Diy eherms help

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jumper1019

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Anyone familiar with this eherms build? looking to build something like this with a few changes. First question, can I just add a pid controller and ssr to control boil without the adjustment dial on the digital ssr? Second question, is since this is a 30 amp service, can I use any 30 amp heating element? My thought is a 5000 watt blichman boil coil would be more efficient than the standard 5500 watt curved element being that it covers more surface area. Thanks for any help. I'm sure ill have more questions as I work my way through this.
 
I have a stainless curved 5000 watt element, pulling 23 amps at 230 which is 5300 watts. So 30 amp circuit should handle it. In the first pic you can see amps and watts on panel
 

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Im actually brewing right now LOL. The HERMS is badass. I bought mine second hand when I was thinking about building one. I think it's built on the same plan roughly as what you are looking at.

So on my boil PID, I have to set the PID to a percentage value. For example a setting of 75 is I think it running 75% of the time. If it's too slow of a boil I turn up the percentage. I'm not totally sure how the dial works, but a dial would be preferable in my opinion if it would do the same thing as far as setting the amount of time the element runs. The PID seems wasted in the boil kettle because it's complex functiins are not utilized. It's my understanding that you cannot set a temperature on PID to run boil.
 

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View attachment 714097

Anyone familiar with this eherms build? looking to build something like this with a few changes. First question, can I just add a pid controller and ssr to control boil without the adjustment dial on the digital ssr? Second question, is since this is a 30 amp service, can I use any 30 amp heating element? My thought is a 5000 watt blichman boil coil would be more efficient than the standard 5500 watt curved element being that it covers more surface area. Thanks for any help. I'm sure ill have more questions as I work my way through this.

This, to me, looks like an Electric Brewery panel.

By "adjustment dial" do you mean the HLT - OFF- BOIL switch?
 
I was fantasizing about a dial to instantly adjust duty cycle on boil kettle element.....
 
View attachment 714097

Anyone familiar with this eherms build? looking to build something like this with a few changes. First question, can I just add a pid controller and ssr to control boil without the adjustment dial on the digital ssr? Second question, is since this is a 30 amp service, can I use any 30 amp heating element? My thought is a 5000 watt blichman boil coil would be more efficient than the standard 5500 watt curved element being that it covers more surface area. Thanks for any help. I'm sure ill have more questions as I work my way through this.

I based my electric build off of these plans as well as Kal's plans on The Electric Brewery. Here is the outside of my finished panel (ignore the masking tape labels, these have been upgraded since the photo):
62803585771__391FC3E3-A65B-4F01-B323-9D0F817DCA35.JPEG

I went with the Auber EZ Boils for the HLT (DPSR320) and BK (DPSR120). Went with the DPSR120 for the BK because I didn't see the need for the mash schedule function here. I really like the mash schedule function on the DPSR320 though on my HLT, makes for a really easy brew day. I also use the Auber mash temp display unit (SYL-2802) to display mash in/out temps (requires an additional RTD. Also went with separate pump switches and indicator lights as well as separate alarm switches for the HLT and SYL-2802.

I brew 5 gal batches and went with 4500 W elements that pull approx. 18-19A. For my size it is more than enough, I find I get a very vigorous boil with the my BK DPSR120 set to about 80%.

I have 3 brews under my belt on this new system and it is fantastic. I was brewing on the stove for a few years before making the switch to electric and I could never go back.
 
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Im actually brewing right now LOL. The HERMS is badass. I bought mine second hand when I was thinking about building one. I think it's built on the same plan roughly as what you are looking at.

So on my boil PID, I have to set the PID to a percentage value. For example a setting of 75 is I think it running 75% of the time. If it's too slow of a boil I turn up the percentage. I'm not totally sure how the dial works, but a dial would be preferable in my opinion if it would do the same thing as far as setting the amount of time the element runs. The PID seems wasted in the boil kettle because it's complex functiins are not utilized. It's my understanding that you cannot set a temperature on PID to run boil.

Thanks for the info. Had no idea the dial worked that well. In my own mind I was thinking I would be constantly adjusting dial. Thanks again!
 
This, to me, looks like an Electric Brewery panel.

By "adjustment dial" do you mean the HLT - OFF- BOIL switch?

I was speaking of the dial on the boil pid for adjusting heating element. Was unsure about how well the dial worked and if it would be better to be able to just set a temp and let it go.
 
