Dual 2000W 120V Recirculating eBIAB Build

[KokomoSam]

that's awesome Ruski! it looks great.

Sam

 

[jeffmeh]

The grill grate is a perfect fit for a 62 qt pot I'm using, so it should work just as well for any smaller kettle. It's really sturdy and was only $11 at Lowes - it's the round Weber grill grate (22.5"). The only tricky part is holding the basket with one hand while sliding the grate under it...

Cheers!

I use the same one. Works great.

 

[Inkleg]

Great build russki! Thanks for the brew day play by play.

 

[russki]

that's awesome Ruski! it looks great.

Sam

Great build russki! Thanks for the brew day play by play.

Thanks guys!

 

[opus345]

russki,

Beautiful build.

I was out in the cold (25*/14* WC) on Monday for my first AG BIAB and I made beer but it wasn't as smooth as my extract brewdays for a number of reasons. :0 I will treat it as a learning experience and look forward to the next brewday. I have the BC 62 QT pot and recently purchased the 44 QT Steamer basket. Of course the smaller steamer basket does not rest on the rim of the pot. I was fine with that, but the cold made me start thinking about the flexibility that going electric would provide. I am very intrigued by your build and it might be something I could plan and do. If you did not have the builtin rim support, do you have any ideas about keeping the basket off the elements? Maybe 3/4 feet on the bottom of the basket?

Thanks for sharing the pics and the info.

 

[jrb03]

Awesome build! Aren't these great to brew on

 

[russki]

russki,

Beautiful build.

I was out in the cold (25*/14* WC) on Monday for my first AG BIAB and I made beer but it wasn't as smooth as my extract brewdays for a number of reasons. :0 I will treat it as a learning experience and look forward to the next brewday. I have the BC 62 QT pot and recently purchased the 44 QT Steamer basket. Of course the smaller steamer basket does not rest on the rim of the pot. I was fine with that, but the cold made me start thinking about the flexibility that going electric would provide. I am very intrigued by your build and it might be something I could plan and do. If you did not have the builtin rim support, do you have any ideas about keeping the basket off the elements? Maybe 3/4 feet on the bottom of the basket?

Thanks for sharing the pics and the info.

If you are set on using a smaller basket, you can get some stainless bolts, nuts and washers and make "feet" on the bottom of the basket to keep it off the elements. Or you can ditch the basket altogether and just use a bag - many do with success.

Another idea is to use a cheap steamer rack on the bottom - just saw this one on another thread:
http://www.capitalcityrestaurantsupply.com/prodDetail.cfm/1580133

Good luck! Once you go electric, you'll never go back to the turkey fryer!

 

[opus345]

If you are set on using a smaller basket, you can get some stainless bolts, nuts and washers and make "feet" on the bottom of the basket to keep it off the elements. Or you can ditch the basket altogether and just use a bag - many do with success.

Another idea is to use a cheap steamer rack on the bottom - just saw this one on another thread:
http://www.capitalcityrestaurantsupply.com/prodDetail.cfm/1580133

Good luck! Once you go electric, you'll never go back to the turkey fryer!

russki,

Thanks for the great ideas.

Not really set on the smaller basket, but just bought it and SWMBO would have my nut sack if I bought another one after just one month of use.

 

[tyfernandez]

Had about an hour of free time yesterday and built this "over the side" whirlpool arm:

Thanks go to johnodon for the idea.

Russki,

I was considering making a similar whirlpool arm. Did your pump have enough power to create a good whirlpool and trub cone at the bottom of the kettle? I use an immersion cooler so hopping it has enough strength to cut down on my cooling time.

 

[BeardedIdiot]

I don't know if I missed it earlier in the thread, but what are you doing about hop material in the kettle? Are you using a bag for the hops, or just tossing them in loose? If loose, do you have some kind of screen on your drain, or do you just let them circulate through your tubing/chiller?

Awesome setup. Makes me want to reconsider converting the 3 kegs I have into BK/MLT/HLT and just copy your build! How much do you think you have into the build so far?

 

[russki]

Russki,

I was considering making a similar whirlpool arm. Did your pump have enough power to create a good whirlpool and trub cone at the bottom of the kettle? I use an immersion cooler so hopping it has enough strength to cut down on my cooling time.

It did create a nice whirlpool, but alas, no trub cone, probably from the elements being in the way. This would definitely speed up cooling with an IC.

Interestingly, I had a lot less trub in my fermentor from this batch than usual - no more than an inch at the bottom of the bucket, and most of it yeast. I bag my hops, and I did not squeeze the grain bag (I used to with my old system), so I attribute this lack of trub to clearer wort going into the kettle.

Awesome setup. Makes me want to reconsider converting the 3 kegs I have into BK/MLT/HLT and just copy your build! How much do you think you have into the build so far?

Thanks! I believe I'm somewhere around $800 or so, not including tools; I'm going to post a parts list for my build so you can see what's involved.

 

[russki]

Ok, so here's the parts list for my build for anyone wanting to duplicate this system. Quantities noted where applicable.

