Huge E-HERMS build, 3 keggles, control panel, stir plate, ferm controller, 61 pics

[CloverBrew]

great write up.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Gorgeous!! system, and I am curious what size hole did you drill for your 1/4 npt coupler in order to pull a dimple? I too want to dimple my kettles and install a 1/4 npt coupler for sight glasses. Thanks for the help!

 

[Lumpyyyyy]

Love this system. I like that you excluded the timer. That's probably the only thing I don't like about Kal's build. I don't need a $250 panel mount timer. Just about anything is cheaper and as good IMHO.

Two questions though:

1. How in the world did you get your kegs so damn shiny? I tried buffing mine and they came out decent but nowhere near that quality.

2. Where'd you get that Volt/Amp meter combo? It looks good.

 

[chapusin]

I had posted a question but I figured it out

 

[azwillnj]

Love this system. I like that you excluded the timer. That's probably the only thing I don't like about Kal's build. I don't need a $250 panel mount timer. Just about anything is cheaper and as good IMHO.

Two questions though:

1. How in the world did you get your kegs so damn shiny? I tried buffing mine and they came out decent but nowhere near that quality.

2. Where'd you get that Volt/Amp meter combo? It looks good.

Sorry for the delay in response, I havent been on here in a while..

1) By following these instructions: http://beersyndicate.com/learning_resources/beer_tutorials_view.asp?id=17

2) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-AC-...262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c7284ace Buy an extra, one failed on me already.

 

[Crucial-BBQ]

I am not flaming you in the slightest and I mean this with the upmost respect, but...

...all of that and your primary fermentor is an ale pail?

 

[azwillnj]

I am not flaming you in the slightest and I mean this with the upmost respect, but...

...all of that and your primary fermentor is an ale pail?

Haha, that's awesome.. yeah, after buying all that other stuff there wasn't much money left over for a stainless steel conical. I don't have a problem with the ale pale, seems to work fine. Maybe in the future I will switch to corneys but I'm good for now.

 

[chapusin]

You never sent me that diagram on reddit but it's all right, I spent days and days looking at your pictures to figure out how you wired everything :rockin: I got everything working now!

 

[Matthewjscott]

What is the diameter of your HERMS coil

 

[azwillnj]

3/8" It restricts flow a little, but I think that the added time in the coil probably helps.. and the tubing is cheaper.. haha.

 

[gregd307]

Can you post a wire schematic of the control box. And what are the dimension of the control box

 

[azwillnj]

Can you post a wire schematic of the control box. And what are the dimension of the control box

I don't have one yet, sorry. I have been working on it in my free time, but with work and all the other projects I am working on there's not much free time. I will need to create a schematic in the near future as I have been tasked with converting this system to a 1bbl and building it for a pilot system for my local micro brewery. So stay tuned, I should have something soon-ish.

 

[gregd307]

Thats cool

 

[CraSYDiamond]

Any luck with the wiring diagram yet? Do you have a detailed shopping list for the whole build?

 

[Smellyglove]

Where's my sunglasses?

But. I don't get it with un-insulated hoses. Don't you lose temp?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

How did you wire in the volt/amp meter? I like that little meter. I have noticed major swings in voltage in my power supply depending on the day. When I start heating my strike water I usually probe my power input with a multimeter. This would be much easier.

 

[MedicMang]

I hate to ask such a stupid question but where did you get the sweet whirlpool arm?

 

[lpgasbob]

Hello what type of relays did you use

 

[KartRacer54]

Responding to markthisthread. Incredible build! You are simply amazing with the detail.

 

[pfgonzo]

MedicMang, his whirlpool arm is made of Loc-Line. You can Google "loc-line" and "brewing" for tons of hits to learn more. I use it myself in my system, and love it.

 

[Gavin C]

This is one of the best if not the best documentations of an electric setup I have seen. My setup is stone age by comparison. Well done. Thanks for taking the time to document and share. If I ever go three vessel this will be what I will try to emulate.

 

[Gavin C]

Unrelated to the build. How did you put so many pictures in one post. I thought the limit is 10? Just curious.

 

[iijakii]

Do you have the little plastic mypin supporters always falling off? I can't get mine to lock up. Been thinking about tapping them to the sides of the PID...

 

[azwillnj]

Wow, I suck at replying. Sorry everyone.. here goes:

Where's my sunglasses?