I based my electric build off of these plans as well as Kal's plans on The Electric Brewery. Here is the outside of my finished panel (ignore the masking tape labels, these have been upgraded since the photo):
View attachment 714149
I went with the Auber EZ Boils for the HLT (DPSR320) and BK (DPSR120). Went with the DPSR120 for the BK because I didn't see the need for the mash schedule function here. I really like the mash schedule function on the DPSR320 though on my HLT, makes for a really easy brew day. I also use the Auber mash temp display unit (SYL-2802) to display mash in/out temps (requires an additional RTD. Also went with separate pump switches and indicator lights as well as separate alarm switches for the HLT and SYL-2802.

I brew 5 gal batches and went with 4500 W elements that pull approx. 18-19A. For my size it is more than enough, I find I get a very vigorous boil with the my BK DPSR120 set to about 80%.

I have 3 brews under my belt on this new system and it is fantastic. I was brewing on the stove for a few years before making the switch to electric and I could never go back.

Thanks for the info, will read up on kal's build!
 
My panel is built on that instruction manual. The boil is set with a percentage dial. I have a curved water heater element and it has a really rocking boil with smaller batches 7 gallons at 100%. I brew larger batches less frequently but I haven't felt the element was underpowered. I generally have to turn the percentage down. I was just looking at those Blichmann boil coils as I saw a G2 pot used I was interested in. They're pricey compared to the water heater element. In my opinion you wouldn't need them for your reasoning. They might perhaps work better for whirlpooling but I haven't read any discussions on that.
 
I was speaking of the dial on the boil pid for adjusting heating element. Was unsure about how well the dial worked and if it would be better to be able to just set a temp and let it go.
Normally the boil temp isn't important. It's boiling or it's not boiling. However, using the PID we can begin with 100% duty cycle until we get a nice boiling going (212 F) and then back down the PID duty cycle to 70%, 75% or what value works for you to avoid a crazy amount of evaporation, but still have a nice boil.
 
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Normally the boil temp isn't important. It's boiling or it's not boiling. However, using the PID we can begin with 100% duty cycle until we get a nice boiling going (212 F) and then back down the PID duty cycle to 70%, 75% or what value works for you so avoid a crazy amount of evaporation, but still have a nice boil.
The Auber EZBoils (DSPR1xx & DSPR3xx) have an automatic "accelerate to boil" function. You specify a temp just below boiling and the unit runs at 100% until it reaches that temp, and then dials back to whatever % power you have preset for your desired boil vigor. They also allow you to set a power level lower than 100% for accelerate to boil, should you want to do so. The preset trigger temp frees you up from having to watch like a hawk to prevent boil overs when hot break starts.

I recommend EZBoils for all of my designs.

Edit: The EZBoils also have built in timers for mash & boil, and also built in alarms. The DSPR3xx models can also drive external alarms (or event trigger relays.)

Brew on :mug:
 
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The Auber EZBoils (DSPR1xx & DSPR3xx) have an automatic "accelerate to boil" function. You specify a temp just below boiling and the unit runs at 100% until it reaches that temp, and then dials back to whatever % power you have preset for your desired boil vigor. The higher end units allow you to set a power level lower than 100% for accelerate to boil, should you want to do so. The preset trigger temp frees you up from having to watch like a hawk to prevent boil overs when hot break starts.

I recommend EZBoils for all of my designs.

Brew on :mug:

Thanks for the info. That’s something I’ve been concerned about is boilovers without watching constantly. Will definitely look into that.
 
The Auber EZBoils (DSPR1xx & DSPR3xx) have an automatic "accelerate to boil" function. You specify a temp just below boiling and the unit runs at 100% until it reaches that temp, and then dials back to whatever % power you have preset for your desired boil vigor. They also allow you to set a power level lower than 100% for accelerate to boil, should you want to do so. The preset trigger temp frees you up from having to watch like a hawk to prevent boil overs when hot break starts.

I recommend EZBoils for all of my designs.

Edit: The EZBoils also have built in timers for mash & boil, and also built in alarms. The DSPR3xx models can also drive external alarms (or event trigger relays.)

Brew on :mug:

That nice!
 
You can do that manually on most PIDs.
Many would consider the dial user interface on the EZBoils easier and quicker to use for power and temperature setting than the up-down push buttons on ordinary PID's. YMMV. There is no right or wrong when it's just a question of preference.

Brew on :mug:
 
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