Helo I need some serious guidance and advice plz

[ILOVEBEER]

Hi guys,

I will try not to make this too long but a description is in order for you guys to help me. I bought what appears to be a HERMS system..I will describe: It is a two tier system

HLT is above the mash tun and the brew kettle. The HLT and the brew kettle have a burner. The mash tun is without a burner, but has a water heater (4500W 220V) element built into a copper housing. The system has all the necessary components minus a burner for the HLT which I will buy. I have to redo the welds on the stand because he was a learn on the spot welder...not a problem I have been welding for 15+ years.

Anyway....I am confused on several things. I have brewed extract but have viewed alot of videos on AG and know it is not too difficult (I HOPE).

The element in the copper tubing has to be controlled by a t/stat obviously......what do you guys recommend I do for this? ( I have no idea what to do so any feedback would be awesome) It is a 220V element, can it be run on 110V?

I have seen several postings about a PID...not sure how this works..if anyone can explain I would greatly appreciate it.

I am going to redo the welds (not a big problem) and probably add some QD's to the system. I am excited as al hell but need some guidance to make this work.

Thanks for your time!
Joe

 

[The Pol]

A heating element IN the MLT? Inside a copper tube... INSIDE the MLT? Or is it a RIMS heater?

You can run a 220VAC element on 110VAC, it will knock the output down 75%.

Does it have a pump to recirculate the mash water?

Youd probably want a PID, just for the logic alone... a simple temp. controller may be too dumb to run this.

This is a RIMS not a HERMS

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Sorry for the confusion, I am still learning the lingo. The brew kettle and the mash tun sit side by side. The brew kettle has a burner, the mash tun does not. The heater element sits outside of the mash tun in an enclosed copper housing. There is a single pump for the system. The guy who designed it read several books and talked to those with guidance and designed it that way. The entire sytem has copper tubing throughout, including a sparging system that is directly connected to the mash tun off of the heater element. Once I assemble it, I will post pics and let you guys help me make it work...but for now I have no idea what is up or down.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

After reading a bit more it appears that I stumbled onto a RIMS system. Is this correct?

 

[The Pol]

Yes, this is a typical RIMS.

You can run the element on 110VAC (it is actually designed that way) and power it with a PID and SSR combo. About $80 for the setup.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Do you have any recommendations from a website or DIY store I can buy this from or any particular model you recommend?

Thank you for your time.

Joe

 

[The Pol]

Do you have any recommendations from a website or DIY store I can buy this from or any particular model you recommend?

Thank you for your time.

Joe

I have a thread called Bling BLing Electric HERMS Conversion... that has a parts list that includes a PID.

Id get the SYL-2352 from Auber, a 40A SSR and Heatsink

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Awesome thanks...Not to sound to dumb.....cuz I am when it comes to this so far.....are those two items all I would need to operate the element and maintain mashing temperatures?

I found the site. I do not see a heatsink on the PID, is there one on the site I can purchase?Thanks for the help

Thanks for all your help!

 

[The Pol]

Awesome thanks...Not to sound to dumb.....cuz I am when it comes to this so far.....are those two items all I would need to operate the element and maintain mashing temperatures?

I found the site. I do not see a heatsink on the PID, is there one on the site I can purchase?Thanks for the help

Thanks for all your help!

You need a PID, a thermocouple (temp probe), an SSR and a heat sink FOR THE SSR. The SSR does all the current switching, the heatsink will make it last longer by keeping it cool. They are at auberins.com

 

[ILOVEBEER]

I called the guy at the store u recommemded. He suggested i buy the 25 amp ssr and heat sink . I was wondering....i know you said the 40ssr amd heat sink will work...will it matter if i buy the 40 amp is it possible to run it with a 4500w element on 110v?

 

[The Pol]

I called the guy at the store u recommemded. He suggested i buy the 25 amp ssr and heat sink . I was wondering....i know you said the 40ssr amd heat sink will work...will it matter if i buy the 40 amp is it possible to run it with a 4500w element on 110v?

You do only need a 25A SSR, I have a 40A but I am running 240VAC and pulling nearly 25A, which is max on that smaller SSR.

The SSR will run on any voltage you are using and any wattage element, its only limit is the Amp draw.

Remember your element will go down to about 1100W when you use 110VAC.

Before you embark on this process, you need to get a firm understanding of electricity and the components used here.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

I have an understanding but a
m only running 110v. It seems like straight forward setup. So. With that said I should be good with the temp probe /25a ssr /25a heat sink and the te
mp controller?

 

[The Pol]

I have an understanding but a
m only running 110v. It seems like straight forward setup. So. With that said I should be good with the temp probe /25a ssr /25a heat sink and the te
mp controller?

Yes, 1100W on 110VAC will only draw about 10A

 

[jwright]

ZZzzzzzzap !!!!

OW!!

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Thank you for the help i really appreciate it

 

[The Pol]

Thank you for the help i really appreciate it

No problem