Cheap temperature controller for HERMS system

[jwbeard]

So I realized that throwing two more camlocks on my existing setup would allow me to throw my immersion cooler in my HLT and recirculate my mash through it as a simple HERMS system. But this requires a temperature controller to turn my pump on and off as necessary to step the temperature up.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F05UI8O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 seems like it would do the trick (I have an STC-1000 on my fermentation chamber, but the Fahrenheit single stage feature of this model seems sufficient). One concern though is it lists a "measurement range" of up to 194 but a "working temperature" only up to 150... Perhaps it's just less accurate at 150+?

Has anyone tried to use one of these types of controllers on a HERMS, or has other advice? Some of the listings seem to indicate these

Thanks!

 

[JuanMoore]

I have two of what I believe are the same controller in my HERMS control panel. They work fine for me and my ghetto system, but they're certainly not going to work as well as a PID with fuzzy logic.

I'm pretty sure the 150° "working temperature" limit is for the controller itself, not the probe. Just keep your control panel away from the burner and you should be fine.

 

[Da_Jakthund]

I have two of what I believe are the same controller in my HERMS control panel. They work fine for me and my ghetto system, but they're certainly not going to work as well as a PID with fuzzy logic.

JuanMoore,

I saw your HERMS panel in the ebay controller thread on page 163. Have you done a deep dive build/description of it somewhere? I've been looking for one and have come up empty. I'm considering doing something similar to make mashing more accurate and allow me to step mash despite using a cooler for a MLT.

Thanks.

 

[JuanMoore]

JuanMoore,

I saw your HERMS panel in the ebay controller thread on page 163. Have you done a deep dive build/description of it somewhere? I've been looking for one and have come up empty. I'm considering doing something similar to make mashing more accurate and allow me to step mash despite using a cooler for a MLT.

Thanks.

Sorry, I haven't written anything detailed about it. It's pretty basic though. I rarely use the second controller to control anything, it mostly just get's used to monitor temps.

Originally the primary controller turned the HLT burner off and on, but I started tearing apart my gas plumbing since the scavenged valve I was using wasn't working out like I'd hoped, and am now running the burner manually, using the second controller to monitor temps. I try to keep the HLT a couple degrees higher than my desired mash temp, and use the primary controller to shut the recirc pump off if the temp spikes.

It's not ideal, and pretty far from fully automated, but works for now. One of these days I'll have the time and money to rebuild the gas system with the proper valves, but with a full time school schedule, part time work schedule, and two toddlers, that might be a long ways off.

 

[Da_Jakthund]

Are these controllers capable of running something like the 1000W bucket heater without an SSR?

This thing --> http://morebeer.com/products/electric-heater-1000w.html

My system would be a HERMS using my counter flow chiller to act as the heat exchange, wort would recirc thur the wort side of the CFC during the entire mash.

Thinking of running 2 controllers, 1 in the HTL to run that heater with manual assist from the burner for big steps and the second to run a pump on the HLT to run water thru the water side of the CFC to raise the mash temp. 1 probe in the HLT, 1 probe in the outlet of the MLT. I probably need to find a way to stir my HLT for an accurate temp reading.

Trying to write it down so I can make sure I'm not insane.