Building a HERMS setup but want to BUY the controller

[sillbeer]

I don't. I only paid for the pre-buy and haven't received the kit yet. I saw your other post asking about wiring that up. Did you look at the linked schematic that Auberins has on their site?

 

[EyeofdaHawk]

Thanks. Yep i have looked closely at the Auberins setup. Sadly it is very unclear for those doing more than BIAB setups. Clearly that is their main market. I wonder if putting it before and after the main power coil would work as it connects all the components including the pumps and lights, not just the elements.

 

[TexasWine]

I could also keep costs down going to a 120v system but don't want an anemic boil.

120v brewer here. Don't listen to anyone who tells you 120v will give you an inadequate boil. I have brewed on 120v for several years now. Normal sized boils of 7.5 gallons only require a single 1650 watt element to achieved the recommended 6-10% boil off (0.5 to 0.75 gallons in my case).

I can make up to 12 gallon batches using two elements, boiling 13 or so gallons easily.

I use two elements while ramping temperatures to cut down on time, but at the end of the brew day I spend maybe 10-15 minutes extra time because my total rated heat input is 3300 watts instead of 5500 watts.

Something to keep in mind, everything is cheaper on 120v, especially GFCI protection.

Enough rambling. Why not get a Brewtronix Hosehead? 50 amp capable, super compact, and $475. I'm assuming Corey can keep costs so low because there's not as much hardware involved with a controller like this.

http://brewtronix.com/epages/8a95cd...d73-7860-44f3-bf15-555c5378c28a/Products/H5BC

 

[teesherv]

I agree that working with 240v can be dangerous, but if you're comfortable with 120v and understand how to be safe with that, you can handle 240v. That attitude of wanting to be safe and refusing to take shortcuts will go a long way, and there's a ton of info here on HBT.
I was going to buy a pre-built panel but couldn't justify the expense to myself or my wife Since I'm good with electrical at 120v and rewired our 240v dryer outlet to 4 prong, I dove into research and built my own panel.
Since then I've built 3 more for friends. It can be done and takes few weekends to make.
Finally, make sure you think about GFCI protection for the entire set up. My fellow brew friends overlooked that, so we had to take care of before setting up their panels.
Lemme know if I can answer questions. And if you go pre-built, let us know how it went!

 

[Laminarman]

120v brewer here. Don't listen to anyone who tells you 120v will give you an inadequate boil. I have brewed on 120v for several years now. Normal sized boils of 7.5 gallons only require a single 1650 watt element to achieved the recommended 6-10% boil off (0.5 to 0.75 gallons in my case).

I can make up to 12 gallon batches using two elements, boiling 13 or so gallons easily.

I use two elements while ramping temperatures to cut down on time, but at the end of the brew day I spend maybe 10-15 minutes extra time because my total rated heat input is 3300 watts instead of 5500 watts.

Something to keep in mind, everything is cheaper on 120v, especially GFCI protection.

Enough rambling. Why not get a Brewtronix Hosehead? 50 amp capable, super compact, and $475. I'm assuming Corey can keep costs so low because there's not as much hardware involved with a controller like this.

http://brewtronix.com/epages/8a95cd...d73-7860-44f3-bf15-555c5378c28a/Products/H5BC

Wow Texas...never heard of them. Certainly going 120 will save money and I guess all I read was 120 didn't work so well. I have 240V but would have to run an extension from where it is (outside near my welder) into the house for winter brewing which would be a pain. 120 makes everything so much more flexible since I can brew in multiple locations, near water and sink...etc. I'm going to look at that closely.

 

[TexasWine]

Wow Texas...never heard of them. Certainly going 120 will save money and I guess all I read was 120 didn't work so well. I have 240V but would have to run an extension from where it is (outside near my welder) into the house for winter brewing which would be a pain. 120 makes everything so much more flexible since I can brew in multiple locations, near water and sink...etc. I'm going to look at that closely.

If you want to go 120v, a very attractive option is the Inkbird PID controller. @bobbym sells a modded version with a pump switch.

