Heat Stick in T-fitting?

[BryanEBIAB]

I brew 5gal batches on an Avantco IC3500 via BIAB and it’s great for a boil but now I’m looking for a way to maintain mash temps better. I’m thinking about adding a small (120v*) heat element controlled by an Inkbird ITC-1000. If I can avoid drilling a new hole in my kettle, that’d be nice. So, I’m thinking that I might add an element to a tee-fitting close to the kettle and in-line with my existing recirculation pump. Would that concentrate too much heat?

Perhaps I’d have to keep the pump on while the element’s on—which would be fine.

For reference, setting the induction plate to 700 watts normally causes a slow temp increase. The next lowest setting is 500 watts and causes a faster decrease. This is all at room temp or a bit hotter. My space isn’t insulated so it’ll likely need more watts as winter approaches and more heat escapes.

What else should I be considering?

I’m thinking about using something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/DERNORD-Imme...=9004531&hvtargid=pla-376829515320&psc=1&th=1
*There’s only one 220v circuit in my brew space and no more space in the sub panel so I want to keep it to 120v.

 

[doug293cz]

What you are asking about is basically a RIMS (Recirculating Infusion Mash System.) These can work well, if properly designed, configured, and controlled properly. The danger with a RIMS is that you have a very small volume of wort in contact with the heating element, and thus it is very easy to overheat (and denature the enzyme) or even scorch the wort, if things are not done correctly. One of the things you cannot do is control the heating element with a simple on/off controller like an ITC-1000. You really need to use a PID with pulse width power control, or an Auber DSPR-120/3x0 with pulse count modulation, to make sure the element doesn't get too hot when it is on. There also flow path and rate considerations, avoiding air pockets around the element, locating the temp probe properly, etc.

Brew on

 

[BryanEBIAB]

Aaahhh… a new door opens. “RIMS” has been one of those terms I’ve seen used but didn’t know what it was, thinking “probably too advanced”. But it indeed sounds like *exactly* the system I’m working towards. Now I’ve got a lot to research and think about. Thank you!

 

[BryanEBIAB]

Okay, so did some research and now I'm hoping to get some validations/sanity-check/etc.

Originally, I wanted to install a small element directly into my 1/2" NPT lower port but it seems like this just wouldn't be practical for any element I could find out there. So RIMS tube it is.

I think I want to merely augment my induction burner and go small. Because 500 W seems to be too low to maintain temperature and 700 W too high, I figure that I only need < 200 W if leave the burner on 500 W (it's lowest setting). With a 1500W 120V element like this one, I think the controller (that Auber DSPR-120 looks Ideal, @doug293cz ) would be running it at maybe only about 150W or 10% (give or take). The element is about 6.75" long U-shape for a total element length of about 13.5" so the watt density would be somewhere around 11 watts per inch. This seems inline or lower with other RIMS watt densities. Not sure if that's the correct way to do that math considering the controller's PWM.

For construction, I think a 1" x 4" stainless steel pipe with T-connectors (about 2.75" wide each) at either end. Element and sensor (too short maybe?) installed "pointing" at each other at either end with wort flowing from element-end to sensor-end out the sides of the tees. Some reducers to make it compatible with my existing 1/2" QDs.

I'll have to figure out a way to orient it vertically but that shouldn't be too difficult to figure out later. It might end up placed directly after the pump since that's my lowest point but it also means it would be inline even when not in use, like during whirlpool.

Does this all make sense so far?

 

[Broken Crow]

Personal opinions: Best deal for a bare RIMS tube:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/325...816621485301424027e44d6!12000026163130679!recThen buy most of the other bits from @Bobby_M especially the hot-pod
https://www.brewhardware.com/category_s/1895.htm& then though it may seem overly powerful, this heating element with the bend for RIMS use
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500.htmbecause the longer element distrubtes the heat over a greater surface area and so leads to less chance of burning, PLUS: You can always pull it out of the RIMS tube and stick it in a BK so that you only need the one element and controller. (Provided of course, you'd need an interim vessel to hold your wort between mashing and boiling)
And for the controller and temp sensor, go straight to EZboil for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing DSPR320 EZBoil Controller for Boiling, Step Mashing, and Low Oxygen (LODO) Brewing [DSPR320A] - $72.50 : Auber Instruments, Inc., Temperature control solutions for home and industry , as Amazon prices tend to be higher.
Just my thoughts...

 

[Bobby_M]

I'd step back a second and think about it more. I know the induction is pretty cool but as you're finding, they suck at precise temperature control. The desire for better control makes sense, but if you're already going to build a good controller and get an immersion element (and RIMS tube), you're already 95% of the way to just switching the kettle over to an immersion element solution. I don't see much benefit to holding on to the induction when the immersion element and new controller can do both mash and boil heating and the element being in the kettle is better than in a RIMS tube.

 

[BryanEBIAB]

I'd step back a second and think about it more. I know the induction is pretty cool but as you're finding, they suck at precise temperature control. The desire for better control makes sense, but if you're already going to build a good controller and get an immersion element (and RIMS tube), you're already 95% of the way to just switching the kettle over to an immersion element solution. I don't see much benefit to holding on to the induction when the immersion element and new controller can do both mash and boil heating and the element being in the kettle is better than in a RIMS tube.

Sounds like you’re pointing out that I’m in danger of the sunk cost fallacy: “I want to use it because I already have it.” And you’d be 100% correct.

I thought holding on to the induction plate would allow me to make a *smaller* RIMS but my research is telling me that it being smaller has no real benefits and maybe some drawbacks.

I thought I would try some insulation this weekend and see if I can just reduce the temp drop. I also feel like I should allow myself some forgiveness when my wort spends 5 minutes a few degrees too warm or cool. If my new two-layer reflectix doesn’t help, I’m going to seriously consider putting an element in the kettle as you suggest.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, once the wort is removed from the bulk of the heat and shoved through tubing, you're losing more heat. In the kettle, the element would be in a gallon or more wort at any given time and the heat is a lot closer to where you want it.