I have a eRIMS that I put together mainly from Brewhardware.com equipment a few years ago, a 110V mashing system for a BIAB pot sitting on a Blichman propane burner. The PID controller I bought ~2016 was from a place on eBay, and it worked okay--I never had stable mash temps to my satisfaction. However, the real problem was temperature measurement. It was all over the place! No consistency in temps, or agreement with the many separate themometers that I bought to compare with what the PID reported. Even changing the 1/2" NPT thermocouple for an Aubern one did not solve the problem at all. So, I bought the Inkbird IPD-16S not long ago hoping to solve the many problems.
Straight away from the first water test with it, I was blown away with how consistent the temps were, both reported and actual. Even with everything else in the eRIMS the same (110V), holding a mash temp was no problem at all. After Autotuning it, temps got even a little better. So, last weekend I brewed a SMaSH IPA with a low (turns out too low) mash temp of 148F. My calibrated and 0.01F accurate thermometer at the middle of the mash consistently held within 0.2F for the entire 90 minute mash. Often the differential was zero--perfect agreement. Even stepping up from 148F to mash out was quicker and more consistent through the mash bed, temp wise.
And, while in the past I never saw a high correlation between attenuation and mash temps, I sure did this time! My 1056 fermented IPA finished at a crazy low 1.006 FG. I'll be more careful with the 'right' mash temp in the future! I almost didn't mention that being able to control the pump & RIMS heating element *though* the IPB-16S is so, so nice. I've almost burned out my element a few times by not having that kind of control. It's now so easy to click the pump and element on/off, and helps prevents errors.
If there's anyone out there looking at the Inkbird IPB-16S, it works really darned well--highly recommended.
Straight away from the first water test with it, I was blown away with how consistent the temps were, both reported and actual. Even with everything else in the eRIMS the same (110V), holding a mash temp was no problem at all. After Autotuning it, temps got even a little better. So, last weekend I brewed a SMaSH IPA with a low (turns out too low) mash temp of 148F. My calibrated and 0.01F accurate thermometer at the middle of the mash consistently held within 0.2F for the entire 90 minute mash. Often the differential was zero--perfect agreement. Even stepping up from 148F to mash out was quicker and more consistent through the mash bed, temp wise.
And, while in the past I never saw a high correlation between attenuation and mash temps, I sure did this time! My 1056 fermented IPA finished at a crazy low 1.006 FG. I'll be more careful with the 'right' mash temp in the future! I almost didn't mention that being able to control the pump & RIMS heating element *though* the IPB-16S is so, so nice. I've almost burned out my element a few times by not having that kind of control. It's now so easy to click the pump and element on/off, and helps prevents errors.
If there's anyone out there looking at the Inkbird IPB-16S, it works really darned well--highly recommended.
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