Amazon.com

62 qt Bayou Classic SS Kettle with basket (actually bought used, but Amazon has the best deal on them)
US Wire 65050 12/3 50-Foot SJTW Orange Heavy Duty Extension Cord
AC Infinity LS9225A-X Standard Cooling Fan

eBrewSupply.com

220v 40a, 110v Coil, Contactor qty:2
40a Solid State Relay SSR qty:2
2-Way, 1 NO Contact, Switch
Mushroom Button, NO Contact
Flashing Buzzer
Add on NO Contact

BargainFittings.com

NEW - KEG Weldless Bulkhead Kit
- Inside the vessel fitting STREET 90 - 1/2" NPT
- Valve 2 - piece SS ball valve
- Hose Barb (valve outlet) <NONE>
1/2" SS Camlock F style fitting Quick Disconnect qty: 3
1/2" SS Camlock D style fitting Quick Disconnect qty: 1
1/2" SS Camlock B Style Quick Disconnect qty: 4
1/2" SS Camlock A Style Quick Disconnect qty: 2
1/2" NPT SS 2 piece ball valve qty: 1
1" Stainless Locknut and o-ring kit qty: 2
Weldless thermometer sight gauge kit
- Vessel: Keg or kettle
Silicone Tubing 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD qty: 12 ft
1/2" SS Camlock Dust Cap Style Quick Disconnect qty: 1

BrewHardware.com

Mash recirculation tube w/camlock
Sight glass calibration decals

eBay.com

2 x Panel Mount Fuse Holder For M205 5x20mm Fuses
10PCS Metal Film Resistor 1 Watt 1W 1K ohm
10 Pcs 5x20mm Quick Fast Blow Type 1A 1 AMP 110-240V Glass Tube Fuses
Aluminum Large Rectangle Heatsink

Auberins.com

1/16 DIN PID Temperature Controller (SSR control output)
Item #: SYL-2352

Illuminated Maintained Pushbutton Switch, 2 NO, 22mm. 120/240V qty: 2
Item #: SW1 LED Color Option - Green

Illuminated Maintained Pushbutton Switch, 2 NO, 22mm. 120/240V qty: 2
Item #: SW1 LED Color Option - Blue

Liquid tight RTD sensor, 4 in, 1/2 NPT Thread
Item #: PT100-L100NPT Cable Option - Deluxe Cable

Box for 1/16 DIN controller
Item #: Pbox16

McMaster.com

Multipurpose Silicone Adhesive/Sealant 2.8 oz Tube, Translucent
18-8 Stainless Steel Wide-Rim Shim .075" Thick, 1-1/2" ID, 2-1/4" OD qty: 2

BostonHeatingSupply.com

Rheem SP10868GL 120V 2000W Stainless Steel Element qty: 2

GreatBreweh.com

Brewery Pump

DudaDiesel.com

B3-12A 20 Plate Beer Wort Garden Hose Chiller

Menards

4" x 2" Handy Box Extension qty: 3
4" x 2" Handy Box Cover, Blank qty: 4
3/8" Romex Connectorm 10 pcs
1" Romex Connector
Plug Straight Blade 20A, 125V qty: 4
20A Commercial Grade Outlet
Terminal Block, 6 Pole
1/2" copper tubing
90 degree 1/2" copper elbows qty: 4
Plumbers Silicone Tape
5/8" x 25' Medium Duty Garden Hose

Harbor Freight

520 Piece Terminal Set
127 Piece Heat Shrink Tubing Set
100 Piece Zip Ties

 

[theknub]

id be interested in hearing how that pump works.

 

[russki]

id be interested in hearing how that pump works.

Well... there's the pump inlet that connects to a ball valve on the kettle, then there's a magnetically driven impeller that pushes fluid through the outlet with another ball valve... Oh, wait, did you mean how it performed? If that's the case, I am very happy with the GreatBrewEh.com pump - it's tiny, practically silent and pushes wort through very well, even when pumping through the plate chiller and a whirlpool arm. When mashing, I have to throttle it down with the outlet ball valve about half closed, otherwise it empties the space under the basket.

Mine was the new model with SS NPT connectors - so no threading problems like their earlier BSP pumps.

 

[theknub]

Well... there's the pump inlet that connects to a ball valve on the kettle, then there's a magnetically driven impeller that pushes fluid through the outlet with another ball valve... Oh, wait, did you mean how it performed? If that's the case, I am very happy with the GreatBrewEh.com pump - it's tiny, practically silent and pushes wort through very well, even when pumping through the plate chiller and a whirlpool arm. When mashing, I have to throttle it down with the outlet ball valve about half closed, otherwise it empties the space under the basket.

Mine was the new model with SS NPT connectors - so no threading problems like their earlier BSP pumps.

... ass. that's my kind of response

i have a SS chugger i use but adding this i could recirculate water in my herms/hlt. only real reason i need for two pumps.

 

[russki]

So, speaking of the pump... mine abruptly died in the middle of brewing today... Luckily I have already started to recirculate boiling wort through my plate chiller, so it was sanitized, and I was able to gravity feed into the fermenter.