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tempcontrol_ipb16.htm

You can control one element with the Inkbird and run a second straight across at 100% during ramping. If you want, you could even buy/build some type of switching box for the second 120v circuit so you can turn the second element and second pump on/off and avoid plugging in live loads. That's essentially what I do, but I have plans for a build that will allow the second element to be run by the controller as well.

But, if you have 240 available, that Hosehead would be a very good option.

 

[augiedoggy]

Poor OP, thread being drug through the mud on irrelevant discussion. EBrew seems to provide similar control, depending on the panel, as electric brewery but with different brand components and internal configuration. It comes down to how much control you want and how fancy, brand conscious, do you want your panel to look. I think ebrew is a great alternative to electric brewery. Looks like Auberins upcoming panel is more simplified and competitive if they will assemble. You have to ask yourself if it will meet your needs and what functions do you think you will utilize on any of the mentioned panels? I would be wary of panels from eBay.

Discussions regarding DIY are completely irrelevant. Bad mouthing a company based on perceived mark up is also irrelevant. Prices are set based on demand, which apparently isn’t an issue. If the prices and mark up were more than the majority consumer base wanted, said company would need to lower price to compete. They aren’t; market equilibrium.

I did not bad mouth anyone. It is what it is. if what they do looks bad to you than you made that assumption.
Is it not pertinent to this conversation to bring up the fact that something may cost the OP much more from one supplier being recommended than others? Especially when someone else already implied that the prices are better than or equal to everywhere else which was simply not true. I can offer links to other brand specific items he sells and let you compare the prices if you like.. Theres nothing "perceived" about it. ebrew offers better customer service and often replaces components that have failed withing a reasonable timeframe but the consumer does and will pay for this in the form of higher prices.

If you go back and read my first response you can see I was trying to not get into the details of it but when comments about them being the same price as anywhere else were again reaffirmed then I responded to provide more information.

I have no idea what the OP's budget is like nor his outlook on paying more for things than he has too.. its not really my business. All im trying to do here is provide him with information that might prevent him from making a decision based on inaccurate information provided by others. Its really no different than what bassman did himself when he commented about his opinion of the electric breweries prices being high.
If the prices were really the norm and cometitive everywhere we wouldnt be having this conversation... The fact of the matter is people like buying things in a one stop shop like walmart and they are more likely to spend the money at a place they heard of that spends more for advertising (also raises the price) I'm sure ebrew does well but it really doesnt mean you cant buy the same component from a non specialty shop supplier for much less... Anyone whos ever bought a wiper blade for $30 from a commisioned oil change chain vs $10 at an autostore is familiar with the "cost of convenience", Thats if they are a conscientious consumer..
Those same people would also keep in mind, the $100 brandname tool there looking at is really just a cheap generic chinese tool rebranded and sold for more in some cases. I used to work on machinerey that was rebranded and sold at all different pricepoints and still see it quite a bit in a lot of things I repair right down to the flatscreens I repair as a hobby.. There is a big market in fooling people with marketing.

I also agree with the comment above that for what you get the hosehead is a very reasonable solution as well as the inkbird for 120v...

 

[kylevester]

Well, if you happen to be near Chicago, I've got a 240V panel I'm selling. Bought it, but then life happened and I won't be using it for my brewery.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/hsh/d/electric-brewery-panel-and/6426519192.html

Bunch of extras included. It's an Electric Brewery panel.

 

[augiedoggy]

Thats a hell of a deal.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

Well, if you happen to be near Chicago, I've got a 240V panel I'm selling. Bought it, but then life happened and I won't be using it for my brewery.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/hsh/d/electric-brewery-panel-and/6426519192.html

Bunch of extras included. It's an Electric Brewery panel.

I would snatch that up if you could, mine ran about twice that and I custom built it my self, you might need to do some rewiring but its a steal

 

[EyeofdaHawk]

Woowzer that's cheap. The build i'm doing now would have cost at least that in parts, not to mention build time...

 

[sillbeer]

Auberins has this kit available now.

https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=64_66&products_id=717

 

[Laminarman]

Sorry, just got back to this thread. Holidays keeping me busy as anything. Still weighing all my options here. Have a friend who's an electrician said he'd build a panel for me if I buy the components no charge or for some homebrew. He's looking at a few diagrams/resources I gave him. In return as well he wants to start learning to brew himself.