My E-HERMS Build - LOTS OF PICS

[Lucky_Chicken]

does anyone else see any pictures? all i get is the video

 

[joenads]

I had to click on them to see them, but I'm viewing from my phone.

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

I dont even see any links... maybe its something with my computer, but other threads have pictures?

 

[rsklhm10]

I see all of them.

 

[canyonbrewer]

not sure why the pics aren't showing for some...posted them the same way as I have in the past

here is a link to the picasa album for anyone that wants to see. no captions though

https://picasaweb.google.com/jasonop/EHERMSBREWERYBUILD?authkey=Gv1sRgCNPRpZmS5NixJg#

 

[hatfieldenator]

Nice work on the Herms coil. I did the same thing as you, I bought a SS chiller and used it for the coil. I saw all the threads about bending your own and said no to doing it that way.

 

[EFaden]

Really nice work.

 

[canyonbrewer]

got alot more done on my rig this week. control box is fully wired. bottom shelf and pumps mounted and wired. just waiting on my GFI breaker and my L14-30 wall receptacle to test everything.

control box

my rats nest...i don't have the patience to make the wiring as nice as some of you all on here

couple more

xlr for temp probe

back side...power in, heat sink, power out. I will manually unplug the HLT and plug in the BK when time to boil. Same PID will control both. 1 PID will just "monitor" mash and not control anything.

bottom shelf doubles as a pump cover/shroud - it's 1/8 alum diamond plate

view from bottom - pumps mounted and wired

 

[canyonbrewer]

few more

 

[TrainSafe]

This is a work of art. I love the paint on your control enclosure.

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

looking good but i would probably enclose those wires with wire nuts. espically since its in a place where it could catch something while you are rolling it.

 

[rsklhm10]

looking good but i would probably enclose those wires with wire nuts. espically since its in a place where it could catch something while you are rolling it.

I agree with this. Did you think about just mounting a metal 2-gang outlet box and the running the wires and making the connections with the wire nuts inside the box? They are only a few dollars and you could add one of the solid metal plates with gasket on the open side. It might not be completely waterproof, but it would certainly protect those connections way better.

 

[SeanGC]

Absolutely love this build and our current build is very similar but much more ghetto ha. I have a question about the positioning of your element with the dip tube. Our current setup the element is too close to our dip tube and I assume it's because of where we mounted it. How did you find the proper placing? Thanks

 

[canyonbrewer]

Absolutely love this build and our current build is very similar but much more ghetto ha. I have a question about the positioning of your element with the dip tube. Our current setup the element is too close to our dip tube and I assume it's because of where we mounted it. How did you find the proper placing? Thanks

I just got really lucky. I was planning on just bending them if I had an issue. The elements are close to the dip tubes in both the HLT and the BK, but don't touch. I would say they are 1/2" away.

 

[canyonbrewer]

I agree with this. Did you think about just mounting a metal 2-gang outlet box and the running the wires and making the connections with the wire nuts inside the box? They are only a few dollars and you could add one of the solid metal plates with gasket on the open side. It might not be completely waterproof, but it would certainly protect those connections way better.

great idea thanks. i am definately going to do this.

 

[canyonbrewer]

Hi all -

got my control panel mounted, hoses built, and a leaky pump fixed.

I also forgot to put the heating element in the HLT...so like a dumba** I dumped about 4 gallons of water in the HLT and watched it poor onto the garage floor. stupid

other than that, test went well.

I also ran autotune on the 2352 PID...and it only ran for about 15 minutes.

You will see that I have a temperature differential of 4 degrees. Does this seem normal? I only ask because Kal's temp diff is 0.

here is a video...enjoy :

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8_X539LDNA&context=C30c8b11ADOEgsToPDskLfhVFaooAjjFJEzAFSAW0p]E-HERMS Water Test - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Veritas]

What a beauty! I've been watching your build step-by-step, and am planning to do my own e-system build over the winter months. I'll look forward to seeing the video of your first brew next weekend! Cheers!

 

[milldoggy]

You will see that I have a temperature differential of 4 degrees. Does this seem normal? I only ask because Kal's temp diff is 0.

Did you calibrate the temp with another thermo? You have to adjust PD or DP setting(forget which one exactly, need to look it up)? The manual states anything over 5 is probably a wiring issue. Mine was 10 and wiggling the connector I saw it float more. I replaced my connecter and resoldered and now it is with a 1.7 diff, which I adjusted to.

