Propane to all out electric build

[BadNewsBrewery]

Details on that fridge? Very nice.

 

[garbageman]

Here you go.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/vissani-52-bottle-wine-cooler-mvwc52b.html#.UMFS-uQT79M

I got one off craigslist and one on sale "scratch and dent" from Home Depot. I love them. I used the interior temp dial for the first few months and it was almost good enough. Single best addon that made the biggest difference in my brews.

 

[rockinmarty]

don't forget light is evil.:rockin:

 

[garbageman]

Switched on for photo. The doors even have a dark tint on them.

 

[rockinmarty]

OK. can't wait to see more. Love this thread.

 

[kzimmer0817]

Here you go.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/vissani-52-bottle-wine-cooler-mvwc52b.html#.UMFS-uQT79M

At the moment, we're using a pair of 7 cu ft Holiday chest freezers for fermentation/kegging. Each can hold 2 6-gal carboys along with a few 6-packs stuck in and around for conditioning. The cost for each was slightly more than one of the wine bottle coolers. Unfortunately, using chest freezers sacrifices precious space - they can't be under-the-counter, and you have to have clearance above them to open them.

1. will a 6 gallon carboy with airlock/blow-off tube fit into one of your coolers?

2. do you have need to heat these? If so, how to you accomplish this? My brew area is in an uninsulated area of the basement, so I do have to apply heat to my freezers (tiny space heater or blow dryer and Ranco Dual Controller).

Looks good. Thanks for posting.

Keith

 

[garbageman]

Yes. In the photo those are both 6 gallon carboys. I can get measurements if needed.

In garage and down south. More concerned with cooling. Even when cold, inside the fridges unplugged they stay 62 degrees. If I needed to, I'd do a belt or something to stay warm.

 

[slakwhere]

- they can't be under-the-counter, and you have to have clearance above them to open them.

2. do you have need to heat these? If so, how to you accomplish this?
Keith

if you put them on casters they could be pulled out from under the counter to be opened. depends on the height of your work bench i guess

i heat my fermenting chamber with reptile heating wire from the pet store. the stuff was like $15 and raises temps gradually. before that i was using little space heaters and would routinely overshoot temps by a few degrees because of the power the thing put out. the reptile heaters have definitely added stability to my esters. way less funky tastes with more precise control of the temp.

the reptile mats are basically the same thing, just in a solid form not a cord. some of the best money i've spent in my beer brewing, and some of the cheapest

 

[garbageman]

Control Panel time......

Trying to get decals cut and on:

Inside:

More to come as I get this thing mounted and wired. Also, this is a ebrewsupply.com box that I'm working with. Ryan was so helpful as I was laying all my plans out that I decided to just go for it.

 

[slakwhere]

Why 2 lights per control?

 

[inhousebrew]

Sweet!
I love it!
I want it!
I need it!

I.....don't even own my own garage or have the money for something so big.

 

[garbageman]

Why 2 lights per control?

Just for showing switch selection and notify when something is drawing power.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

With your breakers - the double pole ones show two black wires coming out. Did you give up on standard wire convention (one red, one black), or is there a reason you are using a double pole breaker with only one hot leg split between both sides?

Otherwise, very clean panel. I couldn't bundle all my wires as nicely, that's for sure!

 

[garbageman]

With your breakers - the double pole ones show two black wires coming out. Did you give up on standard wire convention (one red, one black), or is there a reason you are using a double pole breaker with only one hot leg split between both sides?

Otherwise, very clean panel. I couldn't bundle all my wires as nicely, that's for sure!

Good question. But yes, wired correct and done in black wire. More for gauge then color coding.

Test fired tonight in water and all ran. Now to learn the BCS 460, mount panel and brew a batch.

 

[garbageman]

Panel mounted and testing some programming.

 

[DrPhilGood]

Are you an actual garbage man?

 

[garbageman]

Are you an actual garbage man?

