My Single-Tier Propane/Electric Hybrid Brew Rig

[Ohio-Ed]

Very nice work.
Think I'll sit on the sideline and watch for awhile.

 

[diatonic]

Thanks! Despite feeling like I'm posting too many updates with too little progress, here's another . I got the propane regulator mounted, and gas shutoff valves mounted for the HLT and BK gas ports. The yellow teflon tape seems a lot easier to work with than the super thin white stuff.

No pics, because it's dark outside and my iPhone is incapable of taking low-light photos. I'm really hoping the propane regulator I bought on eBay will work. It's a 1st stage regulator for an RV that can do 5-15psi and deliver up to 1,000,000 BTU/hour. I'm using high-pressure orifices and valves in my application, and hope that a steady 15psi on the banjo burners will be sufficient. You can be sure more pictures will follow shortly.

I'm contacting a local sheet metal/fabrication shop to build wind screens for the burners, and possibly mounts. We'll see how that goes.

This build feels like it is taking forever, but I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It felt good to get the 6 Blichmann 3 piece ball valves mounted in my keggles.

On a side note, the full-flow 1/2" stainless quick disconnects are really expensive. That is all.

 

[seanoj]

diatonic-

You are a couple of weeks ahead of us (brother-in-law and me) on your build and I am learning a lot from you. Please post pictures when you get a chance.

Our rig will be much lower tech (all gas), but similar. We just got our frame welded up (b-i-l is good hobby welder) and have started drilling kegs for valves.

I will start a thread when we get our pictures together on the same computer....

-Sean

 

[diatonic]

Faxed the following drawings to a local sheet metal fab shop. Will have a quote Monday morning to fabricate these. My plan is to mount the wind screens to the frame using the brackets, then mount the burners to the frame. I plan to have the top of the burner 4.5" below the top of the stand. I'll post some more drawings late of the stainless heat shields I'm making to protect the top of the frame from intense heat.

Brackets:

Wind shields/burner mounts:

Today I also picked up a 30psig pressure gauge for the gas beam. Will look better than a plug in the unused port, and help with leak testing. Also had a custom propane hose made to go from tank to regulator. Closed on a 2nd mortgage to get cash for more stainless quick disconnects. (That's a joke, but they are friggin' expensive)

 

[diatonic]

It was a sunny day outside... so I wheeled the work in progress out of the garage and took some pictures.

 

[diatonic]

more

Please don't quote all of these images, I've done enough damage already

 

[ibbones]

Looking good. I sure do like that color!

 

[LKHA]

love it if i would ever stop brewing i might get mine done

 

[frolf]

Excellent work so far, my friend.

Prost!

 

[5_Thumbs]

Nice job! I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[pickles]

Awesome! Where did you get that awesome labeling done? Any pics of it being applied? BTW I still say its orange JK

 

[diatonic]

Awesome! Where did you get that awesome labeling done? Any pics of it being applied? BTW I still say its orange JK

All of the lettering was done by FastSigns. No pictures of it being applied. They main letters are cut from yellow vinyl, and the brewery logo is a clear piece which has the yellow parts printed on it. It had some small lines that the sign shop were afraid wouldn't cut well from vinyl. They were a little more expensive, but had it done in 24 hours. Had a quote that was 1/3 the price, but it was going to take a week... and I wasn't feeling very patient .

You know, it is an "orangy" red

 

[copster88]

Awesome work on the stand Diatonic.

If I may ask a question....

What kind of fitting did you use for the gas ports on the gas beam?

JP

 

[SouthernYankee]

WoW, sweet looking stand! I really like the gas beam a lot. The mounts for the pump are also a nice job and great idea.
Well done!

I like the color!

 

[diatonic]

Awesome work on the stand Diatonic.

If I may ask a question....

What kind of fitting did you use for the gas ports on the gas beam?

JP

I used four ½" stainless half-couplings. They're TIG welded in to the beam. I'm using the port that I had intended someday maybe to feed an MLT burner to bring in propane from the regulator, and put a pressure gauge in the port I had been planning to use for bringing in propane from the regulator. The regulator has a vent that needs to face down unless you have it covered... which is why I made the change.

