2P-Twent-E: the new Brouwerij Boerderij Kabouter

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

oops I meant BK. I suppose the kettle maintains enough heat while you are stepping that another PID really isn't necessary.

Cool man, keep us updated. Does the first kettle (aka 1/4 bbl) come with beer in it? haha

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Yeah, when I use the RIMS I will not use the HERMS coil so the BK element will be off. You would need more power to run two elements at once (and thereby need two PIDs).

I am actually going with 24qt stainless stock pots now. I will update everything soon. I love the kegs, but am going to go with stock pots to try something different.

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

I am actually going with 24qt stainless stock pots now. I will update everything soon. I love the kegs, but am going to go with stock pots to try something different.

I wonder what he has up his sleeve now...hehe may have to hold off on my design now.

 

[wyzazz]

Coated kegs are hard to find.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who can't leave well enough alone

 

[weirdboy]

I have still been looking at putting together a rig like this but we bought a house last year and the new place is all 120V 15A so it puts a damper on my electric brewery plans unless I do a big, expensive electrical upgrade (subpanel has to be upgraded, need a new run from main box to subpanel, new runs to appropriate outlets, etc.).

So now I am thinking about something similar only with propane, HERMS, and a couple of solenoids. Although I suppose I could still do something similar and limit my batch sizes to maybe 2.5-3 gallons, especially if I use e.g. a cooler MLT design for one of the vessels.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Meh, the rubber kegs are easy to get. I just want to do a build with actual kettles. They are lighter and I want the less rounded bottom. I am also going to try some insulation ideas. Just something different.

You could do this build with a flat bottom kettle and suppliment the heating power with your stove. I think that is a cool idea...

 

[weirdboy]

You could do this build with a flat bottom kettle and suppliment the heating power with your stove. I think that is a cool idea...

It's a cool idea until I forget to close a valve and get wort spraying all over the kitchen. At least when I do it outside my wife won't kill me.

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

Is this the switch you used?

http://www.automationdirect.com/adc...uminated_-a-_Non-Illuminated/LED/GCX3251-120L

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

That's the one!

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

Thanks. Gonna order a few.

 

[big_al_in_k-zoo]

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread, and R.I.M.S. 4 dummies. Got my controller up and running. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[tannnick]

Your control box def inspired my box. I don't have pics, but I did use love controllers. Mine controls HLT and MLT. Very simple.

Question: Did you ever use the rubber kegs?

I just drilled the top off for my HLT, element hole, thermowell hole, and valve hole, but then realized while I was trying to install my element that the 1/4" rubber puts a big damper on the short element thread and also, how did (would) you ground?

I was thinking of grinding down a hole through the rubber deep enough against the SS to stick a ground wire terminal between the rubber and metal. OR I was going to chip and chisel away enough of the rubber around the hole to press the metal electrical/element box against the metal side of the keg. I would prefer to do the later, considering I built a nice small element receptacle before acquiring a rubber keg.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Yes, I did use rubber kegs in the SIMPLE build. I used a hole saw to cut away just the rubber around my holes so I was left with a clean stainless surface for mounting sensors and elements to.

cheers

 

[tannnick]

I built a small electrical box around the element for easy grounding. On a normal keg, it would attach right to the side. After thinking about it for a couple days, i took a dremel and reinforced cutting wheel and cut a 4" x 4" square out of the rubber around the hole I drilled for the element exposing the metal. Thus being able to easily ground the steel.

Does the silicone o ring go on the inside of the tank or the outside?

 

[lavinjj]

I love the thread, really informational!

I notice that you are only using a single RTD for the system. Have you had any issues with keeping the mash at the proper temp when you recirculate it?

From what I've been reading, it seems that you'd want to use two RTD elements to make sure your temps are as accurate as can be. One RTD inside the HLT/BK for measuring the temp of strike water and another on the output of the HERMS coil to make sure your mash stays at the right temp during recirculation.

