Panel build (Auber based)

[James_AZ]

Appreciate the info. I will look at the bAST value that I am using.

I have the Auber DSPR controllers and use them for both RIMS Mash and Boil. I do 15 Gallon Batches
I drive a 5500W element for my RIMS. I have yet to scorch the element/wort. I usually use 100% for mOUT. If 100% starts boiling the wort in the RIMS tube I drop it down to 75%.

For the Boil I drive two 5500W elements. There are three bSET settings, bOUT which i set to 100% and bAST which I set to 206F, and finally bTSP (timer start) which I set to 207F.

My boil program is set to 22%. So with these settings my controller drives both elements at 100%(bOUT) until my wort reaches 206F (bAST) then the controller drives the elements at 22%. Once the wort reaches 207F(temp at which a rolling boil is achieved bTSP) the boil timer starts.

I love this controller.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm not a fan of trying to do the mash recirculation through the sidewall when doing BIAB because it requires you to drape the bag under something and it never neatly folds over the lip of the kettle nicely. I think going through the lid is the way.

 

[Bobby_M]

I have the Auber DSPR controllers and use them for both RIMS Mash and Boil. I do 15 Gallon Batches
I drive a 5500W element for my RIMS. I have yet to scorch the element/wort. I usually use 100% for mOUT. If 100% starts boiling the wort in the RIMS tube I drop it down to 75%.

For the Boil I drive two 5500W elements. There are three bSET settings, bOUT which i set to 100% and bAST which I set to 206F, and finally bTSP (timer start) which I set to 207F.

My boil program is set to 22%. So with these settings my controller drives both elements at 100%(bOUT) until my wort reaches 206F (bAST) then the controller drives the elements at 22%. Once the wort reaches 207F(temp at which a rolling boil is achieved bTSP) the boil timer starts.

I love this controller.

I assume you're using the the DSPR120. If that's the case, I agree that the bAST and bTSP functions are critical features that no other controller has.
I don't like using those functions on the DSPR320 as there are more intuitive ways to achieve the same thing.

 

[shoengine]

I'm not a fan of trying to do the mash recirculation through the sidewall when doing BIAB because it requires you to drape the bag under something and it never neatly folds over the lip of the kettle nicely. I think going through the lid is the way.

I was just going to put the bag on in the normal fashion. The assumption is that the liquid would diffuse back through the bag, but that could be a bad assumption on my part.

 

[shoengine]

First report from the tests... my temp sender from Auber never hit 212.

I was stuck at 203 on the panel until I increased the flow full and bumped the power to 65, but 208 is the highest the panel reads while it is clearly boiling.

 

[doug293cz]

First report from the tests... my temp sender from Auber never hit 212.

View attachment 879895
View attachment 879896

I was stuck at 203 on the panel until I increased the flow full and bumped the power to 65, but 208 is the highest the panel reads while it is clearly boiling.

The temp drop in the plumbing, if your temp probe is not in the BK, is real. And that's why temp probe location is critical.

Also, that middle dial thermometer needs to be calibrated.

Brew on :mug;

 

[Broken Crow]

Forgive me, I'm gonna be blunt: With BIAB, ports above the FB are just plain wrong and unworkable. I'll reiterate my link above to Bobby's 'Dang it!' hole-plugs: https://www.brewhardware.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=dang+it&Submit=
I suspect you made the same assumption I did about temps in the plumbing while recirculating; My 'logic' suggested that the plumbing would come up to temp as it ran... I've always had an inline thermometer on the output of my pump (calibrated alongside the one in my keggle body) and it's always read lower than the temp in the kettle. You need to poke at least 2 new holes: One for a temp probe, and another for the recirc port, both below the false bottom.

 

[shoengine]

Also, that middle dial thermometer needs to be calibrated.

I think I'm just going to toss the middle one. I got those from a retired brewer and rarely use them (except for situations like this). Not really worth trying to fix it. Plus its resolution isn't terribly useful in brewing.

I suspect you made the same assumption I did about temps in the plumbing while recirculating; My 'logic' suggested that the plumbing would come up to temp as it ran... I've always had an inline thermometer on the output of my pump (calibrated alongside the one in my keggle body) and it's always read lower than the temp in the kettle. You need to poke at least 2 new holes: One for a temp probe, and another for the recirc port, both below the false bottom.

And it certainly does go up to some temperature, as it becomes much to hot to touch without PPE. Before I go adding even more holes to my kettle, I need to determine the temperature gradient to see how far off it is at mashing temps (I don't care if the boil temp is off). At 212 it is off by 4 degrees, so reasonably it should be off by less than that at 150. If it is just a degree or two I can easily manage that.

For the boil I am using Bobby's suggestion to set the boil power in a mash program instead of using temperature. It appears from my tests that 65% gets a nice boil irrespective of what the sender says.

 

[Broken Crow]

I need to determine the temperature gradient to see how far off it is at mashing temps

The difference will be less predictable with a mash than with water tests and unlikely the same....owing to the slower mash recirc rate the drop may be greater than you are currently experiencing.... you could end up scorching your bag just trying to calculate the offset.
Though it may be disenheartening right now, poking another hole for a temp probe really isn't that big a deal..give it some time to let the immediate benefits from doing so sink in.

 

[shoengine]

First two brew sessions went fairly well. The first one I did I had a probe in the bag, and outside of the bag, as well as the RTD probe in the instrument tee.

I ended up recirculating through the lid. I might try the tangential some time and compare it to lid and see if there is much difference in conversion.

Mash temps were close. I haven't calibrated any of the probes, so just comparing the numbers to each other.

Mash out temps were a little closer.

I'm not sure if there was any scorching. The Kolsch was supposed to be 5.5 SRM (a little high, I know), and with my untrained eye it almost looks like a seven. There was a light colored film on the element after the boil, but nothing dark.

 

[shoengine]

This is the kolsch. Doesn't look quite as dark, but I forgot what the requirements are when checking the color. No aroma of anything burnt though

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

The Kolsch was supposed to be 5.5 SRM (a little high, I know), and with my untrained eye it almost looks like a seven.

It may have nothing to do with your system. The higher the pH in the boil, the darker the beer at the end of the boil. If the pH is high enough, it can have an impact on the color of the finished beer.