Checked the power supply, it had 12v, so it's gotta be the pump itself. Took it apart, no jams... The motor just won't start. Guess we'll see how good GreatBrewEh warranty service is...

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Cool build.

 

[russki]

So, I retested the pump today, and it's working... Makes me think that somehow I tripped thermal protection... But how? The pump is rated to 230F.

 

[tyfernandez]

Not sure about the thermal protection, but I know I've had my pump (not from greatbreweh, but the probably the same manufacturer) "die" on me once or twice when i was testing my system. I walked away from it and I think it lost siphon and ran dry for a short while, causing it to turn off. Is it possible something like that happened? Mine worked just fine once I turned if off then on making sure to restart the siphon.

 

[russki]

Not sure about the thermal protection, but I know I've had my pump (not from greatbreweh, but the probably the same manufacturer) "die" on me once or twice when i was testing my system. I walked away from it and I think it lost siphon and ran dry for a short while, causing it to turn off. Is it possible something like that happened? Mine worked just fine once I turned if off then on making sure to restart the siphon.

It definitely did not behave like that - it would not turn back on until several hours later. GreatBrewEh responded saying they have seen this happen with pumps attached directly to the kettle. I wonder if there's some cavitation created by vigorously boiling wort entering the pump? I'm going to run some tests with water to see if I can replicate this issue.

 

[tyfernandez]

Hmm. Strange. Let us know your results. When mine powered off, I was able to power it back on within a few minutes. I was just using cold water at the time, as I was just checking my system for leaks. If I remember right I just let a decent amount of water drain out through the pump to help it regain it'sprime, then when I hit the switch it came on like nothing every happened.

I do recall reading several threads about pump's losing their prime when used while boiling though. Although they're usually Chugger or March pumps mounted away from the kettle.

Good Luck!

 

[Protto]

I like your build, good job. I will be making a similar setup using the 44qt pot some day.

About the pump issue: When pumping liquid at or near boiling, the little underpressure at pump input will cause the liquid to boil instantly creating a lot of steam. This will cause the pump to loose its load and increase speed. Some magnetically coupled pumps will simply decouple its magnet drive at a certain RPM. And it has to stop completely to regain coupling.

Some DC motor pump have a built in motor controller to drive the brushless DC motor. The control circuit is sensing the RPM of the motor an should the pump be run dry it will sense a to high RPM and shut down.

This might be the reason for the pump issues you have.

 

[russki]

That makes sense... I think I'm going to try restricting the output by closing the valve after the pump half-way and see if the pump turns off when pumping boiling water.

 

[russki]

So I ran a test last night. Boiled 6 gallons of water, set up my plate chiller and whirlpool arm, and tried to recirculate boiling water. When the pump output was wide open, I could hear the pump making "gurgling" noises - as soon as I restricted the output to 50%, the noise went back to normal. Recirculated boiling water for 15 minutes with no issues this way.

I'm hoping that this is all there's to it.

 

[KokomoSam]

So I ran a test last night. Boiled 6 gallons of water, set up my plate chiller and whirlpool arm, and tried to recirculate boiling water. When the pump output was wide open, I could hear the pump making "gurgling" noises - as soon as I restricted the output to 50%, the noise went back to normal. Recirculated boiling water for 15 minutes with no issues this way.

I'm hoping that this is all there's to it.

Russki,

Thanks for the update. I hope the "fix" is that simple.

Sam

 

[TJTHEBEST]

Just looked at the that bostonplumbing supply site for those stainless LWD elements. Its $28 for shipping alone... thats crazy.

 

[CJBrewVT]

And they rust like crazy. They and the company claim they aren't meant for use in brewing applications and there fore won't address rust. Disappointing to say the least. Solved with food grade silicone around nut though.

 

[russki]

Just looked at the that bostonplumbing supply site for those stainless LWD elements. Its $28 for shipping alone... thats crazy.

Wow! Although you are talking all the way from MA to CA... Here's one a bit closer to you - don't mind the part number, it's the same element:
http://fierychill.com/rheem-ap10868...-stainless-steel-resistored-lwd-1-in-screw-in

Also - I've not had any rust issues - but I dry my equipment after brewing.

 

[MDRex]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the total cost of this so far, not including the kettle, pump and plate chiller?

Awesome build. Has me thinking about going electric.

Both elements can run on 120v at the same time and no circuits have tripped? About how long does it take to get to mash temp and to a boil?

 

[russki]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the total cost of this so far, not including the kettle, pump and plate chiller?

Awesome build. Has me thinking about going electric.

Both elements can run on 120v at the same time and no circuits have tripped? About how long does it take to get to mash temp and to a boil?

The total excluding the kettle, pump, and chiller was about $600-650. This system runs off 2 separate 120v 20A GFCI circuits; no issues with tripping the breakers.

I usually start with 8-8.5 gallons of room temp water, and it takes about 30 min or so to get it to mash temps, and another 20 or so to get to boil after the mash. I've never really timed it, because I do other stuff while waiting, but it's pretty quick.