Is a second RTD really necessary, if so, how would change the wiring to switch between the two RTD elements while brewing.

Thanks

 

[Will319]

You can't switch between 2 sensors because the switch will alter the current in the wire for an accurate reading. However you could get 2 probes from auber with the twist lock configuration and just switch the the to the sensor you wish to get a reading from and have a switch on the box from bk to rims or herms to tell it which element to control

 

[Will319]

Have there been any new developments on this build. I was waiting to see how it turned out

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

It would appear I can no longer edit entries???

Anyway, I am finally going to wrap up my brewery and thought I would update the thread.
Here is the MLT (left) and BK (right)

They are each 24 qt. stainless from Bayou Classics. All connections are silver soldered.

Here is a shot of the inside of the MLT, it has a Jaybird Falsie supported by a thermoplastic tubing ring, a snap lock return hose, and a thermowell for receiving my PID's RTD probe.

Here is a closer shot of the probe; it sits just above the false bottom.

The boil kettle includes a tangential return, bottom drain, heating element, and thermowell. Here is a shot of the heating element.

The outside f the kettle has a metal receptical box silver soldered in place over the element nut.

The tangential return is just a swagelok and a stainless elbow:

Anyway, All that is left now is to build my stand for it and finish the pump box. I have all the parts now, so I just need to find some time. I really want to brew with a friend just after the holidays, so I am pushing to finish soon!

 

[canyonbrewer]

Great to hear from an inspiration!!!

For those unaware jkarp is the mastermind of 120VAC for e-brewing.

..........................................................
The PID uses an RTD that I will be able to move around. Each vessel will have a thermowell in
the sightglass base. Each sight glass will be assembled like this:

with one of these

threaded into the connection instead of the plug.

I will also have a thermowell for monitoring liquid temp through the heat exchangers:
Brewers Hardware, LLC. :: Warning


The thermowells as well as a ton of other stuff are all coming from HBT member Derrin ala


So I will be able to check temps wherever I want. Or at least that is the idea. I will also have
two analog thermos sticking through the lids down into the mash/boil.

Can you please provide more detail on the sight glass and fittings?

 

[badmojo]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

This piqued my interest, as it relates to my upcoming electric build. I've been looking to switch between two sensors, as well (RTDs). I don't see why it wouldn't work, assuming the switch has minimal intrinsic resistance. Temperature is determined by the PID by detecting the resistance between the two wires of the RTD (which varies with temperature changes in the probe). So long as the switch doesn't add resistance (and I would hope it doesn't...), it shouldn't change the temperature reading, should it?

If you were using a thermocouple type sensor, then I think it would be a different story.

You can't switch between 2 sensors because the switch will alter the current in the wire for an accurate reading. However you could get 2 probes from auber with the twist lock configuration and just switch the the to the sensor you wish to get a reading from and have a switch on the box from bk to rims or herms to tell it which element to control

 

[TyTanium]

Looks fantastic. Can't wait to see the finish product...and hopefully in action!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

The fitting and sight glas are from MoreBeer while the thermowell is from brewershardware.com.

I would not use a switch in line with the sensor. You can try it, but I would not recommend it.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Finished putting together my chiller and the pump house. The chiller is just a 25' copper coil with fittings sweated on. The pump house include two march 809s connected to the QDs on the top. The fronts are the inlets and the tops are the outlets. I used thermoplastic tubing and stainless 1/2" tube for the bends in the box.

 

[geniz]

Subscribe

 

[wildwest450]

Is there room for wort in that kettle?


_

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

har har wise ass. Yeah, it holds over 5.5 gallons. I only need 5, I use fermcap anyway because I am in the kitchen.

 

[TyTanium]

Looking good!

 

[Layne]

Nice job, as usual.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I am almost done. I just need to make two more extension cords to connect the Pump House and then cut up my tubing and I am all done (for now).

Here is the labeled pump house and everything sitting on the stand.

Pardon the crazy mess in the background...