Auber "cube"

[Dland]

Just finished adding triclamp ferules to my kettles, added 1/2 NPT through hulls for temp sensors, and got new Auber cube in mail. Next brew will be all electric.

 

[Dland]

Tried it out today. Seems to work as I intended it to. Not without glitches, but for now I'll assume operator error. Overall, I am happy with purchase for now, will supply updates if relevant.

It is advertised as a BIAB and HERMS control, I used it to bring mash and strike water up to temp and also for boil control. I switch the heater output cable between kettles as needed. A nice brew control panel like some of you have and I would not have to do that, but do not have permanent brew set up, and this was under $500.

A couple of minor gripes on set up; the L 14 30 plug they supply is a cheap import, probably would not notice if you are not used to using good plugs, and no instructions at all, they are available for down load, true, but I'd have been ticked if my internet was down or something. One of the sensors was reading low, said 193 when was at full boil. (I ordered and extra sensor so I would not have to switch between kettles.)

Instructions kind of complicated for old analog type like me, and could not get boil control to modulate until I was messing with it at end of brew session.

 

[augiedoggy]

You are going to see different reading with different sensors because your not ideally really supposed to swap out temp sensors like that. Theres an offset in the menu where you adjust the "193" to be whatever boiling is at your altitude and such... you may find a couple sensors that read very close to each other though if you keep trying. they are all usually off a degree or few though until calibrated with the offset.

As far as the plug being cheap your likely right,(although that cooper plug in the picture is not a cheap chinese plug) many of the components like the pt100 sensors they sell are generic chinese components and usually sell for much less direct from china on ebay or amazon. They try to sell what they can while keeping the prices reasonable with their markups I guess. The sensor below is from the same manufacturer as auber uses.. quite a difference in price.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RTD-PT100-...470346?hash=item33df3a464a:g:juwAAOSwPypaU~ve (however they are wired different so you can just plug this sensor into the same plug from the auber unit)

 

[Dland]

Your right, it said 193 at boil. You have 4 of those controllers in your panel? I'll have to use this thing a bit before the menu is clear to me, was confusing the heck out of me yesterday. I should have done a trial run and not tried to learn the new rig and brew at the same time, but really wanted to try it out and wanted to brew. This is faster and cheaper than my old 2 burner set up, but all my rhythms and procedures different than last 40 brews. Might have to wire up another 30A outlet so I can direct heat sanitation water while boiling, as was my habit in the past. (brew panel control envy on my part, I just left the stone ages yesterday?)

Another thing to watch for anyone from gas to water heater elements; be aware of water level in active kettle at all times, especially if you are not familiar with controller. I came close to toasting the element, but I was sufficiently worried about this in advance, so I caught it when it was getting low.

I thought the cooper plug was cheap import, compared with hubble or legrand, have seen some cooper plugs shipping from china on ebay, maybe not that model, whatever, it works now it is wired up.

 

[augiedoggy]

I used to have one ezboil unit and 3 pids and one timer in my old panel because there was one for the rims and one for the hlt and one for bk... I know what your thinking but My old panel in that avatar pic was actually a $300 panel I built so it was built on a budget (and used some cheap aviation style connectors instead of nema plugs)... you could build that box you have there for about $175 if you built another yourself.. most of the cost is in the assembly.

I use a arduino based control box now and software called brucontrol. Totally not needed to make good beer but I enjoy the engineering part of it as well so.

 

[Dland]

Electric micro control not one of my skills, but I admire the knowledge of those to which it is second nature. Only room for so many skills and trades in my cluttered mind.

I still have not really figured out to operate the ezboil. I can get it to do what I want, but only after randomly messing with control. Sometimes it reads p(percent) boil at 100, but clearly not putting full output, even tested that with clamp meter, can see the amperage jumping around. Also, sensor readings are below actual temperature, good thing I left the analog thermometers on my kettles. I take it the sensor reading is adjustable, but have not figured how to do it.

Will spend some more time with it today before I brew, but I wish the instructions included and simple flow chart and read out key, instead of pages of verbage and the assumption of a certain type of digital competence. All those functions that have to be accessed with one control,..