I sell garbage trucks and street sweepers. Spent plenty of time on the back though.

 

[garbageman]

First BCS test and RIMS tube. I really dig how much you can do with the BCS.


Screen Shot:

 

[slakwhere]

ambient over 220F, it gets HOT in your garage!

 

[jeffmeh]

And looking at the boil kettle, it must be well below sea level.

 

[garbageman]

In the summer yes. Just not that hot. Those probes are disconnected.

Here is my finished graphic for the HMI on BCS.

Still learning the javascript to change the img with processes so I can add hoses and only show what items are active. Also, add the widgets from BCS.

Process #1: Ricirculating Mash

 

[slakwhere]

looks great! this is almost entirely unrelated, but i just noticed in the image your pump orientation. you'll have an easier time priming your pump if you rotate that head 90 degrees so the exit is pointing UP instead of sideways.

 

[garbageman]

As requested a close up of the RIMs tube element end from Brewers Hardware.

Element done for the boil kettle. 5500w using slip cover and potting in JB weld. Super easy and quick. Great idea for safety.

 

[Hogcrewer]

I use the same element enclosure for my distillation. I am thinking about converting to electric now. Your build makes thing look a little easier. Deff has my attention.

 

[riverme]

I went to all electric due to the summer heat and havent looked back. I really want to know where you got that monitor. I will be in cola for the upcoming beer fest.

 

[garbageman]

Monitor: State Surplus by the airport. Hit and miss.

Wife and I will be brewfest. But the top brewfest in SC is in Charleston on February 23rd. Sam from dogfish and Ken from Seirra Nevada will be the keynote speakers. Check it out brewvival.com

I found a thread by POL for the element enclosure. 10 minutes and your done.

Up close and keggle.

 

[riverme]

Awesome thanks. I will definitely have try and make that one as I've heard good things about it. I went to a smaller version in Beaufort a few years ago and had a blast. This will be the first year where I'll be off from work for both.

 

[garbageman]

Unlike beer Fest in Cola, Brewvival purchases the beer from the breweries. They don't require it to be donated like the beer Fest in Columbia. Last year, breweries went dry after 2-3 hours in Columbia. Go to the 12-4 if you have a choice. Less crowded and more beer.

Brewvival adds great food and great bands. Plus, it's across from Coast brewing.

 

[garbageman]

Update:

First full run tonight. Choose Biermunchers Blonde for simplicity and I did not want to hide any flaws or errors with a big hoppy brew. Was really happy with setup. Things I learned and notes from first run.

- Connect BCS direct to computer to avoid router/network failure.
- I control RIMS element by probe at end of RIMS tube. Add 7 degrees to set point to equalize temp in Mash Tun. IE: RIMS exit temp 158 = 151 in grain bed.
- Ramped mash water to 170, add grain and recirculate. Dropped to 152. Let balance and mashed at 150. Held perfect for 50 minutes recirculating. Ramped up to 170, held and transferred to BK.
- Immersion chiller to cool. Used pump to whirlpool wort and 55 degree tap water through IC. Dropped from 212 to 68 in 25 minutes.

OG was 1.040 and 68% efficiency. Added 1# extra 2 row since I do single infusion sparge. Some channeling in grain bed. Flow speed and a sparge arm should help this.

 

[tophmck]

Sweet -- sounds like a great first session on the new system!

I control RIMS element by probe at end of RIMS tube. Add 7 degrees to set point to equalize temp in Mash Tun. IE: RIMS exit temp 158 = 151 in grain bed.

The general wisdom is to use the hottest point in the loop as your mash temp rather than the grain bed (although you can stir the mash and/or tweak your system to try to get the gap down.)

The rationale is that since the wort is at 158 as it goes through the tube, this is denaturing the beta amylase (giving you a sweeter wort), regardless of the grain bed temperature. A few degrees higher and you'll start to denature the alpha amylase too, slowing or stopping the conversion.