 

[canyonbrewer]

Did you calibrate the temp with another thermo? You have to adjust PD or DP setting(forget which one exactly, need to look it up)? The manual states anything over 5 is probably a wiring issue. Mine was 10 and wiggling the connector I saw it float more. I replaced my connecter and resoldered and now it is with a 1.7 diff, which I adjusted to.

Thanks Milldoggy...

I also read that....some folks on the forums also said that reversed Thermocouple to PID wiring could cause it to be off.

Were your thermos calibrated when you saw 10 deg differential between HLT and MASH?

I calibrated both thermocouples with my ThermaPen as it was warning up - right on the money. No change to Pb needed. Wouldn't this calibration mean that my wiring is good?

Could it be that I am just losing 4 degrees in transfer? Do you think that having grain in the MT will allow the MT to hold a closer diff to the HLT?

 

[milldoggy]

I used a RTD, so I am not sure for a Thermocouple. When mine where I off, I would calibrate it at 120, them when I was at 160, I was 10 off. So the calibration was not consistent across all temp ranges. Swap your probes and see what they read then. Is the water temp with the thermopen match the PIDs? What is the temp of the water coming back into the mash tun, is it getting heated to 155?

 

[canyonbrewer]

I used a RTD, so I am not sure for a Thermocouple. When mine where I off, I would calibrate it at 120, them when I was at 160, I was 10 off. So the calibration was not consistent across all temp ranges. Swap your probes and see what they read then. Is the water temp with the thermopen match the PIDs? What is the temp of the water coming back into the mash tun, is it getting heated to 155?

I am using RTD too...my bad.

the water coming back into the mash tun was 155.

 

[El_Cabrito]

just curious, do you have a wiring diagram for your system? i was thinking of going the 1 receptacle route for the 2 elements, but still haven't decided yet.

btw, that setup is amazing. not much else i can say. purely amazing.

 

[canyonbrewer]

just curious, do you have a wiring diagram for your system? i was thinking of going the 1 receptacle route for the 2 elements, but still haven't decided yet.

btw, that setup is amazing. not much else i can say. purely amazing.

No wiring diagram....by its wired just like Kals.

Control Panel (Part 2)

Basically, it's a single PID setup. The PID on the right controls the single ssr which in turn powers the single receptacle. The PID on the left is just for monitoring, and doesn't control anything.

In this setup, I recommend using the Auber 2352 so you can switch bumpless between auto and manual mode for the boil element.

Using 2 30 amp Dpdt mechanical relays. One for power in, one for power to the element receptacle. This gives me a way to physically ensure power is disconnected from the element.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Atog]

Love your stand. Just wondering how tall is the stand?

 

[canyonbrewer]

Love your stand. Just wondering how tall is the stand?

With casters, about 25 inches. Wanted it low.

 

[rsklhm10]

System looks great. As for the difference between the mash tun and HLT, I am unsure on why you are seeing the difference. I just recently switched to a kettle mash tun from a cooler mash tun and have not had that problem. Then again, I never ran a wet test so I am unsure if my system would do the same. Maybe I will go fire it up and find out.

On a side note, where are you located in SC? I just recently moved from Columbia a couple years ago and will likely be moving back this coming year...

 

[konrad]

I also built Kal clone and my mash is always 1 degree lower than my hlt

 

[brum]

Do you guys mean the PID is reading 1 degree lower? Have you confirmed with a separate "mechanical" thermometer? PID's have adjustments and you can adjust to read the same as your HLT

 

[konrad]

In my case all 3 PIDs were calibrated individually.

When I mash in the temp of the mash drops because the grain is cooler than water from HLT. Temp will keep increasing because it is constantly circulated through HERMS coil, but it never reaches the temperature of water in HLT. Mine gets to 1 degree lower than the water in HLT.

 

[canyonbrewer]

In my case all 3 PIDs were calibrated individually.

When I mash in the temp of the mash drops because the grain is cooler than water from HLT. Temp will keep increasing because it is constantly circulated through HERMS coil, but it never reaches the temperature of water in HLT. Mine gets to 1 degree lower than the water in HLT.

Konrad, did you have to use the temp offset in any of the PIDS? For calibration of the RTDs?