Grainfather!!

[Elkobrewer]

The grainfather will be my next purchase. In March I think I will pull the trigger on one.

 

[Yambor44]

Just got off the phone with GF. The person I spoke with suggested doing a brew and checking the times. Said they would be different (less) with a normal brew day than just plain water (cue the crickets)....

I'm sure it may be different but someone mentioned earlier doing a water test and the results were much different.

The raised area at the bottom where the element is housed is starting to bubble as I mentioned earlier, but only a half moon shape. I assume the whole thing should be bubbling (picture a stove top element)?

Here's a pic of it at 207° and 2 hours 45 mins in:

 

[Yambor44]

It just can't seem to get to a boil. 3 hours and 15 mins to this point from 75° tap water. I've lost just over a half gallon from 7 gallons down to just under 6.5.

 

[TBC]

Whoa, that's the slowest I've read yet. Have you tried insulation yet? It's under 40 here in PA! Geez I was hoping not to use a heat stick, but you may want to do that. Is the grey cord 12 gauge? Less than that is rated 15a. Not sure if that would be part of the problem. Oh, how long is cord on GF?

Anyone else with that slow of a response time out there?

The power cord is 5' long. I've been brewing in my garage here in PA and I've been averaging 3.5-4 hours total brew time from start to clean up. I have the graincoat on my grainfather and I'm not using an extension cord.

 

[pagrider]

I get from 75 to 152 in about 20 minutes. The boil takes less than a half hour from there. Something is Wrong sounds like the GF is not getting enough power or the heating element is damaged.

 

[Yambor44]

Yeah I agree, somethings not right. I ended up tripping a 20amp breaker after I kept going. The outlet/circuit I was plugged into has an ice machine hooked to it as well as my computer on another outlet.

Once it tripped I moved the GF to another 20amp outlet with a very short extension cord (12 gauge) that has the 3 outlets on one end. I kept it going for another 30 mins and although the display was showing 211°-212°, my thermopen and the lack of boil showed 209°-210° (again, I'm about 100 feet or so above sea level in Florida). My opinion is it didn't make any difference when I changed outlets/circuits.

They (GF tech support) want me to go ahead with a brew day saying the times should be shorter. I don't not agree with this line of thought and am concerned about the lose of a batch.

Here are some shots of the above mentioned:

 

[Yambor44]

Another

 

[Yambor44]

One more. Sorry I couldn't get them all to load in the same post.

 

[Yambor44]

Just spoke with Adventures In Homebrwing via chat. They recommend plugging the element directly to the outlet and bypassing the module.

I'll try that this evening and report back.

 

[KyleF318is]

This thread has been awesome!

I've been on the fence with this system for about a month now especially since I'm at sea level. This problem Yambor44 is the exact reason I haven't done it. Thanks for the updates! I want to pull the trigger on this (or not)! Please keep posting.

I asked before and I'll ask again. The graincoat? Anyone have it? How much of a difference does it make? Is reflectix better? Thanks again guys.

Lots of good videos for anyone just starting go back and skim from the beginning of this thread. Good tips!!

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

Just spoke with Adventures In Homebrwing via chat. They recommend plugging the element directly to the outlet and bypassing the module.

I'll try that this evening and report back.

Mine is being delivered from Adventures In Homebrewing on Thursday. I'm at sea level. Bought a grain coat. God please let this not happen to me. Sorry you're having issues.

 

[Yambor44]

I didn't plug straight in from the element. Instead, I made one more shot at it with the lid on, switch to boil and bottom switch to normal.

I moved to a third outlet and was able to plug straight in with no extension cord.

Here are the results:

Starting water temp 82º
Ambient temp 70º
7 gallons of tap water
Lid on
No pump
From 82º to 150º (mash temp) 52 mins
from 150º to 168º (mash out temp) 16 more mins
From 168º to 212º (boil) 42 more mins

So...
From 82º to 168º 1 hour 8 mins
From 82º to Boil 1 hour 50 mins

Much better I think. Will require a little more babysitting since I'll have to switch to "mash" on the upper switch on brew day once it gets close to my strike temp but I can work around that. I'll look to add some reflectix before my first brew day.

