Boil kettle condenser - no overhead ventilation needed

[ajoyce]

I just ran a batch through the one I built. I dialed back my power to 35% which seemed to do a moderate boil. I also noticed the first 20 or so minutes the waste water smelled like cooked veggies. I am assuming DMS? Either way that went away after a while.

 

[pinemarten]

Would using a 2" to 1.5" reducer impact performance?

 

[mongoose33]

Would using a 2" to 1.5" reducer impact performance?

I don't see how...all you're doing is cooling steam which creates a partial vacuum which continues to pull steam into the steam catcher.

 

[BrunDog]

Would using a 2" to 1.5" reducer impact performance?

I think reducing the inlet is a better choice than using the smaller condenser. It’s all about mixing - the larger and more effective that chamber and process, the more efficient this system will be.

 

[lewandowski46]

Your design is spreading quickly! This was posted on the Brewtools FB page today as an add-on to their steam hat. Glad to see they added this as I'll be picking up a B80pro by the end of the year.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2366499496773771&id=933773400046395

 

[bleme]

Your design is spreading quickly!

One might even say it is "gaining steam"...

 

[mongoose33]

One might even say it is "gaining steam"...

I'm looking for the "BOO!" button, can't seem to find it.....

 

[day_trippr]

They renamed it to "Report"...

 

[nonstoptr]

I've been poring through this thread for a bit, such a great idea. Has anybody figured out/ experimented with whether a 2" or 1.5" tee is more effective when connected to a 1.5" port?

 

[CodeSection]

I've been poring through this thread for a bit, such a great idea. Has anybody figured out/ experimented with whether a 2" or 1.5" tee is more effective when connected to a 1.5" port?

I would use the inventor's post #1324 as the answer...

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Your design is spreading quickly! This was posted on the Brewtools FB page today as an add-on to their steam hat. Glad to see they added this as I'll be picking up a B80pro by the end of the year.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2366499496773771&id=933773400046395

View attachment 638896 View attachment 638891

Looks very similar to the Brew Hardware design I use.

 

[nonstoptr]

@Bobby_M, checking because it's unclear from the product description. Are the actual sizes of the main body tee the same between the 1.5 TC and 2 TC version of the Steamslayer?

 

[Bohern]

Thanks for this BrunDog, I just got Spike to add the TC to my kettle and can't wait to use this in my new Brewery Setup.

 

[skylar]

I'm currently in the process of updating my brewing equipment from HERMS to an EHERMS. The main reason for this upgrade is so that I can brew indoors during the winter months.

When I had my house built, I intentionally left the basement unfinished for a future brewery. I eventually want to have the brewing system behind a bar, perhaps even a hood above. I don't plan to start working on the basement for at least a year, maybe a little longer. The condenser approach seems like a great short term (perhaps even long term solution.)

I do have a few questions about retrofitting the condenser into my equipment.

1) Since I haven't brewed on electric before, I was curious if you'll need to deal with the steam coming from your hot liquor tank as well?

2) My Spike kettles just came in the mail last week, and I don't feel like shipping my boil kettle back, yet. My thought is to move my recirculation valve down by teeing off the thermometer. I'd then repropose the top port to be used by the condenser. Any thoughts on this crazy idea?

3) I have a few spare kettles and several pumps, I was thinking about recirculating the water due to the current lack of water in my basement. I've read several people experiencing an odor from the condensed runoff. Has anyone tried something similar or feel like this would be a horrible idea?


Thanks in advance,
Skylar

 

[BrunDog]

I wouldn't sweat (pun intended) the HLT - the water isn't boiling and you can leave the lid on without ill effects.

Might work - I don't know enough about your rig to safely make that claim.

You can't recirculate the water if you don't cool it first.

 

[Franktalk]

Skylar, the Brew Boss condenser comes with a camlock disconnect that will fit on one of the upper ports that you already have on your Spikes.

 

[rkhanso]

I have a Stainless Steel weldless bulkhead fitting for the steam condenser that I used JB Weld to connect to my ALUMINUM kettle. I bumped it and the JB weld broke during the last brew day.

