2.5-3 gallon 4500W E-Brewery Build

[The Pol]

The basic plan is to utilize (2) 8 gallon pots, a stainless, rolling equipment table, one pump, a 4500W element in the BK, and one in the RIMS tube, one pump, and BCS control. I'm not sure if it will be WiFi capable, or not at this juncture. The plan is to also have a large CFC mounted to the stand itself. The footprint should not exceed 30" x 36".

Firstly, the kettles. I'm thinking 8 gallon MegaPots.

It should be able to heat strike water in 18 minutes.
It should also be able to reach a boil, after the lauter, in under 10 minutes.
Based on CFC "claims"... I presume whirlpooling the wort afterward will take 5 minutes to reach ale pitching temps.

 

[BrokenHorn]

I got megapots in the spring and I love them. Well built and sturdy.

 

[hammis]

Cool! Keep us posted

 

[The Pol]

Excellent. Obviously the MLT will be built for recirculation, the BK will also be set up for whirlpool chilling. The TallBoy kettles would suffice, but the MegaPots are for aesthetic reasons

Temp inputs to the BCS will be basic. One at the pump inlet, one at the RIMS outlet. This way I can monitor mash temp during the mash, the wort temperature as is re-enters the mash, and wort temperature during whirlpool chilling.

 

[wh4tig0t]

I'm not sure of the measurements of the MegaPots, but I would think you would want something fairly tall and skinny. If you're doing a 2.5 gallon batch, thats not very much in the kettle at the end of a boil, keeping your element submerged, and all the necessary fittings or if you have a false bottom in the MLT. I am going to eventually do a 1 kettle 2.5-3 gallon BIAB setup and was looking at tall 6 gallon SS pots with the basket, I've got a link somewhere if you'd like.

 

[The Pol]

Well with 5 pounds of grist, the mash volume would be 5 gallons. With a 10 pound grist, the volume would be 6.4 gallons. In each case, more than half the volume of the MLT.

The issue with a smaller diameter pot than the MegaPot, which is 12", is the inability to get an element across the diameter.

With 8 gallon pots, I've also leaving the option for 5 gallon batches, however that isn't an important design consideration.

The pot is 15" tall, so a little more than 1 gallon for every 2" of height. My range of mashes would be approximately 10-13" in depth.

My goal at the end of the boil would be about 3 gallons, to account for losses, accounting for a 6" depth in the kettle, easily submerging the element.

I'd consider an MLT that is under 12" wide, but the BK element needs some room.