BLING BLING Electric HERMS Conversion

[scoots]

I am building the exact same setup as you pol. There is no 10-4 near me, just 10-3 with a ground. Seems to be the same just no coating on the ground. I think it should be ok, just checking with the experts.

 

[The Pol]

I am building the exact same setup as you pol. There is no 10-4 near me, just 10-3 with a ground. Seems to be the same just no coating on the ground. I think it should be ok, just checking with the experts.

My 10-4 has no coating on the ground. It is wrapped in paper. 10-3 with a ground, to me anyhow, is no different than 10-4. I mean, you have 4 wires, right?

 

[scoots]

Yep. Red, Black White and uncoated ground. Sounds like I have a winner. I cannot wait to start wiring up next week. I only have all grain kits left now.

 

[The Pol]

Yep. Red, Black White and uncoated ground. Sounds like I have a winner. I cannot wait to start wiring up next week. I only have all grain kits left now.

Yep, that is exactly what I ran from the breaker box to the outlet.

 

[Budzu]

Pol, I just wanted to thank you for the contribution of this thread and your attention to people's inquiries. I am in the final stages of planning an electric 10 gallon system and I have spent countless hours trying to understand every aspect of what I will be building. This thread more than any other has answered SO many of my questions so that I don't even need to ask them. HOWEVER.. be forewarned I may have many for you in the coming weeks or months!

really though, thanks so much, for sharing and for the inspiration!

 

[The Pol]

Pol, I just wanted to thank you for the contribution of this thread and your attention to people's inquiries. I am in the final stages of planning an electric 10 gallon system and I have spent countless hours trying to understand every aspect of what I will be building. This thread more than any other has answered SO many of my questions so that I don't even need to ask them. HOWEVER.. be forewarned I may have many for you in the coming weeks or months!

really though, thanks so much, for sharing and for the inspiration!

Dont mention it...

it was a fun and aggrivating build, but the end product is crazy fun to brew on. Keep the questions coming, I will do my best to help out. This board inspired me, so I am glad that I can pass that on.

 

[beerocd]

HBT must have bought out auberins - no 40 amp SSRs as of 2 minutes ago.

-OCD

 

[brrman]

LOL. Auber must be getting a lot of business from us...

I brewed on my BREWT (Pol-clone) last night. It is just so easy going... no pressure. I have found I can brew every weekend and not break a sweat.

 

[The Pol]

LOL. Auber must be getting a lot of business from us...

I brewed on my BREWT (Pol-clone) last night. It is just so easy going... no pressure. I have found I can brew every weekend and not break a sweat.

I am glad that you are enjoying it, I am glad that you had the chance to come over and see it in person that day to see that it was all about!

I will be brewing in a week or two, depends on how motivated I am.

 

[Douglefish]

I have been following this thread and slowing building my 10 gallon electric HERMS. Can't tell everyone how much I appreciate the help. I do have one question though, and am hoping I didn't make a mistake. When attaching the 10 gauge wire to my 5500 Watt element, I directly wrapped the bare wire ends around the screw and screwed it down. It looked to me as though it was a good connection. I then covered it in JB weld as POL said. I then questioned if I should have gotten one of those ring wire adapters instead of using the bare wire directly on the element. Is this going to be a problem? The only thing I could think of was a potentially bad connection?

Thanks in advance?

 

[The Pol]

I have been following this thread and slowing building my 10 gallon electric HERMS. Can't tell everyone how much I appreciate the help. I do have one question though, and am hoping I didn't make a mistake. When attaching the 10 gauge wire to my 5500 Watt element, I directly wrapped the bare wire ends around the screw and screwed it down. It looked to me as though it was a good connection. I then covered it in JB weld as POL said. I then questioned if I should have gotten one of those ring wire adapters instead of using the bare wire directly on the element. Is this going to be a problem? The only thing I could think of was a potentially bad connection?

Thanks in advance?

You will be fine. I simply couldnt get the wire wrapped around the terminals easily. If you wrapped it, then encased it in JB, should be fine.

 

[Douglefish]

One other question, where can I get a distribution block for inside my control panel?

 

[illin8]

automationdirect.com was Pol's source for the distribution block, item no. PB1043 I believe.

 

[slimer]

I got mine from ebay.

 

[The Pol]

Yah, I used automation direct, it is in the OP with the parts list I think.

 

[brrman]

got mine on ebay as well.

 

[Troubs]

Holy ****! I just plowed through all 436 post in this thread! I think my eyes are bleeding!

Pol, what awesome build. I'm in the planning stages for my e-herms setup and I just wanted to thank you, as many others have, for such an informative post. I'm sure that I'll be reading it over and over throughout the coming months!

 

[The Pol]

Holy ****! I just plowed through all 436 post in this thread! I think my eyes are bleeding!

Pol, what awesome build. I'm in the planning stages for my e-herms setup and I just wanted to thank you, as many others have, for such an informative post. I'm sure that I'll be reading it over and over throughout the coming months!

Flattered, thanks. I am a tinkerer, like most men in my family. HBT helped me, I am glad that I can inspire you.

 

[Duster72]

Nevermind. Reading is fundamental.

 

[Duster72]

Okay, Pol, I am building this right now.