You guys getting to 152º in 20 mins,

1. Are you using reflectix or a jacket? (I can't imagine this would cut my time in half getting to 152)
2. Are you leaving the lid on?
3. Are you setting the upper switch to boil and lower to normal?

Thank you.

EDIT: Well, after I removed the lid and was prepared to boil for an hour to check my boil off rate, the boil was lost. Back to the drawing board. :-(

 

[DarkUncle]

I have to look for the paper I wrote my times on but they weren't that long I can tell you and I'm like maybe 20 feet above sea level, I'm on Long Island. It takes longer to go from mash temp to boil than from room temp to mash temps. That I remember. As soon as I lift the basket to begin the sparge step I flip the switch to boil. I would say after I'm done sparging it's just about at the boil temp. Maybe another 10 minutes or so depending on the mash.

I use the Graincoat but haven't tried brewing without it so I can't give a comparison.

 

[DarkUncle]

Oh and I leave the lid on for mashing but off during the boil and it never loses boil. I also brew indoors with ambient temps around 67-68 so that could also have something to do with it. If I were brewing outdoors in the winter I might have a problem then.

 

[Yambor44]

AIB asked me today if Inwanted to return it. I'll bypass the module (PID) and plug the element straight into an outlet. I purchased a 12/3 fifteen foot extension cord today for that purpose. Shortest, heaviest gauge I could find. I'll try again tomorrow.

 

[kevreh]

Try a different circuit in case its poor wiring.

 

[Yambor44]

Try a different circuit in case its poor wiring.

I've already tried 3. I'm pretty sure I've ruled that out.

 

[DarkUncle]

I've already tried 3. I'm pretty sure I've ruled that out.

I would get that unit exchanged rather than what you're doing. That isn't normal and trying to make something work that should out of the box is not acceptable.

 

[Yambor44]

I would get that unit exchanged rather than what you're doing. That isn't normal and trying to make something work that should out of the box is not acceptable.

Understandable, but if we can narrow it down to the the controller it would be an easier transaction. If this doesn't work then it has to be the element.

 

[scallopking]

got the new graincoat and tried two batches with it. so far I like the fact of the look, fit and removability so much easier to clean. there's no difference in total boil temp. I can't compare ramp up times since I never clocked it on the reflectix. im probably off but seems a little faster. I will on my next batch check the times and report back.

here's the hops I used yesterday - haven't done such a large hopstand before and was a little nervous if the pump would clog. it didn't but I have had it clog before on certain kinds of hops.

Yambor44 I am sorry to hear of your troubles. I agree with darkuncle and think its time to get a replacement. enough troubleshooting and due diligence on your part already. why bother with the headache of one or the other.

just make sure to run without a cord, and need to be on a 20 amp outlet. this helps for me.

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

Well, got my grainfather last night, and I think its got a defect making it unusable. There is a dent in the basket underneath one of its "legs", for lack of a better word. This dent protrudes to the inside. I noticed because I couldn't get the false bottom in after trying for half an hour (the rubber seal kept slipping off). The steel under the other two legs is smooth and round, no impressions. Can you guys confirm this is a defect before I contact Grainfather? Not sure if this picture will turn out, attaching to this post. Thanks guys.

 

[seabrew8]

Ok, the answer is if the element fails it is not replaceable. The entire boiler would need to be replaced. But he said in a couple years time they've only had a handful that took a dump and needed to be replaced. So this unit does have a shelf life of some indeterminable amount of time.

That sucks!

 

[DarkUncle]

Well, got my grainfather last night, and I think its got a defect making it unusable. There is a dent in the basket underneath one of its "legs", for lack of a better word. This dent protrudes to the inside. I noticed because I couldn't get the false bottom in after trying for half an hour (the rubber seal kept slipping off). The steel under the other two legs is smooth and round, no impressions. Can you guys confirm this is a defect before I contact Grainfather? Not sure if this picture will turn out, attaching to this post. Thanks guys.

