Im Going Electric!

[squidtpd]

I have been using a RIMS system with a PID, RTD sensor and a ssr for years. I have had good results. However, I want to convert the rest of my system to electric. Those 3 items from Auberins are approximately $100. Water and wort temperatures are easy to control with a Potentiometer for a fraction of the price. Once the wort comes to a boil in the bk,Turn Potentiometer up or down to control the boil. In the hlt, when I use propane I would shut the burner off and sparge after my temperature was reached. I have had no problems in the past controlling my temperatures with propane burners. As of P-J's question, The manufacture said that it is a ssvr. I would never leave my system while it was running and my hlt has a thermometer installed in it. As of Bobby M question, I'm not rich nor poor. I enjoy building things and all gain brewing. I think tickling a Potentiometer knob would be no different than tickling a propane knob? Hlt temps and bk temps are not rocket science. RIMS temperatures need to be a little more precise. As of the price difference, I would save approximately $85 going with the Potentiometer and ssvr rather than the pid, rtd and ssr. I can brew a lot of beer with $85. P-J thank you for your response. I'm going to try a Potentiometer set up with your diagram. Also, Bobby M thank you for input.

 

[NoCornOrRice]

Given thr overall cost of an electric herms system, I found thr Aubr PID to be really affordable. I use one pid in manua mode to boil and the same one in auto mode to mash. Its the little things you do not think of that really add up. Fittings wiring ductwork fan ... Doing a simple all grain aystem is super cheap. Doing an e-herms is not about cost.control it is about convenience and repeatability

 

[Bobby_M]

I agree that for a BK control, a dedicated PID barely has any utility unless you consider a digital temperature readout to be enough of a benefit. However, the function of a PID in an HLT is probably worth it for all but the most stringent budgets. I've overshot strike and sparge temps on my manually gas fired HLT in at least half of the batches I've done. Get distracted for 5-10 minutes and there you go. Instead, set the PID and it doesn't matter if step away for 30 minutes. True, a PID with type K is going to run you about $60 over the cost of the SSR (which is a wash if you're planning for an SSVR anyway). Now, for $60, you get setpoint control and wire in an alarm that you've reached the temp if you care about that. Now that you have the PID, you can reassign it's function over the boil kettle as PJ's diagram shows to get manual control without buying a separate SSVR. You also get the benefit of precise duty cycle control whereas an SSVR's phase angle control is nowhere near linear based on the knob position.

Another way I look at it is, once you go electric, a PID is a small cost upgrade when you compare it to the connectors, heavy gauge wires, high current GFCI, elements, kettle hardware, etc.