Is there a better way to attach this to the aluminum kettle? I guess the silver solder isn't meant for aluminum. I'm wondering if I should try to rough the kettle and bulkhead fitting up so the JB weld might stick better and just re-do it. Or if there may be a different way to attach the SS bulkhead to the aluminum kettle.

Or do I need to just buy a weldless bulkhead fitting instead? If so, I hope the hole I drilled in the kettle isn't too big for that.

BTW - the last brew a week ago I pretty much maxed out my brew kettle and had to put a zip-lock bag w/rubber band over the bulkhead fitting/hole (it broke later in the brew) because my water level with the 36 lbs of grain in the bag was up past the hole near the top of the 25gal kettle. Ooops...

 

[Nemanach]

I think you are going to need a weldless fitting, I don’t expect an epoxy to hold against two metals heating and cooling next to each other.

If your hole is too big for the weldless bulkhead and you can plug it with something, you could buy a stainless lid and then solder a TC fitting to that. Then use an elbow off the lid to attach your steam condenser. That would solve your volume issues as well as you wouldn’t have a hole in the side anymore.

 

[cbier60]

The weldless tri-clamp bulkhead is your best option. Brew Hardware has a standard bulkhead (which is what my boil condenser is attached with). As for during the mash, just put a blank tri-clamp cover over the hole; then your mash can go all the way to the rim if necessary.

 

[BrunDog]

Or go to a larger TC (to 2" from 1.5" if that is the case).

 

[pinemarten]

I'm currently using a garden hose connected to a slop sink to connect to the 1/4" poly line included in BrewHardware's version. Would I be better off pressure wise getting enough length 1/4" poly to go from the sink to the unit and eliminating the hose? I was thinking well 1/4" is a much smaller ID than a garden hose so more pressure. But once the hose is flooded, maybe I'm already at max possible pressure. With the 9gph nozzle I'm getting about 13gph drain water which seems ample. Should I just stop thinking about it?

 

[pinemarten]

I'm currently in the process of updating my brewing equipment from HERMS to an EHERMS. The main reason for this upgrade is so that I can brew indoors during the winter months.

When I had my house built, I intentionally left the basement unfinished for a future brewery. I eventually want to have the brewing system behind a bar, perhaps even a hood above. I don't plan to start working on the basement for at least a year, maybe a little longer. The condenser approach seems like a great short term (perhaps even long term solution.)

I do have a few questions about retrofitting the condenser into my equipment.

1) Since I haven't brewed on electric before, I was curious if you'll need to deal with the steam coming from your hot liquor tank as well?

2) My Spike kettles just came in the mail last week, and I don't feel like shipping my boil kettle back, yet. My thought is to move my recirculation valve down by teeing off the thermometer. I'd then repropose the top port to be used by the condenser. Any thoughts on this crazy idea?

3) I have a few spare kettles and several pumps, I was thinking about recirculating the water due to the current lack of water in my basement. I've read several people experiencing an odor from the condensed runoff. Has anyone tried something similar or feel like this would be a horrible idea?


Thanks in advance,
Skylar

2. Teeing off the recirculation port doesn't sound all that crazy. Assuming you have another port in your BK not seen in the pic for your electric temp probe, you could just ditch the thermometer entirely. I've never tried to recirculate in a BK from a port near the top of the kettle. Based on pretty much nothing, I've got to think you would get a better whirlpool from a lower located port. You could also leave everything as is and drill the lid. Spike told me the lid is too thin to weld anything on. I drilled my lid with the bit from BrewHardware and it worked great for installing their bulkhead.

3. Finding a way to chill that water before recirculating seems like a significantly bigger challenge than figuring out how to run a garden hose into the basement. I suppose you could fill your HLT with ice and use the HERMS coil for that.

 

[mongoose33]

The weldless tri-clamp bulkhead is your best option. Brew Hardware has a standard bulkhead (which is what my boil condenser is attached with). As for during the mash, just put a blank tri-clamp cover over the hole; then your mash can go all the way to the rim if necessary.

Here's a link: https://www.brewhardware.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TC15WLF_XL

I have two of these on my kettles; they are shockingly solid.

