Anyone using the Auber Brew Buddy 2?

[Elfmaze]

Looks like a nice piece of kit for $1k DIY form. $1500 assembled. which in my case might be worth it... I only see one mention of it when I do a search

 

[Elfmaze]

is there some Auber panel hate I don't know about? I've been out of the game for a few years.... And yes I love Kal's panels, just trying to settle on a budget i'm happy with.

 

[Blazinlow86]

is there some Auber panel hate I don't know about? I've been out of the game for a few years.... And yes I love Kal's panels, just trying to settle on a budget i'm happy with.

I used them for most of my kal clone panel components and have no issues. I think it's more that the same components can be bought straight from China at a discounted rate that some don't like. For myself it was just faster and easier to buy it all from one place and budget wasn't much concern. That said I built mine from individual components and it was several years ago but I think I only spend 6-700ish. Cheers

 

[Bobby_M]

I like these units for the most part. I'm a huge EZboil fanboy so any multi-vessel controller that doesn't feature them is effectively dead to me. I find that the alarms built into the ezboils are effective and loud enough that external buzzers are not necessary and triggering pumps via alarm/automation setpoints (which this unit can also do) is lost on me.

Another slick alternative is a pair of the new Blichmann Brewcommanders. You lose the mash temp/HERMS return monitoring probes function but you also get away with paying only $750.

 

[Elfmaze]

I got ya, So even at the price point there is more competition out there to be found. I'll keep up the research! thanks

 

[Deric]

I'm about to pull the trigger on one of these kits. I currently have a propane fired, single tier, 3 vessel setup using 2 keggles and a cooler. Once the current setup is up and running on electricity I will replace the mash tun and get the HERMS part going.

Plan on buying elements, cables and enclosures from Brewhardware.com for the Boil kettle and HLT.

I'm trying to figure out which temp probes to order with the kit. I currently have welded sight-glass/dial thermometer combos from Brewhardware on the HLT and Boil kettle and would like to replace the thermometers with the temp probes. How long should the probes be? I'm thinking 6" at least and maybe 8"? Auber doesn't have these on the drop down menu on the order page but I assume (already sent them an email asking..) they will sub for an upcharge.

For the Mash probes I have no idea what to get as I don't even have the mash tun yet. Any suggestions? It's not the end of the world if I end up having to replace them when the time comes but since they are included in the kit it would be nice to get the right thing now.

Thanks!

 

[Elfmaze]

A cooler is not necessarily bad for HERMS, As long as you can recirculate out a bottom valve. But for MASH temp you will get some varying answers. Some people will read the temp of the wort on the output side... And some will read on the input side. I will be reading from a 1/2 NPT "tee" just before the wort reenters the kettle. But I also have a steam gauge on the output side of the Mash tun so I can see the temp rise in the loop. For the boil and HLT for the most part the water in the kettle will all be around the same temp, So probe length and location is not as important. I am going for 8" long probes for both since I have Boil coils and presumably the hot liquid will rise up the walls of the kettle above the element, So I wanted to reach a bit further into the kettle. The longer they are the easier to break too.

 

[Deric]

Thanks for the info. Will order as soon as I hear back from Auber about the 6" probes. Will go with 1.5" for the mash in/out.

Have some other questions about about mounting elements. Time to start a new thread.

 

[Elfmaze]

Ah that is correct... the brew buddy has TWO temp monitors for the mash. so yeah, one at the kettle exit, and one at the kettle entrance or herms coil exit

 

[TKaija]

I'm building a system as well, but going toward the Spike+ Solo with a different controller. I'm getting a 50A circuit installed soon. I like what I have read about the EZboil. I'm thinking the Auber Brew Buddy II might do the trick as I would like the option to expand to 3V...or brew two Solo+ at the same time turning on both elements. I could brew once with two simultaneous brews (give or take) and fill four kegs in one brew day. I would still spend less on this setup than a 3V system with HERMS and still get a Unitank.

