Diy Electric Single Vessel Unit.

[keebie]

Just made the move from extract to all grain brewing, so after lots of research, net surfing and a trip to Beer Weeks system wars the idea was set.
Firstly was to cut the top out of the keg that i got for free and install the inlet/outlet's on the bottom. Next was fitting the 3600w hot water element which reqired boxing out the radius on the keg.

 

[keebie]

I liked the BIAB concept but was'nt keen on hassleing with the bags so i made an insert to contain the grain Braumister style. I used alloy fly screen for my screens and simple over centre catches to hold pressure on the base seal, the idea is that the wort is circutated up thru the grain bed and out thru the top side screens. The top plate is to stop too much fines blocking the screens.

 

[limulus]

Very cool. Keep the updates coming. I did something similar: I have a 15gal kettle with a 10gal kettle that goes inside. I had a portion of the bottom of the 10gal cut out with a plasma cutter. I place a perforated false bottom that is slightly conical over the cutout. I recirculate from the top and it flows through and back out through a pump. The wort then flows through a 110v RIMS tube and back into the top to start over.

My efficiency went way up using this over BIAB. If I make something big, I can still sparge.

 

[keebie]

Here's a few more pics of the lid and the catches. The lid had been made to fit on the inner or the keg so i can use it on the steep or the boil.
This rig is still a work in progress, but we had a brew day to test it out. I was wanting to put 10kg (22lbs) of grain in it, but 8kg (17.6lbs) is its max. That worked fine i figure if we get 2 corny kegs full out of a brew then thats all good. We only got a little over 60% efficiency on the brew, but i think that is because our pump struggled for most of the steep then eventualy burned out. We were too busy tinkering on the brew day so we did'nt get any photo's but i will next time.

 

[keebie]

My efficiency went way up using this over BIAB. If I make something big, I can still sparge.

Thanks for the feed back What numbers are you getting? Also what pump do you use.?

I am looking at this one so any advise would be great.

Features:

Pump Voltage: 220-240 at 50-60hz

Maximum Head: 3.4m

Maximum Flow Rate: 19L/min - 20Lmin

Barbed Fittings: 17mm O.D & 11mm I.D Barb

This pump is food grade and built to handle any boiling wort.

The impeller housing is made from polysulfone which is tough and built to handle up to 120C.

The magnetic drive acts as a clutch allowing the user to put backpressure on the pump to slow down flow.

This pump is not a self priming pump so it is important to keep it below the level of your brew kettle.

Built to handle elevated tempuratures for long periods of time.

Because it is magnetic it ensures no lubricated bearings are in contact with the liquid at all, therefore there is no chance of contamination of your liquid

 

[limulus]

I have a Teel pump that I've had for about 18yrs. It was my primary pump for a while, but it does not handle temps over 180F very well and starts to squeal. I also have new SS Chugger that I'm using now for wort. The Teel is now mostly for recirculating chilled water through my plate chiller.

The pump you posted seems to fit the bill and can handle temps over boiling. I see it is a 220V pump. Are you outside N America?

 

[keebie]

Yeah I'm in Australia. Everything here is 240V. 18 years from the one pump, that's impressive!

 

[Stealthcruiser]

That is bordering on bad ass!........Me likey!

What did you source your latches from?
I'm looking for something similar for my......Ahem, "water distillation column", you know for making my own brewing water......

 

[keebie]

Latches are just stainless over centre catches, they were actually freebies from my bro in-law.

 

[keebie]

Put the new Pump in my rig, and tried another brew, still only about 65% efficiency. So i have set up a 5gal hlt with a sparging type ring so hopefully a slower more thorough rinse once i pull the grain pot out will do the trick. Any sujestions on boosting my efficiency would be much apreciated. Im cooking saturday so i will post up some more picks then.

 

[limulus]

I brewed a 10gal batch about a month ago and could not run the full volume with grain in my system. I filled a cooler with 5gal of water that I kept heated to 180F. I sparged with 2gal from that tank and got 80%. When I don't sparge, I'm getting in the 70s. I think stirring during the mash helps even though I am constantly recirculating. I stirred at 30min and then again at about 5. Then I do a mashout while still recirculating and don't stir during that time .