 

[skidmark]

I'm currently using a garden hose connected to a slop sink to connect to the 1/4" poly line included in BrewHardware's version. Would I be better off pressure wise getting enough length 1/4" poly to go from the sink to the unit and eliminating the hose? I was thinking well 1/4" is a much smaller ID than a garden hose so more pressure. But once the hose is flooded, maybe I'm already at max possible pressure. With the 9gph nozzle I'm getting about 13gph drain water which seems ample. Should I just stop thinking about it?

You will actually *lose* pressure when water is flowing through the smaller line (the pressure is the same end-to-end when flow is shut off). This assumes that there aren't barb fittings, or other restrictions in the ¼ inch line.

 

[BrunDog]

Guys, no need to worry about feed lines and pressure. The water pressure will not drop at the nozzle unless the flow is very high and/or the tube is very small. That ratio of flow:tube size is what matters, and in this application, the flow is very very slow. So a 1/4” OD polyethylene line is plenty big. No need for a garden hose being brought up to the nozzle.

 

[doug293cz]

I'm currently using a garden hose connected to a slop sink to connect to the 1/4" poly line included in BrewHardware's version. Would I be better off pressure wise getting enough length 1/4" poly to go from the sink to the unit and eliminating the hose? I was thinking well 1/4" is a much smaller ID than a garden hose so more pressure. But once the hose is flooded, maybe I'm already at max possible pressure. With the 9gph nozzle I'm getting about 13gph drain water which seems ample. Should I just stop thinking about it?

With 13 GPH outflow, and 1 GPH boil off, you're getting 12 GPH thru the nozzle. You have more than enough pressure.

Brew on

 

[skylar]

I wouldn't sweat (pun intended) the HLT - the water isn't boiling and you can leave the lid on without ill effects.

Thank you! That was my assumption; thank you for the validating.

Skylar, the Brew Boss condenser comes with a camlock disconnect that will fit on one of the upper ports that you already have on your Spikes.

Thanks, Franktalk! I went ahead and did a tee off the temperature port.

2. Teeing off the recirculation port doesn't sound all that crazy. Assuming you have another port in your BK not seen in the pic for your electric temp probe, you could just ditch the thermometer entirely. I've never tried to recirculate in a BK from a port near the top of the kettle. Based on pretty much nothing, I've got to think you would get a better whirlpool from a lower located port. You could also leave everything as is and drill the lid. Spike told me the lid is too thin to weld anything on. I drilled my lid with the bit from BrewHardware and it worked great for installing their bulkhead.

3. Finding a way to chill that water before recirculating seems like a significantly bigger challenge than figuring out how to run a garden hose into the basement. I suppose you could fill your HLT with ice and use the HERMS coil for that.

I went with the tee approach and yes, I do have a port on the backside for an electric temp probe. I thought about ditching the analog thermometer, but then it wouldn't match the other kettles. I'd have to do the same to them. lol

Getting a garden hose in the basement wouldn't be a huge issue in the summer, it'd be the winters I'm a little more worried about. I do like your idea of using another kettle. I have a 50-gallon kettle and a pond pump that I may try and use.

 

[skylar]

just received parts in the mail to start working on putting one of these together.

 

[skylar]

Alright, I got my condenser installed.

I won't be able to do a test run until my brew panel arrives in a few weeks.

 

[pinemarten]

Lookin' good! But looks only get you so far! You might want to consider swapping the order there in two ways. The thermometer isn't all that useful when you have a digital read temp elsewhere. Assuming your electric probe is positioned higher in the kettle than the bottom most front port, the bimetal thermometer may be slightly more useful if it's telling you the temp of the outflow to the chiller while chilling. For that, you'd move the tee to the bottom position. Loads of people do the opposite, but I've always found more value in knowing the temp of the mixed solution over the chilled exit to decide when to stop chilling. Of course, your electric probe is going to do something similar. Also, if the bimetal probe is stubby enough to allow it, you'll get a stronger whirlpool with the thermometer on the side of the tee and the flow entering, or exiting, directly and allowing the wort flow to avoid making a 90 degree turn.