E-Herms Brewtroller Build

[Tuxie]

Hey guys I have been lurking on this site and the brewtroller forums for some time now. I am about 50% done on my E-Herms three vessel single tier system. It is controlled by a brewtroller control panel. I had planned to hard plumb the system but I am second guessing that idea due to sanitation issues. HLT has a copper coil, a 5500w heating element, float switch, temp prob, 3/4" ball valve fitted on the bottom and a 1/4" barbed fitting for volume sensing. MT has a false bottom, 3/4" ball valve fitting, and the 1/4" barbed fitting. BK has a 5500w heating element, float switch, temp prob, 3/4" ball valve, and another 1/4" barbed fitting. The temperature prob for the mash tun will be down stream of the false bottom probably before the pump. The system for now will be manually operated ball valves, but with brewtrolled automated ball valves could always be a option in the future. The pumps I am using are mag drive Little Giant pumps, hence the need for 3/4" drain valves on all the vessels. The outlet for the Little Giants are 1/2" so all non gravity feed fittings will be 1/2". I have a water supply ran to the back wall of the brewery room, the plan is to tee that line, one side will go to a filter system then to the HLT, the other side will head to the counterflow chiller which is only half built right now. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[Tuxie]

Here a few more pics. My apologies all pics were taken with Iphone.

 

[alien]

Panel looks great. I like the cart, how'd you make it. That is one big old chiller you have there.

 

[Tuxie]

For the cart I found a stainless table a guy was using for processing wild game, cut 3 holes 3 1/2" in diameter and attached plywood to the steel frame to give me somthing at attach pumps and piping to. And for the chiller, more is always better.... well maybe not. But I could'nt find a good reason to make the coil shorter if I no other use for the soft cooper tubing.

 

[Tuxie]

A quick update. I did most of the plumbing for the system, I hard plumbed manifolds to the pumps and will run silicon In between.

 

[Tuxie]

Finally I took some pictures with a real camera, and made some progress with the brewery but also had some setbacks, two steps forward and one step back. Most of the plumbing is done, pressure sensors are mounted, water filter is in place with a solenoid valve on the other side, which is wired to the control panel and can be manually controlled or controlled by brewtroller so I can just tell brewtroller to fill the HLT to 8 gal or whatever. Now about the setbacks, I had a small leak on my herms coil at the weldless fitting on the outside of the HLT which progressed into a stripped fitting and now I have pulled the entire coil out and I am rethinking how to make it watertight. The fittings in the bottom of each vessel for the pressure sensors are the wrong size, I have a 1/4 nipple and it should be at max 3/16", I have the parts i'm just procrastinating replacing them, and lastly I noticed one of my electrical solders failed on the pressure sensor connections. My to do list is getting shorter but she's still a ways away.

 

[Holgar]

Any update on this? I'm in the total dream stage of something very much like yours... mapping it all out, etc. I'm sure I'll be living thru folks like you for some time!