New 10 Gallon Herms! Pics!

[ScubaSteve]

Ah, with a little digging... it's called Loc-Line

There's also some cool nozzles and spray attachments that may have potential.......

 

[brewjunky]

Yeah I was wondering about the stirrer

 

[SenorWanderer]

I have used the particle board for 3 years, it isnt the best, but I have yet to upgrade it. I would like to use a 1/2" plastic sheet instead of wood, that will be the next upgrade to the stand itself, but it is a lil pricey....

how about melamine? no, not the stuff in chinese milk! you can buy melamine covered particle board at any home depot. cheap and plastic-like.

 

[explosivebeer]

That's a cool setup Pol. What's the biggest batch you've done with it? Or do you just stick to 5g batches?

 

[The Pol]

I only do 5 gallon batches, fits the keg nicely. Also, this system has its limits... with a 120V 1500W element you cannot heat enough water fast enough for a 10 gallon batch. I heat 9.5 gallons to my strike temp, then pump over the ammount needed for strike to my MLT. Then I add 1.5 gallons of 70F water to the HLT which will stabilize my HERMS temp at about 159F (I have a spreadsheet and equation for those calculations) This way I can begin my recirc immediately. When the mash is complete, I ramp up the temp to 170F, then use the water in the HLT to sparge.

 

[The Pol]

I am replacing my wooden shelves with diamond plate tomorrow... free diamond plate in fact, should add some sex appeal to the beast.

 

[The Pol]

Just an update... I have brewed 6 brews on this baby since I pieced it together and it has worked flawlessly. Nothing leaks, it holds my temp within .5F and allows me to mash out in a cooler without infusions!
The wort is crystal clear and brewing is finally predictable! I have been able to nail down my volumes so that I can simply start my sparge and let the HLT and MLT run dry. When they do, I have precisely the correct pre-boil volume in the kettle so that after my 90 minute boil, again, I have the exact ammount each time going to the fermentor. REPEATABILITY!
I generally document all of my brews on here, feel free to comment on them.

_________________________________________
Primary- Circle City Haus Ale
Secondary- Orange Cascade APA (dry hop)
Keg1- Centennial Blonde (On tap)
Keg2- Oktoberfest (On tap)
Keg3- Christmas Spice
Keg4- Fire In The Hole
Keg5- AIR
Keg6- AIR
Keg7- AIR
Keg8- AIR

 

[e lo]

Wow, ThePol, I love this idea. HERMS, but nice and simple. I've been having trouble hitting temps and volumes, especially now that I'm brewing in a cold garage in the Michigan fall/winter. I also really like the idea of being able to do step mashes and mashout in a cooler without infusions/decoctions. I think I might make building something like this a winter project. Can I talk you into posting a parts list, at least for the tubing and QDs?

 

[The Pol]

The tubing is simply the reinforced PVC from Lowes... it is 1/2" tubing to accomodate 1/2" fittings.
Here are the QD's from McMaster Carr:

#6739K59 High Flow Hose Coupling For Coolant, Plug, 1/2" Nptf Male, 3/8" Coupling Size
#6739K64 High Flow Hose Coupling For Coolant, Sleeve-lck Sckt X Barb, 3/8"cplg Sz,1/2"hose Id

 

[e lo]

Excellent! Thank you, sir. Now to explain to SWMBO why all these packages will be showing up on our porch...

 

[The Pol]

Also, if you have not ordered from McMaster Carr, they ship like, next day to you and I with regular ground shipping. I love that place, they have everything under the sun! If you need anything else, let me know!

I got my HERMS coil from Morebeer!, it was very cheap compared to other stores, it is sold as a "prechiller" for wort cooling, 1/2" copper coil!

 

[e lo]

This will be my first order from McMaster, but I've heard nothing but good things about them.

I have an IC that I'll be converting to my HERMS coil, because I ordered 50 ft of tubing from coppertubingsales.com to make a super chiller/whirlpool setup. The HERMS was also my impetus to finally get off the fence and buy a pump.

Stupid expensive awesome hobbies. Just not well suited to a grad student budget.

Thanks again for your help & good info!

 

[The Pol]

No problem man... I used to live in AA and Ypsi... freight pilot from Willow Run.