Tell me if I am crazy or way off...It's kinda come down to either the Auber wall mount single vessel or the Brew BuddyII. I realize too that I could probably get two wall mount controllers from Auber but then I need two 30A circuits. Similar constraint for two BrewCommanders.

Thoughts?

 

[Bobby_M]

No comment on the Solo, but you can definitely run two commanders off of a 50 amp circuit. Sure, the end of your 50 amp circuit would terminate into a large enough junction box to install two L6-30R receptacles, but 5500 watt elements only pull 24 amps each. If you want added levels of safety you can also install a pair of these DIN rail mountable breakers prior to the receptacles in the same box.

If your 50 amp breaker feeding the circuit will have GFCI protection, use these on each 30amp circuit. https://www.amazon.com/NDB2-63C25-2...GFCI+din+mount+breaker&qid=1598408767&sr=8-14

If your 50amp breaker is non GFCI, use these. Robot Check

If you can rig it so the face of the breaker pokes out the front of the box, you can use them as hard shutoffs which the Brew Commanders don't natively have.

 

[TheMadKing]

I have one, I have had a couple issues with it. If you decide to assemble it yourself, you need to know what you're doing with electronics, and sanity check all their circuit diagrams. There was a mistake in my circuit diagrams and I was only able to diagnose it after I set the inside of my panel on fire. They replaced all the wires and internal components for free so they did help me take care of it.

Otherwise, I have had the EZboil contacts work loose and had to replace one, I have had to replace a SSR because it melted from an internal short, and I've had to replace my thermocouple cables twice because of a bad connection internally to the cables.

It has gotten a little over a full year of hard use at this point though and it's still functioning with the replacement parts. I would give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

If I had to do it over again, I would have shelled out for a higher quality panel that was pre-assembled. Much less hassle and higher quality parts overall.

 

[jeffalanmcclain]

Just finished this DIY 50A HERMS build myself (converting from ranco controlled solenoids on gas fired HERMS setup developed in 2003). They neglected to include one of the L5-15R flange receptacles and one of the 32A dual pole contactors was bad (60Hz chattering contact when energized), but they quickly shipped out replacements...so far, I learned a lot (and customized a lot). I think most of the additional "elaborate" EZBoil options are wasted for me, and I just want a quick/easy setpoint temp (manual duty cycle for boil is nice too and I like the quick access dial) and I have HLT bypass solenoids I needed to wire up to the mash temps, but overall, I love the clean look of the DIN components and probably could build a second panel cheaper just buying all the parts myself (and a cheap Inkbird PID instead of the EZBoil) and save just a little...but again, not bad for the price and getting the design and nice wiring kit and PT100 probes.

 

[Elfmaze]

I too went with a custom DIY 50amp RIMS build. My system was built long before the idea of electric fired elements and I didn't want to change my brewing style to fit the prebuilt controllers. Now the only problem I am still working is I need a low flow sensor to detect stuck mashes... 4500 watt RIMS element causes problems REALLY fast when the flow stops. But I've got a few brews under my belt with the new system at this point.

 

[Elfmaze]

I think most of the additional "elaborate" EZBoil options are wasted for me

I agree so far with my brewing as well. I find myself just manually setting the temp and power to where I need it. Possibly after some time and getting all the parameters tuned out I will become more comfortable with the automation.

 

[4TBBUCS]

I have one, I have had a couple issues with it. If you decide to assemble it yourself, you need to know what you're doing with electronics, and sanity check all their circuit diagrams. There was a mistake in my circuit diagrams and I was only able to diagnose it after I set the inside of my panel on fire. They replaced all the wires and internal components for free so they did help me take care of it.

Otherwise, I have had the EZboil contacts work loose and had to replace one, I have had to replace a SSR because it melted from an internal short, and I've had to replace my thermocouple cables twice because of a bad connection internally to the cables.

It has gotten a little over a full year of hard use at this point though and it's still functioning with the replacement parts. I would give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

If I had to do it over again, I would have shelled out for a higher quality panel that was pre-assembled. Much less hassle and higher quality parts overall.

