I need a stir plate!

[RishoBrew]

Okay, this was inevidable. I need a good stir plate that can manage liquid in a 3L EM flask. I've looked on amazon but anything in the $50 range had poor reviews. There was one for $99 from Northern Brewer but don't know much abou it.

I see a lot of folks build them but the question still remains will a diy stir plate handle a 2 liter starter?

Can anyone share thoughts about pros/cons of diy stir plate vs. what a solid performer may cost/brand/source?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dolomieu]

My DIY stir plate does okay with 2l of starter. You won't get a vortex to the bottom, at least I dont. Though that's not needed. We use VWR plates at work and use them to mix 20l of water, but thats going to be expensive for this application.

With DIY plates its really about getting the right stir bar and magnet spacing combination. I have built five and tweeked them along the way. I used the thermaltake fans with the speed control already on them which saved sometime and headaches. Though other have had luck doing it other ways, I didn't have so much luck.

 

[Dolomieu]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=338695

Used this setup but boxed it in a radio shack project box. I also used rare earth magnets instead of HD magnets.

 

[MikeSkril]

You wanna get this one!

About $45

http://www.stirstarters.com/

This product comes with a lifetime repair or replacement warranty. Simply put, if The StirStarter fails to perform for ANY reason, return it to me and I will repair or replace it at no charge. Customer satisfaction and great beer are my goals!

 

[relicdog]

Use a thermaltake fan and buy some rare earth magnets at lee valley for a few bucks. DIY all for under 20 bucks, I get a vortex all the way to the bottom, although this is not needed. The trick is you need to put the flask as close to the magnets as possible, what I do is I make a base with a couple books around the fan and place the flask right on top of the books, cheap and easy. Also, get a washer and try to center it on the fan with some krazy glue, then place the magnets on the washer. I recommend getting a foam stopper, this will cut your fermentation time in half.

 

[SteelManCM]

I used my DIY Stirplate to do a 1 gallon starter with no issues.

http://imperialhops.blogspot.com/2015/03/since-we-are-graduating-to-10-gallon.html

 

[RishoBrew]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=338695

Used this setup but boxed it in a radio shack project box. I also used rare earth magnets instead of HD magnets.

I'm trying to understand the mechanics of this. I thought the magnets rotate which in turn moves the stir bar but from what I can tell it stays in the middle. So what causes the stir bar to rotate in the flask?

 

[SteelManCM]

The magnet is stationary on the hub of the fan. The fan spins, thereby the magnet spins with the fan, turning your spinbar.

 

[MikeSkril]

 

[Dolomieu]

I'm trying to understand the mechanics of this. I thought the magnets rotate which in turn moves the stir bar but from what I can tell it stays in the middle. So what causes the stir bar to rotate in the flask?

With the hard drive magnet you lay it across the center. With the rare earth magnets you have two columns or two magnets space out on the hub of the fan. The mechanics are answered in the post above.

 

[cannman]

I used my DIY Stirplate to do a 1 gallon starter with no issues.

http://imperialhops.blogspot.com/2015/03/since-we-are-graduating-to-10-gallon.html

YUP! 4L+ no prob!

 

[Gameface]

I had an expensive Hanna instruments HI310 stir plate that cost about $280 if I remember correctly. Sent it in for service within the first 6 months, then had another issue about a year and a half later and was told it was out of warranty. I used the enclosure and made a DIY stir plate that works better for me than their stir plate ever did.

I make 3-4.5l starters in a 5l flask.

I used this fan http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999612

it's not your everyday ordinary CPU fan.

I use a molex power adapter.

The only downside is that it is a single speed stir plate. I tried using a simple speed controller but it didn't work well and I found that the speed it ran at was just fine for my needs.

I get a good vortex, nearly to the bottom, with 4l.

 

[motobrewer]

i can easily pull a vortex on 3L in a 5L flask using a stirstarters stirplate

the biggest problem is balancing the thing on it...

 

[cannman]

i can easily pull a vortex on 3L in a 5L flask using a stirstarters stirplate

the biggest problem is balancing the thing on it...

Balance on the larger flasks IS an issue. I've been tempted to rebuild the stir plate in one of these: Scrap Book Keeper/Holder

 

[RishoBrew]

Thanks for all your input. Learned something new today!

 

[RishoBrew]

Thanks for all your replies. I learned something today!