Conversion from BCS-462 to Brucontrol, you have to do it!

[canmorebrewguy]

they look a lot like the milk pumps I was considering for my nano

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/110...lgo_pvid=5a6c94a2-e26e-4c73-994f-880cbb60f89b

BTW this setup is extremely well done and impressive... I'm jealous!

Thank for the comment, it has been a learning process! I brewed a porter today and hit all of the numbers, but i am going to have to get my water sensors in soon as it is a pain with a stick to measure the water!

I have been looking at those pumps as well, I am need of a CIP pump as it is a little bit of a pain to wait for a free pump from the brew rig to clean my fermenters.

The next project is to make a few conicals with jackets and put a chiller on them all with running it from Brucontrol!

 

[augiedoggy]

Thank for the comment, it has been a learning process! I brewed a porter today and hit all of the numbers, but i am going to have to get my water sensors in soon as it is a pain with a stick to measure the water!

I have been looking at those pumps as well, I am need of a CIP pump as it is a little bit of a pain to wait for a free pump from the brew rig to clean my fermenters.

The next project is to make a few conicals with jackets and put a chiller on them all with running it from Brucontrol!

I am currently running brucontrol to control the jackets and heaters on my 3 conicals. It does work well.

 

[canmorebrewguy]

I am currently running brucontrol to control the jackets and heaters on my 3 conicals. It does work well.

What is involved with making it work with BC? I assume some valves, temp probes, pumps and a relay board? I was thinking of using solenoid valves for each fermentor, but i have not found a way to bypass the loop if all valves are shut. Do you run a single pump or a pump for each fermenter?

 

[BrunDog]

Lots of ways to skin this cat... You could turn off the pump or turn on a bypass valve. Or get a passive bypass valve that opens with some small pressure.

 

[augiedoggy]

What is involved with making it work with BC? I assume some valves, temp probes, pumps and a relay board? I was thinking of using solenoid valves for each fermentor, but i have not found a way to bypass the loop if all valves are shut. Do you run a single pump or a pump for each fermenter?

I use $2.19 24v solenoid valves on a plastic pvc manifold(one on the input side of each conical). I use dual pole relays which open at least one solenoid valve at the same time as they turn on my chillers 240v main pump but also have a bypass.. This way my pump only runs when needed. I used to use stc1000= units which worked well also but BC has a lot more control I even have the chiller temps controlled from it now. plus the graphs are very nice.

Here is the manifold design I got from a thread here that I used.
Good luck, let me know if you have any other questions... I use blue home depot discharge hose for my cooling jackets and I have 24v dc heating strips I use on each conical for heat and wrapped them all in foil faced bubble insulation with foil ac/heating tape to make insulated jackets which do help tremendously.

View attachment GLYCOLGUIDE.pdf

 

[Jkpatton]

Kind of a misleading title for never using BCS. I was looking into brucontrol but didnt here back on some emails so i went with craftbeerpi instead. Was really liking the direction it was heading though.

 

[BrunDog]

Hello @jkpatton... sorry you went a different direction. Checking records, we replied to your emails. Please PM me here if there is a question you asked via email and didn't receive a response on.

 

[canmorebrewguy]

Kind of a misleading title for never using BCS. I was looking into brucontrol but didnt here back on some emails so i went with craftbeerpi instead. Was really liking the direction it was heading though.

I never used it for a brew due to the fact I was not happy with it from my water trials, so I am not sure why you state that I mislead you via my title. I was simply sharing my experience with a product that I found to be superior to a product that I had purchased. Good luck with your purchase and please post your journey so others can learn and share.

 

[canmorebrewguy]

Hello @jkpatton... sorry you went a different direction. Checking records, we replied to your emails. Please PM me here if there is a question you asked via email and didn't receive a response on.

Hey Brundog, I hope you are fairing well from Irma, Stay Safe!

 

[BrunDog]

Thank you @canmorebrewguy! Other than some downed branches/frons, a few less roof tiles, and generator power only, we are OK. Keys and SWFL took the brunt.

 

[Jkpatton]

.

 

[canmorebrewguy]

Thank you @canmorebrewguy! Other than some downed branches/frons, a few less roof tiles, and generator power only, we are OK. Keys and SWFL took the brunt.

Great to hear, hopefully you have enough libations stocked up!

 

[wyowolf]

The CIP assembly

I was thinking of doing this...
how does it work out?
how do you get all the gunk out before you do it? or do you just pump it out?

 

[canmorebrewguy]

I was thinking of doing this...
how does it work out?
how do you get all the gunk out before you do it? or do you just pump it out?

The CIP works well and yes i spray out the kettles, I have bottom drains so it works well.