have stuff and it's really hard not to become a pack rat when you find something usefull that should have been lost decades ago!


Thanx again

 

Thanks for the wiring diagram. I was able to complete my project today with them.
One thing to note is the motor I received about a week ago had different color leads but the connections remained the same.

 

Yeah... the motor that most people are using was a 40 inch-pounds torque motor and the diagram I posted shows the wire colors for that motor.

That 40 inch-pound motor sold out about a month ago, but there is an identical looking motor that has 30 inch-pounds of torque for sale still.

That one has red, white, and blue wires and a smaller capacitor, but should work fine.

 

Any chance someone could point out the 30 inch-pounds motor? I looked on the website, but am unsure which motor is being referred to.

 

This one...

Cheers!

 

Thanks.. As soon as I posted I found it. Of course you beat me back here before I could edit.

 

Thanks, gonna use this idea.