Cheap HLT stirrer

[RockfordWhite]

Hey, i need to make a stirrer for my electric HLT... wondering if anybody could give me some ideas or whatever....

 

[The Pol]

Windshield wiper motor... or, if you can find a good AC gear motor, that is what a few of us use, though they are about $60.

 

[rabidgerbil]

motor from an old icecream maker, pick it up at the local goodwill

 

[cgruelle]

You may be able to find a motor that works here.

American Science & Surplus : Motors, Blowers and Pumps

 

[The Pol]

If you buy an AC motor, make sure it is rated for "continuous duty", generally these have integrated fans to cool the motor, or else it will burn up an hour into your first brew. Mine is 100RPM and it is geared, low power useage and plenty of torque to turn a good size stirrer.

 

[eccsynd]

You may be able to find a motor that works here.

American Science & Surplus : Motors, Blowers and Pumps

The "Milkshake Motor" for $7.50 under the 110/120VAC category looks ideal. It has a nice mounting bracket, and even comes with a shaft/agitator. 4" is probably not long enough, but would be easy to extend.

Its rated at 6000 RPM. Is that too fast? Good for a milkshake, but is that good for a HLT?

 

[The Pol]

6,000 rpm is WAY too fast for an HLT, unless you have a tiny stirrer of course

 

[bad coffee]

Surplus Center Item Detail

I have a few of these wired to 12v. Nice and slow.

B

 

[RockfordWhite]

You only use one at a time though right...

Can you post pictures of how you attach a stirrer to it...

 

[Anthony_Lopez]

whats the point of adding a stirrer to your HLT?

 

[The Pol]

If you have an electric HLT, it is almost a must to circulate the water around the heating element and get a correct reading if you are using a temp controller to regulate temp. Hot and cold spots... also, if you use the HLT as a HERMS heat exchanger, you MUST have a stirrer to keep the water near the coil from getting colder than the surrounding water. Here is what I am talking about in this link....
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/new-10-gallon-herms-pics-76773/index5.html

 

[RockfordWhite]

What is that u shaped stirrer that oyu are using, link?

 

[The Pol]

It is all from McMaster Carr... let me look here, here is the part number 34935K66. Then I simply bought a SS coupling part number 6099K22to attach it to the motor shaft and presto, a kick butt stirrer!

Here is the motor too 6142K49

 

[jordanpace]

why not just recirculate the water instead of having a stirrer?

 

[The Pol]

I could, if I spent $140 on another march pump just to recirculate hot water... I chose to spend alot less and make a stirrer...