 

[The Pol]

My new FREE diamond plate showed up today, I will get some pics this week when I get it cut and installed on my HERMS. It will be replacing all of my plywood shelves! WOOT!

 

[The Pol]

Here is the new diamond plating!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/new-diamond-plated-herms-hott-pics-88891/

 

[e lo]

Nice... Diamond plating is sexy! Nice to meet another AA/Ypsi transplant.

Ran into a snag getting parts from the local HW stores today ... can't seem to find stainless washers that fit over the pipe nipples. Don't want to have to order them and pay shipping...

 

[The Pol]

It is hot or miss with those SS washers... I got mine at Lowes, but sometimes you cannot find them easily.

 

[e lo]

Yeah, it's a PITA. I'll have to keep searching. On the upside, I did get the heating element and HERMS coil installed over the weekend, as well as wiring my new Ranco temp controller. Getting close! If I have a slow week at work this week, I might even get to try an inaugural brew with the new setup this weekend!

 

[The Pol]

Awesome, hope it goes well, let me know how it turns out!

 

[gsutton]

Couple questions for you. I read in one of your posts that you used a dip tube and stopper for your thermowell. How did you seal the end of the dip tube? Also, I have an immersion chiller that I would like to use as my heat exchanger. When I set it in my HLT the top of the coils comes to about the 6 gallon mark. Will this be a problem?

 

[The Pol]

Couple questions for you. I read in one of your posts that you used a dip tube and stopper for your thermowell. How did you seal the end of the dip tube? Also, I have an immersion chiller that I would like to use as my heat exchanger. When I set it in my HLT the top of the coils comes to about the 6 gallon mark. Will this be a problem?

The dip tube is cut to the appropriate length, a rubber seal was inserted into the end and the end was then crimped tight.

My heat exchanger is 1/2" copper tubing. When you start running this system you will see that you want to have the coil come up to about the 5.5 to 6 gallon mark, MAX... it will be okay. This is based on a couple facts about the HLT. When it is completed you will be able to get 9.5 gallons of water in it MAX, the other volume is filled with the coil and other equipment that you are installing. When I say 9,5 gallons max, I mean 1/4" from the top when the lid is on. Once you pump out your strike water 3-4 gallons, you will have 5.5-6.5 gallons of volume still left in your HLT... so you want your coil to be about that height max.
Also, the use of the 1500W element is based on the fact that it is about 7-8" in length, meaning it will be submerged even if you drop to say 4 gallons in the HLT. DONT LET THE ELEMENT RUN DRY!

 

[gsutton]

Does your coil touch the bottom of the cooler or is it suspended? Would it matter if it is touching the cooler bottom? ie. temp

 

[The Pol]

The coil? No, doesnt matter... I mean everything in the HLT is the same temp anyway... anwhere from 155F to 180F depending on your temp setting.

 

[LooyvilleLarry]

Hey Pol- What length of tubing is needed for the HERMS coil ? About 20-25' or bring it to the 5 gal mark on a 10gal?

 

[The Pol]

I have 25' of 1/2" dia copper tubing... it was marketed at B3 as a "prechiller". I have all 1/2" plumbing on my rig, doesnt cost much more, and the flow rates are so much better than with the 3/8" stuff. With my false bottom I can recirculate at an incredibly fast rate and have not had a stuck sparge yet.

 

[e lo]

So mine is all built. I wound up using a hand-held mixer from the Kiwanis as my stirrer. Cost $5, and I wired an outlet up to a rheostat so I get reasonable control over the speed of stirring. I planned to brew on it this weekend, but the "dry run" took longer than I expected. Should be able to give it a try next weekend. Look like I get about a 4 degree difference between the HLT and the mash tun when it's 30 degrees in my garage, which works just fine.

Still have to figure out how to mount my pump. My local HBS sells them without the mounting bracket. Looks like I'll be investing in some steel straps.

 

[The Pol]

Yeah, I get from 3-4 degrees difference between my HLT and MLT. Once you have the differential figured out, it is easy to set and forget the HLT temp for the recirc.

 

[gsutton]

Pol,

How did you mount your A419 to your cooler? Velcro? Bracket?

 

[The Pol]

2 SS screws that are aligned with the mounting holes on the controller.

 

[gsutton]

Hey Pol,

Do you remember the settings you have on your A419? I have copied your set up and I assume my settings would be similar.