NEW STUFF TODAY!

I picked up some 25A fuses and waterproof fuse enclosures to mount where the 220V comes in to the panel. The circuit will be able to provide up to 50A and I wanted some protection on the inside of the box in case a short occurs. These will each have a hot leg routed through them.

Picked up this awesome cable which will run from a junction box on the rig, to my panel. It has 6 16 AWG conductors. The way I plan it is to have a j-box which has conduit to each of the pumps, and the gas valve. Then attach this cable to the j-box to run to the panel.

Pins:

Center: ground (green)
White: Neutral
Black: Pump 1
Blue: Pump 2
Orange: HLT Gas
Red: Unused (for now)

6 foot cord:

Panel mountable connector for inside:

I created a whirlpool/recirculation return tube for the HLT. It will be used while the HLT coil is in use to reduce temperature stratification in the HLT. I took some video of it in use with the march pump, and the little giant, and will try to post that later. The Little Giant gets much better flow.

This is how far the HLT drains with the dip tube I am using:

WoW, sweet looking stand! I really like the gas beam a lot. The mounts for the pump are also a nice job and great idea.
Well done!

I like the color!

Thanks SouthernYankee! Our builds look like they could be brothers!

 

[diatonic]

Here's the comparison of my 2 pumps with the 'whirlpool' port. Sorry it was done on a crappy phone camera:

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Awesome build! I am not sure if you have seen any of my threads, but you can use both coils during cooling. Fill the HLT with ice, top up with water, then circulate the hot wort through the HLT coil and the ice water through the BK coil.

I call this system DITCHES (Dual Immersion Thermal Coil Heat Exchange System). I think it is the best design around. You have direct fired RIMS, HERMS, and a kick ass cooling system. Super flexible and easy to use. DITCHES FTW!!!

 

[diatonic]

Awesome build! I am not sure if you have seen any of my threads, but you can use both coils during cooling. Fill the HLT with ice, top up with water, then circulate the hot wort through the HLT coil and the ice water through the BK coil.

I call this system DITCHES (Dual Immersion Thermal Coil Heat Exchange System). I think it is the best design around. You have direct fired RIMS, HERMS, and a kick ass cooling system. Super flexible and easy to use. DITCHES FTW!!!

I have admired much of your work! I'd imagine I could drop temps pretty darn quick with DITCHES. Will definately have to give it a try. I've even got a big upright freezer in my garage I could stash ice in throughout the week so I wouldn't have to buy it

 

[AN_TKE]

squeeze some food coloring in there and check out your mixing power! Nice build. holy crap.

 

[pickles]

This really is a top-notch build! I like that multipin connector.

 

[diatonic]

Thanks guys!

I found out that an old friend I went to high-school with works at an industrial controls shop.. that his family owns. He helped me punch the remaining holes in my panel.

This tool is bad-ass. It's a punch powered by a drill. Here it is with a 2" chassis punch. After this shot I turned that shaft with a drill and had a nice 2" diameter hole. We used the same punch to do 3 more holes... 2 for the 25A fuses, and 1 for the big six pin connector.

More holes in progress:

Here it is with all of the hardware mounted. I had to get new flanged power connectors... I was unable to track down plugs for the ones the box came with. The new ones are NEMA L6-30 twist-locks. Decided against a suicide plug ;-)

Now to start wiring!

Will have some more pictures of the insides & the schematics soon!

Prost!

 

[diatonic]

I got my wind-screen burner mounts and offset brackets yesterday. Mounted everything today. Plan to paint them with high-temp paint after I maker sure burner position is final.

HLT Burner:

BK Burner offset brackets installed:

Un-drilled wind screen/burner mount:

Mounting holes drilled:

BK Burner mounted:

Will try to get some better pictures once gas is plumbed.

 

[EarthBound]

You will forever be respected as a DIY guru. You have my vote for "Best Brewstand on HBT."

