RIMS vs. HERMS

[knightbeer39]

Gas heat is also easy to wire for control via PID. In fact I would argue it is just as easy aselectric, now that I've figured it out. For $190 you can wire up a PID controlled automatic firing control system for your existing burner.

Standing Pilot light burner with control $192.74
HONEYWELL VR8200A2124 24 Vac Dual Standing Pilot Gas Valve $61.99
1/4" OD Aluminum Pilot Tubing $10.00 Local Hardware 5'
Pilot bracket assembly - Honeywell Q314A6094 B Bracket $16.16
Liquid tight RTD sensor, 2” probe, M16 Thread $29.95
M16 flanged nut $3.69 McMaster-Carr 91005A039
Universal 1/16 DIN PID Temperature Controller $41.95
3-way red LED Selector switch (burner ON/OFF/AUTO) $29.00

This is intriguing. So you install a pilot light and honeywell valve, and this connects to the PID. Then the RTD sensor is installed in the mashtun and connected to the PID. You set the temperature you want on the PID and as the temp fluctuates in the mash (as detected by the sensor), it automatically opens the valve on the honeywell and the burner fires up. Is that essentially correct? Also, how is the strength of the flame adjusted in this system? thanks!

 

[Sawdustguy]

This is intriguing. So you install a pilot light and honeywell valve, and this connects to the PID. Then the RTD sensor is installed in the mashtun and connected to the PID. You set the temperature you want on the PID and as the temp fluctuates in the mash (as detected by the sensor), it automatically opens the valve on the honeywell and the burner fires up. Is that essentially correct? Also, how is the strength of the flame adjusted in this system? thanks!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/gas-temperature-control-dummies-116632/

 

[BlackNotch]

Sawdust, once again....you rock!

 

[Bobby_M]

This is intriguing. So you install a pilot light and honeywell valve, and this connects to the PID. Then the RTD sensor is installed in the mashtun and connected to the PID. You set the temperature you want on the PID and as the temp fluctuates in the mash (as detected by the sensor), it automatically opens the valve on the honeywell and the burner fires up. Is that essentially correct? Also, how is the strength of the flame adjusted in this system? thanks!

Manually with a valve.

 

[knightbeer39]

Manually with a valve.

Hmmm, sounds good up to that point. If the whole idea is to have this system automated, adjusting flame strength with a manual valve seems kind of counter productive. I guess as long as you keep the flame always on a lower setting it would be fine. I would be concerned about scorching while your away pouring a beer or doing whatever other preps.

 

[knightbeer39]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/gas-temperature-control-dummies-116632/

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I am not yet setup with this. But I will have my burners adjusted and never have to change them. Basically, HLT full blast : MLT lowest possible : BK dialed in for a nice rolling boil, likely close to full blast.

I see no need to adjust those settings, I don't with my system now, I just have to bend down and manually fire up the burners and I have no PID control.

 

[knightbeer39]

I am not yet setup with this. But I will have my burners adjusted and never have to change them. Basically, HLT full blast : MLT lowest possible : BK dialed in for a nice rolling boil, likely close to full blast.

I see no need to adjust those settings, I don't with my system now, I just have to bend down and manually fire up the burners and I have no PID control.

Got ya. that makes sense. sorry if I seem dense; this is my first attempt at putting together a rig and I am not real familiar with gas systems like this.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

No no no. It is way better to ask tons of questions and have a good handle on things. Ask away!!!

 

[knightbeer39]

Thanks! It would be helpful to see an image or brief description of how to hook the honeywell valve up to the existing burner (i.e, what fittings etc.). In my case, I am only planning on being automated for the MLT to do a direct fire RIMS, the HLT I'll control manually. To start with I would just pump strike water from the HLT to the MT, and then be able to set the PID and let it recirculate and heat (as appropriate) the mash while I go do other stuff. I could then come back and heat the sparge water up in the HLT to whatever I need and switch the pump to batch sparge (something I have never done BTW, I've been a fly sparger for 12 years now)

 

[JVD_X]

Gas heat is also easy to wire for control via PID. In fact I would argue it is just as easy aselectric, now that I've figured it out. For $190 you can wire up a PID controlled automatic firing control system for your existing burner.

Standing Pilot light burner with control $192.74
HONEYWELL VR8200A2124 24 Vac Dual Standing Pilot Gas Valve $61.99
1/4" OD Aluminum Pilot Tubing $10.00 Local Hardware 5'
Pilot bracket assembly - Honeywell Q314A6094 B Bracket $16.16
Liquid tight RTD sensor, 2” probe, M16 Thread $29.95
M16 flanged nut $3.69 McMaster-Carr 91005A039
Universal 1/16 DIN PID Temperature Controller $41.95
3-way red LED Selector switch (burner ON/OFF/AUTO) $29.00

Boerderij_Kabouter,

Is this specification for LP propane like you get from Lowes/Home Depot or for natural gas?

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

This is for low pressure propane (<11 inWC) or natural gas. This assembly will not work with high pressure propane. I will be using it on the hurricane burners with low pressure propane.

 

[BeerCrazy]

More attention for obvious reasons.

#1 typically you are using propane, with no temp controller
#2 typically you are monitoring the MASH temp and you are not really aware of what the temp is in te bottom of the MLT

RIMS and HERMS many times use electric, whicih is easy to wire to a temp controller, so they are hands off.

Go get a $70 furnace valve and control your gas...

 

[The Pol]

Go get a $70 furnace valve and control your gas...

Exactly, do that

Errr, this is a dead thread.

 

[Sawdustguy]

Go get a $70 furnace valve and control your gas...

The Honeywell valve they are talking about is a furnace valve. The reason it is expensive is because it has an intermittent pilot and controller which shuts the valve if no ignition is sensed.

 

[magne]

I got the idea from a mash-tun design, where the whole mash (grains and liquid) are constantly pumped through a heated tube in order to raise and keep the mash temp.

When designing a heated mash system I'm also interested in being able to heat up the mash evenly. With the constant recirculating I'm afraid that, through channeling and the increased flow rate necessary, it will not be possible to heat the mash evenly.

But than again, I haven't build or used one and I'm just throwing my thoughts out here for discussion.

Kai

The main thing with herms/rims is clairifying worth, and that is by compacting the grainbed. Pumping the other way is totally waste of everything...
Herms/rims has one thing better than the rest... You get a better efficency, bacause of stable temperature and the sirculation, but loose some vital mash ingreedence like yeast nutrient. Stabillity is like the rest.....
The one thing is time savings... Nothing else
Happy brewday!

 

[WackyBrew]

Im going to agree that I for myself have been doing single fusion mash and the beer that come out of it, many times over again are fabulous, and regarded better than most out there. Just do the yeast pitch properly and fermentation temperature and keep trucking. Why stop, change just to find out that it will not improve to the advantage of wow this was totally that much better than my single mash. It may never really happen. But good luck