Search results

I'm looking to upgrade my brewing setup to an E-HERMS. To save money, I'm trying to re-use some things I already have, while leaving the door open to expand some of the hardware (kettle, MLT, HLT) at a later date and still be able to use the electronic controls. Here's what I'm looking at for...

Carl - would you mind sharing the formula for heat rise based on volume and wattage? Thanks!

Thanks, Ajdelange, for putting it in terms I can understand!

Thanks to all for the info; it's been a big help. Now, as I'm mathematically challenged, can someone help me with the formula for calculating what size 240V element (how many watts) I need in order to get 2000W, and stay under 15A, at 120V? Thanks!

So let me ask the dumb question: when wiring a 220V element, both the black and white wires are hot, and are attached to the terminals on the element. So, when wiring a 220V element into a 115V circuit, do I wire the same way, with a hot and a neutral attached to the element's terminals?

I love it. It's cheap, easy to set up, has aside adjustment range. I ordered two of them a while back for $23 each, including shipping. At that cost, they're hard to beat.

Here's what I'm using for heat. These emit almost zero UV light that would skunk beer, and are less than half the cost of the ceramic reptile heaters. During a recent cold spell, I was testing with the probe in my fermenter full of water. With an ambient temp around 50F, this easily...

In a well insulated chamber, it takes very little heat input to maintain temp. My chamber has a volume of about 24 cu. ft., and I'm heating it very successfully with a 100 watt infrared reptile bulb controlled by my STC-1000.

Well, I let it run for about a day and a half set at 4C. It looks like it's bottomed out at 7.2, or about 45 degrees F. Not as low as I'd like for cold crashing, but not too shabby. Now, I need to brew something to give it some real work.

Thanks! I honestly didn't keep track of cost, but my estimate is around $280. That includes the fridge, which I bought used, the controller, most of the wood and electrical materials. There was some wood, electrical and misc. stuff (caulk, glue, fasteners, etc.)that I had laying around that...

After a couple days of testing, I added a fan inside to keep constant air circulation. I had a cheap A/C fan that has a spring-clip mount on it, which I just clamped to one of the shelves in the fridge, blowing out across the chamber. Yesterday evening, I set the controller for 10 C, or 50 F...

I could've made it just a little shorter, but I wanted to make sure I have enough room for a blow-off tube or airlock, so I left a little extra head space.

Crane - good advice. I stole a small fan from my son that has a spring clamp mount. I'll just clamp it to a shelf on the fridge blowing out into the chamber. I need to see how low it will go, but where I have it, ambient temp is about 50 F right now, so it wouldn't be a great test. Will try...

Thanks, Audger.

I just finished building my fermentation chamber and am testing now. It is about 24 cu. ft, and here's what I'm using for heat. $14 at PetSmart. Seems to be working well so far.

Next morning, down to 19.5 C, heat on. I watched it this morning, and it got down to 19.4 (set for 20) before the temp started rising again. I'll be very happy if I can maintain temp to +\- .6 degree! I'm also going to pick up a cheap fan to put inside to keep the air circulating.

Got it all together and in it's home. Took the door off the mini-fridge, added some weather stripping to the front and butted against the opening. I'm using a couple of cheap tie-down straps to keep it snug against the wall of the chamber. I put about 6 gallons of warm water in my...

Started installing the wiring this evening. Controller mounted on top. Decided to add a piece of plywood to attach the electrical box, and leave room to add a light and/or fan later. Installed the light fixture for my heat source. Here's what I'm using as a heat source.

Finished the inside layer of insulation, caulked and taped all the seams. Also added a second layer to the doors and made some latches. Ready to install the wiring and controls next.

I'm planning to convert my 5-gallon Igloo MLT into an electric HERMS. I've seen some discussion here about the use of copper with hot wort, but am looking for some advice: what are the negatives to using copper? Do they outweigh the positives (lower price, easier to work)? Thanks for your help!