But. I don't get it with un-insulated hoses. Don't you lose temp?

Maybe, but I don't care, there's no part in the process where hot liquid is running through the tubes without the elements firing.. or without me wanting it to cool down. Even when boiling wort is running through the lines I can grab the tubes with my bare hands. The cam locks will burn the **** out of you though, haha.

How did you wire in the volt/amp meter? I like that little meter. I have noticed major swings in voltage in my power supply depending on the day. When I start heating my strike water I usually probe my power input with a multimeter. This would be much easier.

I wired it directly across the Hot A and Hot B lines, and I took the Amperage off the Hot A line. In my old house there was a massive swing in the voltage, I called the power company and they replaced a transformer that was going bad.. maybe call your power company?

I hate to ask such a stupid question but where did you get the sweet whirlpool arm?

Here's where I got the original set:
http://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/mashrecirculation.htm

I noticed it was digging a hole in the grain bed so I bought this and put it on the end. I had to drill out the holes a little but it's an awesome upgrade:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00065UDB0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Hello what type of relays did you use

SSR's for the PID Controllers and cheap DPDT mechanical relays from ebay for the main power.

Unrelated to the build. How did you put so many pictures in one post. I thought the limit is 10? Just curious.

I hosted on imgur and linked to them.

Do you have the little plastic mypin supporters always falling off? I can't get mine to lock up. Been thinking about tapping them to the sides of the PID...

They were constantly releasing, I got pissed and put a drop of superglue on each one. I figured if I was removing it down the line it was gonna be because it failed and I didn't care about breaking it.


Also, thanks everyone for the praise, it was a lot of work, and a lot of money but absolutely worth it. I currently have fermenting a Lost Abbey Angel's Share Clone that had an OG of 0.123, I am shooting for 15.1% abv with WLP099.. Crossing my fingers.

 

[jcc4507fly]

Is there anything you would change or do different? I'm currently building an eherms, except my keggles are bottom draining. I would appreciate any words of wisdom you have to offer.

 

[azwillnj]

Is there anything you would change or do different? I'm currently building an eherms, except my keggles are bottom draining. I would appreciate any words of wisdom you have to offer.

I'm sure there are lots of them but I'll see what I can come up with off the top of my head.

• The whole ice in the HLT thing works but a plate chiller works better.
• Speaking of a plate chiller, get a filter or something for the drain on the boil kettle, or make a hop spider, those hop particles and the hot break really jam up a plate chiller.
• Go with bigger relays and higher gauge wire right off the bat, it will be easier to upgrade to either 2 elements or a higher power one in the future. (4500w is perfect for up to 10 gal batches in the kegs, just saying if you ever got a bigger kettle)
• Go with all Auber PID's they are more expensive but the auto tune is better.
• They sell power jumpers for the power block I got, it would have made it cleaner and easier to install instead of using short wires.

If I think of anything else I'll post.

Alex.

 

[jcc4507fly]

Thanks!!

 

[KennyM]

Great job Alex. I like your idea of controlling the HLT element from either the HLT or MASH PID controller. I'm working on a panel design and may include this feature.

Additionally the aeration tube is an elegant way of oxygenation. Good application of Bernoulli's principle.

Thank you for the inspiration.

 

[azwillnj]

[About a year ago I posted this thread.

The most requested thing in this thread, and the accompanying Reddit thread was a wiring diagram.

Life got crazy, I got a new job, and never found the time to make the diagram... until now! Without further adieu may I present the long awaited wiring diagram.

Imgur link: http://imgur.com/l8fnpjM

JPG link: http://i.imgur.com/l8fnpjM.jpg

Sorry about the watermark, it took me a ton of time to make this and wanted to at least protect the idea. With that being said, I invite and encourage everyone to use this design and share this design as much as you want. Also, feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

Alex.

 

[briord1]

Wow! Nice setup. I'm considering upgrading to an EHERMs system from my current RIMS tube setup. Your gear is inspiring. I have a few questions.
1. Do you have a ballpark cost of the components? I've been researching Kal's setup but I think I like yours better.

2. Do you have a detailed parts list you could provide? Thanks a ton for for the wiring diagram!

I'm not the smartest guy in the world and any help would be welcome. I built my controller for my current setup, but my head almost exploded. Of course, I also made the controller undersized as I was only using 110v. Thanks in advance. I'm looking forward to upgrading.