Stupid question time:

I want to have power to the Auber controller all the time so I can see my kettle temp.

How do I wire this correctly?

1) Do I run 110 to the controller? Before one of my pump switches?
2) Specifically, where do I take the power to the controller? Sorry, I am not familiar with how to read this thing. The output makes sense to me, but the input does not. Is there a wiring diagram somewhere?

 

[The Pol]

Duster, nice to see you buddy, been using those hops?

I wanted exactly what you want, to power the PID, but not the element so that I can monitor my kettle temp always. Here is how, there is no wiring diagram

I ran 240VAC into the box, this went to a distribution block where I connected the (2) hots and the (1) ground and (1) neutral.

From this block I ran (1) hot to the PID and (1) neutral. So, whenever the panel is plugged in, the PID is ON. I then placed a DPST switch on the HOTS that go to (1) the SSR and (1) the 240VAC 30A outlet where the element plugs in. Again, this allows me to have ULTIMATE control over my element (in case if impending boil over??) The PID, is always on, even if the element "master" is off. The PID will still send signals to the SSR, but there is no current there (DPST switch) unless I turn that switch on.

 

[Duster72]

Duster, nice to see you buddy, been using those hops?

I wanted exactly what you want, to power the PID, but not the element so that I can monitor my kettle temp always. Here is how, there is no wiring diagram

I ran 240VAC into the box, this went to a distribution block where I connected the (2) hots and the (1) ground and (1) neutral.

From this block I ran (1) hot to the PID and (1) neutral. So, whenever the panel is plugged in, the PID is ON. I then placed a DPST switch on the HOTS that go to (1) the SSR and (1) the 240VAC 30A outlet where the element plugs in. Again, this allows me to have ULTIMATE control over my element (in case if impending boil over??) The PID, is always on, even if the element "master" is off. The PID will still send signals to the SSR, but there is no current there (DPST switch) unless I turn that switch on.

I am getting ready to use A LOT MORE of those hops

Okay, we are thinking the exact same thing, I thought that this is what you had done.

Just found this thanks to google - this look right to you?

 

[The Pol]

Yes, except that there is a switch on the LINE into the SSR and that same switch also accomodates the other LINE to the element.

 

[Duster72]

Right, I just wanted to make sure I was getting the PID wired correctly.

I am sure I will have more questions. Laying out now, hope to wire later.

 

[jsype]

Pol,
Thanks for making things easy for us. I have been reading all the threads on your new electric BK upgrade and the HERMS system.

I have all the parts for the HERMS ordered and things are coming in daily from McMaster, NorthernBrewer and MoreBeer. I've got the bulkheads made and I'm ready to roll -- really excited.

Like you, I had become frustrated with losing temperature in my curent cooler MLT - -losing up to 6 degrees in a single mash session. That's what prompted me to search out and find your very elegant system.

Do you mind sending me a copy of your HLT water management spreadsheet?

Once my wife gets over this newest spending spree, I'll be on to converting to electric BK, and getting my garage wired for 240V for the next upgrade! Thanks again.

 

[The Pol]

Send me a PM with your email addy...

Tonight I just tested my closed cooling system on this thing. No garden hoses, all I do is use my HLT with the HERMS coil as my heat exchanger to COOL the wort. Here are the stats on the test.

Closed system cooling WORKS, here are some numbers:

5.5 gallons BOILING
4.0 gallons 65F water and 44 pounds of ICE

5 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 50F
KETTLE TEMP 148F

10 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 54F
KETTLE TEMP 99F

15 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 52F
KETTLE TEMP 81F

20 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 50F
KETTLE TEMP 66F

25 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 48F
KETTLE TEMP 57F

30 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 48F
KETTLE TEMP 57F

 

[bakins]

5.5 gallons BOILING
4.0 gallons 65F water and 44 pounds of ICE

5 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 50F
KETTLE TEMP 148F

10 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 54F
KETTLE TEMP 99F

15 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 52F
KETTLE TEMP 81F

20 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 50F
KETTLE TEMP 66F

25 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 48F
KETTLE TEMP 57F

30 minutes in:
COOLING WATER TEMP 48F
KETTLE TEMP 57F

So the cooling water gets colder??

That's a lot of ice!

 

[The Pol]

So the cooling water gets colder??

That's a lot of ice!

Yes, the cooling water gets colder.

The wort is cooling, so it is adding fewer calories of energy to the cooling water. The ice is not melted at that point, so as the wort cools, the ice actually begins to cool the cooling fliud faster than the wort is heating it.

It is an awesome amount of ice

 

[scoots]

At what point (if any) did the ice completely melt? I made up a spreadsheet with the proper formulas and knew your technique would work. I wish I had read the thread when it started, I teach this type of chemistry every year.

 

[The Pol]

At what point (if any) did the ice completely melt? I made up a spreadsheet with the proper formulas and knew your technique would work. I wish I had read the thread when it started, I teach this type of chemistry every year.

The ice completely melted at about 20 minutes. You can also see this in the fact that the HLT temp stabilized at 48F and the kettle temp stabilized at 57F.

The FASTER the ice melt, the FASTER I can cool the wort. I may try making smaller ice cubes, this will speed cooling.