If it protrudes inside then I can see it could pose a problem getting the false bottom in as its now out of round. Did you wet the interior of the basket? It makes sliding the false bottom in much easier. Also tilt it a bit. I would get in touch with them and see what they say.

 

[Yambor44]

I agree with Darkuncle. If it protrudes to the inside, you'll need another sleeve. It did take me about 5-6 attempts to get the bottom in without knocking the gasket off though and mine isn't dented at all.

 

[Yambor44]

Well, looks like I'll be talking to Adventures In Homebrewing about a replacement. Looks like I have two options:

1. Return it ( I don't have the original packaging anymore so I'll have to buy a box big enough to accommodate it) and wait on them to send another.

Or...

2. Buy another one, get it, make sure it works, Ames the other back in the packaging, wait for them to get it back, then get a refund for the first one.

Option 2 is obviously the way to go to get a working unit the soonest (hopefully, if it doesn't get damaged in transit) and for the least expensive. We didn't cover shipping cost but I'd assume they'd cover return shipping somehow.

Here were my results from Wesnesday night.

GF element - plugged straight into 20amp outlet via 15' extension cord 12/3.

20 mins (starting water 89°) to 114°
30 mins 127°
40 mins 138°
50 mins 150°
60 mins 160°
90 mins 188°
1 hour 40 mins 194°
1 hour 50 mins 200°
2 hours 205°
2 hours 10 mins 209°
2 hours 20 mins 211°
2 hours 30 min 211°
3 hours 210°-211° never reached boil.

 

[DarkUncle]

Wow those times are ridiculous. Unfortunately you got a dud it would seem. I would also go option 2.

 

[seabrew8]

I ordered my GF about 2 hours ago! I guess i'll be waiting a few weeks though.

Anyone brew without any insulation? I'm at sea level.

 

[enfox]

Just finished assembling mine and running a heating test, it does not work, after an hour the temperature has not changed one degree. Awesome.....

 

[pagrider]

Check the plug going into the controller and also the reset button on the bottom of the Grainfather

 

[enfox]

Should I hold the reset button down or just press it once? Plug to the boiler is good, blew out the socket for good measure and reinserted the plug and also pressed the reset button, still nothing.

 

[seabrew8]

Just finished assembling mine and running a heating test, it does not work, after an hour the temperature has not changed one degree. Awesome.....

Why did you wait a whole hour? Most would assume - correctly - something is wrong in a few minutes.

 

[gotbeer74]

Is the lower switch on normal and the top switch on boil?

 

[pagrider]

You just press the reset button in. Weird wish I could be more help

 

[enfox]

Why did you wait a whole hour? Most would assume - correctly - something is wrong in a few minutes.

I walked off to do something, came back an hour later.

 

[enfox]

Is the lower switch on normal and the top switch on boil?

Yes.

 

[enfox]

You just press the reset button in. Weird wish I could be more help

The reset switch does not feel like it is engaging anything, there is no click. Maybe my button got damaged and the reset is stuck in the pressed mode. Also plugged the GF into a kill a wat and it is only drawing 1.3 watts in both boil and mash modes. I would take the cover on the bottom off to inspect but I am sure they would find that a reason to void any warranty.

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

If it protrudes inside then I can see it could pose a problem getting the false bottom in as its now out of round. Did you wet the interior of the basket? It makes sliding the false bottom in much easier. Also tilt it a bit. I would get in touch with them and see what they say.

Yeah I read somewhere to wet it and seemed to go in great till I tried to flatten it out at the bottom. Such a bummer, was planning on my first brew tomorrow. Hopefully I can get another basket sent out ASAP CHRISTMAS IS RUINED (just kidding)

 

[enfox]

I think my reset switch is faulty, it does not engage a button, it's really loose. Time to begin the RMA process.

 

[Stillraining]

Sounds like GF is having a bit of a Q&A issue.

 

[canehdianman]

Yeah, I'm super pumped on this device, but definitely some QA problems cropping up.

At least they seem to be handling them properly.