 

[Bobby_M]

Everything is looking amazing but I'm wondering why not stainless on the wind screens? I don't think paint is going to hold up there.

 

[seanoj]

I am planning on stealing many ideas from this build. The March Pump Mounts are first in line for thievery. Thanks for posting this.

 

[diatonic]

You will forever be respected as a DIY guru. You have my vote for "Best Brewstand on HBT."

Thanks!.. though it may be a bit premature... still a lot of work to do until I figure out if some of my crazy ideas will work.

Everything is looking amazing but I'm wondering why not stainless on the wind screens? I don't think paint is going to hold up there.

Honestly, it was just a matter of available cash. I'm a bit beyond what I expected for budget. Fittings, valves, electrical components have added up more than I anticipated initially. I ended up getting the wind screens and brackets for free so I'm using them for now. I would love to upgrade them to stainless in the future, but buying small amounts of stainless is hard to do... and getting it welded can be costly. These should at least work for a while, and they'd be easy to swap out in the future.

I still want to have some inserts made for the HLT and BK tops out of 1.5" angled stainless... but material and welding is going to be about $150 ... so it may have to wait a month or so. I'm afraid the skirts when they're being direct fired will melt the powder coat material and damage it. I'm wondering if I can insulate it temporarily by setting some ceramic tiles between the kettle skirt and the frame.

I am planning on stealing many ideas from this build. The March Pump Mounts are first in line for thievery. Thanks for posting this.

Feel free to steal any ideas you like. Much of the theory still has to be proven ... and most of my ideas have come from someone else

I picked up copper tubing and needle valves for the HLT burner and pilot today at lunch. I should be able to fire it up tonight... and if it works as planned I'll get the tubing for doing the BK burner tomorrow.

:rockin:

 

[diatonic]

I got the gas plumbed for the HLT and did some testing tonight.

Copper tubing bent, flared, and connected. Needle valves in place for pilot light and main burner:

Pilot light throttled down for low pressure, and glowing blue:

Burner actuated from Asco gas valve:

Some observations:

1. The Asco valves make a pretty good 'clunk' sound when energizing, and a slight audible hum while open.
2. You have to leave a decent length of straigt copper tubing if you want to flare it. If you bend to close to the end you can't slide the flare nut down and have enough room to flare the end.
3. Tightening the compression nut on the Honeywell pilot burners is a real pain because the mount and thermocouple are in the way.
4. The BG-14 Banjo burner doesn't need a whole lot of pressure to get really hot. I didn't go up to even 13 psi and it was rocking. Getting the balance with gas pressure and air control disc is tricky.
5. Burner takes about 3-4 seconds to fully light after opening the asco valve. I'll need long cycle times on the PID. I may use the definitive purpose contactor directly to the element to control it, avoiding high-amperage SSR operation so I don't have to use a fan in the box... and keep a long cycle time for both gas and electric.
6. Having a wind screen that protects the burner well also blocks access to see the pilot light and burner when the kettle is on it.

I'm going to try like hell to be ready to brew this weekend. Haven't brewed since January and I'm itching to go!

 

[Ohio-Ed]

diatonic-

This thing is progressing very nicely!!

Where did you get the multi pin cable / panel mount connector you use?

Ed

 

[diatonic]

diatonic-

This thing is progressing very nicely!!

Where did you get the multi pin cable / panel mount connector you use?

Ed

Thanks Ed!

I got them from a local industrial control shop that an old friend works at. "Bolen's Control House" in Boise, but Grainger stocks many of the same cables.

This one looks like mine in the specifications, but the part number is 1 number different.

The 6 pin cable is just like this one, except it has a male connector at one end, and no connector on the other end.

I'm sure someone else sells them online. 'BRAD HARRISON' is listed as the brand.

 

[EarthBound]

[*]Tightening the compression nut on the Honeywell pilot burners is a real pain because the mount and thermocouple are in the way.

What is the purpose of the TC?
I would usually expect it to control a pilot safety valve.

Sounds like things took longer than expected.
That's usually how it goes for me.

Excellent work so far! :rockin: