DIY eBIAB 240v 5500w Element and Controller

[Jambro64]

I tried to document all my work on my new eBIAB 240v system. Hopefully I can attach the spreadsheet of all the parts for both the kettle and the controller. It is in a tab delimited text file format. Total spent was around $800 (hope my wife doesn't see this post) about $400 equally on the controller and kettle.
I still need to add the recirculating pump, hoses and recirculation manifold.
If you attempt this path a couple of suggestions. First get a bigger box than I did. I am still surprised I can close the lid. Use the ferrule crimp ends, this will make the wiring much easier and you are guaranteed to have good connections. Worth the price I paid on Amazon for the ferrule kit. Also using the DIN rail system helps keep everything from moving around and I really like the DIN rail terminal block system. Use jumpers to have several wire feeds for a hot leg or neutral connection.
I have also attached my wiring diagram. Probably a bit hard to follow but I think I have put down every wire I have in the box. Warning: if you don't understand basic electric circuits/wiring get help. I asked several questions to my brother-in-law electrician and I have some electronics background. I also included in the parts spreadsheet was the 240v 4 prong receptacle and new grounding bus bar for the breaker panel. If you do 240v and want 120v receptacle for your pump then you need to bring in all four wires into your controller. Then you can pull off one hot leg, the neutral, and ground wires to feed the 120v receptacle. I used a 20 amp breaker in the box.
My first brew was a Gingerbread Brown Ale. I got a pretty good conversion percentage but it is still in the primary as I write this, so hopefully it tastes as good as it looks.

 

[Jambro64]

Definitely better than using my old eBIAB plastic bucket:

 

[jsharp4684]

Thanks for sharing your build. I'm so torn between 10 gal and 15 gal for my eBIAB plans. Can you share your rationale behind going 10 gallon?

 

[Jambro64]

Thanks for sharing your build. I'm so torn between 10 gal and 15 gal for my eBIAB plans. Can you share your rationale behind going 10 gallon?

I should have done more research and might have bought a 15 gallon, but it really is only needed for high gravity / high grain bill beers. While I would like to try to brew one some day they just aren't going to fit in my 10 gallon kettle and there are plenty of 5 gallon recipes that do fit. I can always add liquid candi or malt extract to do the higher ABV beers.
The main reason I bought the 10 gallon was it was/is on sale for only $90 with about $55 for shipping. It already had two Tri Clover 1.5" ports and a three piece ball valve. I couldn't pass up that deal and then added another TC port for the heating element. Probably will do another TC port in the lid for other devices like recirculating manifold or a CIP Ball cleaner. Hope that helps.

 

[jsharp4684]

It does help. I'm thinking of going with the Auberins All-in-one EZBoil DIY controller kit ($330), but then I get stuck on the kettle. Part of me wants to splurge and get the custom Spike kettle for $420, with all the TC flanges. But then part of me wants to spend a lot less and do bolt-in flanges on a bayou classic triple clad (without the groove around the top). So torn LOL

 

[Jambro64]

I would go with the Bayou, then down the road if you do a HERMS setup you can get the Spike as your new boil/mash kettle and use the Bayou as the HLT. That would probably be my upgrade down the road, but might just get the bigger Bru-Gear kettle though.

 

[jsharp4684]

I had looked at Bru-Gear's 15 gallon kettle, but they're out of stock.

 

[butterblum]

So you drilled your own hole for the element?

 

[Jambro64]

Yes, SSBrewtech has the weldless TC fitting and drill bit. https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/accessories/products/a-new-accessory-weldless-1-5-tc-fitting
I think I had to get the 42mm bit from Amazon though. Pretty easy to drill the hole.

 

[butterblum]

Yes, SSBrewtech has the weldless TC fitting and drill bit. https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/accessories/products/a-new-accessory-weldless-1-5-tc-fitting
I think I had to get the 42mm bit from Amazon though. Pretty easy to drill the hole.

What are your impressions of the Bru Gear kettle? Seems like too good of a deal to pass on.

 

[Jambro64]

I really like the kettle.
Pros:
Great price even with shipping.
Tri Clover ports welded on.
3 piece ball valve.
Tight fitting lid.
Gallon markings.

Cons:
No thermocouple for the thermowell. Had to make an adapter and squirt a lot of thermogrease into the well for it to work.
Had to go to NorCal brewing Solutions for a dip tube because they were out of stock on a lot of stuff: http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Tri-Clover-Dip-Tube-Generation-2-Bru-Gear.html
Tri Clover parts are not cheap but I love how easy they are to remove to clean everything. I probably wouldn't buy it again at the normal price though, but I would still put in a TC port for the heating element in whatever kettle I would buy. Much easier to pull and clean.

 

[Jambro64]

Update on the Gingerbread Brown Ale - Awesome! I brewed a Blueberry Hoptart (Saison) and it is still in the carboy. Wyeast is stuck at 1.030.
Gave it a rouse and hopefully will finish soon.

 

[mgerton13]

So i am almost done building out my 10 gallon herms system, but am planning on wiring my panel so that i can isolate half of it and use just the BK for BIAB batches on a shorter day. Do you have a false bottom in the kettle above the heating element? Or have you ever had issues with the bag burning / scorching on the element?

 

[jsharp4684]

I've intended to put a false bottom or guard in mine, but have had good success thus far with just using binder clips to hold the bag off the element.

 

[mgerton13]

okay. because my herms system will be keggles, which means there is liquid underneath the heating element than in a flat bottomed vessel, so having a false bottom for that in a keggle would leave a prohibitive amount of dead space in a keggle. Hence why im worying about direct contact. but my back up plan is to just get a secondary bayou classic 15 gallon kettle that has the lip and false bottom, cause that is the perfect hight to nestle an element under.

 

[jsharp4684]

I suppose it depends on how the element is mounted. Mine is in a 2" TC, so with that my element is a good 2" off the bottom of my kettle. You should be just fine without a false bottom or guard, especially with a ULWD element.

 

[mgerton13]

only one way to find out

 

[Jambro64]

So i am almost done building out my 10 gallon herms system, but am planning on wiring my panel so that i can isolate half of it and use just the BK for BIAB batches on a shorter day. Do you have a false bottom in the kettle above the heating element? Or have you ever had issues with the bag burning / scorching on the element?

I am using this and just leave it in during the boil too:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabbottom15.htm