Funny, I'm going through this right now. Their schematics are a bit off from their videos, which are a bit off from their pictures lol. I contacted them and asked which I should reference, and they said the schematics as opposed to their pics and videos. If you happen to have any pictures of your finished panel, feel free to share!

 

[Jeremy W]

I agree so far with my brewing as well. I find myself just manually setting the temp and power to where I need it. Possibly after some time and getting all the parameters tuned out I will become more comfortable with the automation.

I recently built my 30A panel somewhat based on the Auber Brew Buddy (Use the Auber EZ Boil controllers and the SYL-2802B to display mash temps) as well as the Mike Skril plan and Kal's plans at The Electric Brewery. I was also debating how much automation I wanted to try so I went with the DSPR120 for the Boil Kettle and the DSPR320 for the HLT. After two brews on it, I really like the scheduled mash that you can do on the DSPR320, takes a few minutes to set up, but you can almost walk away for the entire mash process while the controller takes over.

 

[TheMadKing]

Funny, I'm going through this right now. Their schematics are a bit off from their videos, which are a bit off from their pictures lol. I contacted them and asked which I should reference, and they said the schematics as opposed to their pics and videos. If you happen to have any pictures of your finished panel, feel free to share!

I do but I don't think the pictures would help you much because I was really careful with my cable management and you can't see exactly where everything goes.

The best advice I can give you is two things:

check resistance from hot to neutral and hot to ground before you plug it in. It should be an open circuit while deenergized. Their original schematic had me short hot to neutral through the orange "fail safe" circuit, and I didn't think to do such a simple check. So when I switched on the power it promptly fried every white wire in the thing before the breaker could trip.

Second if anything in your schematic drawing looks strange, like a wire line just stops rather than visibly terminates, or something feels wrong or doesn't follow the pattern you were expecting, question it! Ask Auber to verify that it's correct before plugging it in. Azalea is the woman I was working with and she was pretty helpful (and got very sick of my emails I'm sure)

I hope that helps

 

[Deric]

Not sure if they'll help but some pics of build...

 

[Deric]

... a few more.

 

[4TBBUCS]

Good stuff @Deric. How'd you end up mounting / hanging your panel? I'm doing research to mount my panel onto an articulating TV mount somehow.

 

[Deric]

For now I just put some bolts in a piece of plywood screwed to the wall. Can easily lift it off. The plan was to come up with something more elegant - perhaps a rolling TV/monitor stand - then store it on the wall when not being used.

Like Red Green says...."This is only temporary. Unless it works".

 

[DonT]

As I was looking at your photo, I noticed you have a sensor at HERMS out (?) and Mash out... but I can't see the other sensors. Only the two? And you mounted the Tees inboard of the valves... interesting. Your rational? Just starting to put together my system using a BB1, and would like to hear your thoughts...

 

[Deric]

Temp sensors for the boil kettle and HLT are on the back side of the kettles. The BB2 kit comes with 4 temp sensors - that's the only reason I have them on both the HERMS out and Mash out. After running a few dozen batches it is handy (though by no means necessary) to see both temps. I also added a temp probe to the output of my chiller and switch the wire from the output of the mash to the chiller when chilling.

As for inboard/outboard of the valves I never really gave it much thought but being inboard there is less liquid between the valve and the camlocks so a little less to spill when swapping hoses I s'pose.

 

[4TBBUCS]

I have the BK probe directly into the kettle. The MLT is in a stainless tee, as is the HLT. The fourth probe rest in the HLT out (Mash In).

 

[Jeremy W]

I do the same thing:
Probe 1: HLT water out
Probe 2: MLT wort in (HERMS coil out)
Probe 3: MLT wort out (HERMS coil in)
Probe 4: BK (directly in kettle)

 

[DonT]

I do the same thing:
Probe 1: HLT water out
Probe 2: MLT wort in (HERMS coil out)
Probe 3: MLT wort out (HERMS coil in)
Probe 4: BK (directly in kettle)

This is my plan...