 

[augiedoggy]

I actually know exactly what your talking about... I never mastered the ezboil controls either and every time had to fiddle till I got it to do what I wanted..it works better than pids but was not very intiutive in my eyes.

 

[Dland]

I just spent a couple hours with it hooked up to my HLT trying to learn the different menu settings, I think I have the boil control down, but was having a time figuring how to get back into mash mode.

Edit: I found a link to a youtube vidio on how to run ezboil on Auber's site. They are using an older unit, but the control seems the same. Now I can probably use as intended tomorrow when I brew. I may have never figured how to switch modes by their instruction PDF, but perhaps that is just me.

 

[Dland]

Second brew with it today. Went very well. After messing with it yesterday it has gotten a little less mysterious to me. This unit works fine for what I use if for, is portable, so is good for outdoor brewing or if you don't have a set place to brew. The instructions weren't great, and while their video helped, it would be good if they made one that demonstrated all the functions.

I'm sure familiarity will make it's use easier. Might eventually print out my own quick reference page, for days I'm out of it.

All I am doing is using to in mash function to heat strike, sparge and sanitizing water, and boil function to boil the wort. The thing looks like it is programmable for 8 mash and 8 boil settings, which might be good for step mashing and HERMs, BIAB, etc. Since I'm doing a one step mash with 3 kettle system, the extra options just add a little confusion.

A couple things in general about electric brewing that are probably "duh"s to many of you, but new to me. With internal heat source, it is necessary to stir the water in mash function to get actual and uniform temp. I also take the precaution of disconcerting heat elements between functions, when I'm drawing liquid down, so as not to risk burning elements. Maybe won't have to do this when I trust control unit more.

In general, electric brewing is faster, cheaper, quieter, cleaner(no carbon black on kettle bottoms) than using big propane burners. Very glad I made the transition. Also nice to be able to heat exact amount of water for each operation and walk away for a bit without overshooting temps and having to add more cold water. May pave the way someday to moving rig indoors, or maybe into a shipping container.

 

[augiedoggy]

once you get comfortable with it you will find you like it more .. at least I do. enough where I decided to go electric on our 3bbl brewhouse we are opening.

 

[Dland]

Update after using the Cube for a while: It has gotten easy to run this thing with practice.

I did add an additional 30A 240V outlet so I could run brewing processes with the Cube, and still plug in HLT to heat sanitation water during wort boil.

Another added benefit over gas is I no longer need to use Fermcap S to avoid boil overs, the control of heat in boil mode is that fast and precise. Never really did like adding that stuff, even though it is all supposed to settle out in trub.

 

[hezagenius]

@Dland
Any pointers for a newbie with a Cube? I'm waiting for my kettle and basket and then I'm off to the races with eBIAB. Going to be nice not dealing with flames anymore.

 

[Dland]

@Dland
Any pointers for a newbie with a Cube? I'm waiting for my kettle and basket and then I'm off to the races with eBIAB. Going to be nice not dealing with flames anymore.

I would recommend getting a little acquainted with the functions before your first brew with it. Preferably with actual kettle of water. This might save you some frustration and maybe a boil over.

Make sure you understand how to go to reduced boiling power. There is a program temp setting in boil mode that had me baffled because the numbers would turn down, but the current remained at 100%, it has to do with setting where it runs at 100% until it reaches a set temp before you can turn it down. I can use it now but can't explain it any better.

Auber also has a youtube video that shows how to switch modes that was clearer to me than the instructions.

There is a program function, in 'systems', I believe, where you can adjust for discrepancies between sensor and actual temp. Good to keep a manual thermometer around while setting that up and getting used to it. I'm using multiple sensors in multiple kettles, and you probably won't be, so you might not have to worry about that as much. Also, as I already mentioned, you do have to stir or pump fluids around to get uniform heat and accurate reading much more so than with gas burner.

Lastly, make sure your heat element is always covered with wort or water, it can burn up quick if dry. Might not be as easy to mess that up with BIAB, but I came close to frying one.