Single Tier, 3 Pump, BCS-462, Automated Rig

[ziggy13]

Curious what your total investment is here?

 

[JonW]

Curious what your total investment is here?

There's not a simple answer for this. Do you include the $275 for the 20 inch 1920x1080 touchscreen? Do I calculate the cost of two Blichmans at the Craiglist price I paid or full value? I hunted around and got a lot of good deals on parts and had parts from my old rig that I sold to offset costs, so my investment is not that easy to measure.

I did create a spreadsheet for all the parts though to see what it would cost if you had to build it from scratch with all new, full price parts. That number is just north of $5500. I'm into it about half of that.

 

[ziggy13]

Wow, very nice. It certainly is one of the nicest rigs I've seen. Wish I had the dough to go completely automated like that with the rig I'm building now, but we're probably going to skip the computer controlled at this point.

Out of curiosity, what are the main advantages to going with 3 pumps like you have instead of 2?

 

[JonW]

Out of curiosity, what are the main advantages to going with 3 pumps like you have instead of 2?

Mostly for doing simultaneous batches. Probably about 1 in 3 of my brew sessions are double batches and 3 pumps allows me to start a second batch in the mash tun while I'm still boiling in the BK. It also simplifies plumbing. When you're doing a fairly automated setup, the cost of an extra pump is a small added expense.

 

[eeebigeee]

not sure if you posted this already. i've read this thread 10 times so I can't remember.

do your 1/2 ball valves have the manual override? they are running 110v?

mind posting your spreadsheet breakdown? I'm about halfway there....

 

[JonW]

not sure if you posted this already. i've read this thread 10 times so I can't remember.

do your 1/2 ball valves have the manual override? they are running 110v?

mind posting your spreadsheet breakdown? I'm about halfway there....

Yes, the valves can be operated manually, but thy are a PIA to do that. They are 12v and operated through a relay board. I'll see about posting the sheet.

 

[armageddon]

Could you post up a schematic for how you wired up your bbq igniter to an SSR. I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a BCS system and would like to figure this part out. All of the igniters that I've looked at run off of a single battery (1.5V) and the regular SSR's that Embedded Control Concepts sell look like they have a minimum 3V for the load side. What's the trick?

 

[JonW]

I used this SSR IC: http://www.futurlec.com/Relays/SSR3A48D05pr.shtml

I bought an AA battery holder to put the battery external to the igniter and then soldered wires into the igniter so it could be controlled by the SSR. Sorry I don't have any pics or a schematic of it.

 

[armageddon]

Perfect. That was all I needed, thanks.

 

[oakbarn]

Thinking about the BCS 462. Right now we are 100% manual and once I get our new Stout HLT with HERMS and Stout Brew Kettle, we will be doing double batches. We will likely be using our old igloo MLT to do the small second 10 gallon batch. We like the idea of controlling my fermenter freezers remotely. We will likely use both gas and electric for heating. We will likely control the HERMS water with a RIMS type tube.

As a side, we use three pumps currently. Although only two are used at a time, we really like having 3 as it simplifies plumbing connections on brew day. It also speeds up clean up. We use one for nothing but hot water.

Could you supply more pix and information on your tippy MLT. We are in the process of engineering something like yours. We had come up with the idea of a hinged plate below our MLT that had anchors to chain down the MLT (it is a Stout 45 Gallon one that has handles that are 90 degrees to the outlet. I like the idea of your pipes as that may provide some support. We can use a plate on the bottom because we do not directly heat the MLT but currently use a counter flow chiller as a HERMS.

 

[JonW]

Could you supply more pix and information on your tippy MLT. We are in the process of engineering something like yours. We had come up with the idea of a hinged plate below our MLT that had anchors to chain down the MLT (it is a Stout 45 Gallon one that has handles that are 90 degrees to the outlet. I like the idea of your pipes as that may provide some support. We can use a plate on the bottom because we do not directly heat the MLT but currently use a counter flow chiller as a HERMS.

I have a separate thread for the tippy dump:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/tippy-dump-blichmann-mash-tun-266852/

 

[richbrew99]

Subscribed for the bcs stuff, gotta get this stuff.

 

[bellinmi88]

who makes those electric valves? can you post a parts list for those components?

 

[2BeerSpeer]

D@mn nice build!

 

[JonW]

Subscribed for the bcs stuff, gotta get this stuff.

The customized GUI thread has been updated with file downloads for doing the customization yourself. See link to thread in my signature.

who makes those electric valves? can you post a parts list for those components?

The valves are from KLD. The folks at OSCSYS.com usually have them. http://www.oscsys.com/1-2-2-Way-Motorized-Ball-Valve-with-Manual-Override.html

D@mn nice build!

Thank you!

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

Giving Honor where Honor is due...
Brew stand build based on the JonW single tier

 

[Mike3701]

Do the thermoplastic hose hold the pressure when you restrict the valve at the top of the kettle?

 

[JonW]

Do the thermoplastic hose hold the pressure when you restrict the valve at the top of the kettle?

Yes, they hold the pressure fine - with no clamps used. The Chugger & March pumps put out very little pressure.

 

[Tomtanner]

So awesome.

 

[bsomogyi]

I have to say this is one awesome single tier. Im planning my own brew stand and will most likely be using some of your design. Hope you don't mind. On that note, i have a question about your plate chiller. I understand your current configuration allows you to recirculate back into the brew kettle until you get to pitching temp. However, do you just run tap water through the non-wort side? Does it chill quickly or do you somehow run ice water through the non-wort side while recirculating? I appreciate any response. Thanks!

 

[JonW]

However, do you just run tap water through the non-wort side? Does it chill quickly or do you somehow run ice water through the non-wort side while recirculating? I appreciate any response. Thanks!

Yes, I just use tap water from the hose. I get down to about 73-74 that way and then put my fermenter (sanke keg) inside a kegerator and it's down to 66-68 for pitching in an hour or so.

I once used an immersion chiller coil in a bucket with ice to run my water through that first, then into the plate chiller. I waited until the wort temp hit the low-mid 70's, then loaded ice into the bucket. This got it straight to pitching temp level, but after trying that, I figured waiting an hour or so in the kegerator/fermenter was a lot easier.

Your ground water is likely not as warm as mine, so the plate chiller will probably get you even lower.

 

[Kyled93]

Yes, I just use tap water from the hose. I get down to about 73-74 that way and then put my fermenter (sanke keg) inside a kegerator and it's down to 66-68 for pitching in an hour or so.

I once used an immersion chiller coil in a bucket with ice to run my water through that first, then into the plate chiller. I waited until the wort temp hit the low-mid 70's, then loaded ice into the bucket. This got it straight to pitching temp level, but after trying that, I figured waiting an hour or so in the kegerator/fermenter was a lot easier.

Your ground water is likely not as warm as mine, so the plate chiller will probably get you even lower.

Jon,

I'm in the same boat as you per-say with living in Florida. My tap water is close to 80 in the summer and maybe 74 in the winter. That being said, I have a 40 plate chiller and use tap water to knock it down to at least the tap temp. Then I use a few bags of ice with water in my HLT and use my second pump to recirculate through the same side.. This knocks down to pitching temp in no time.

 

[Carlscan26]

Sweet rig!

Do you recirculate the wort through the chiller or is it a one time pass? I didn't see how it would recirculate from the diagram.

 

[JonW]

Sweet rig!

Do you recirculate the wort through the chiller or is it a one time pass? I didn't see how it would recirculate from the diagram.

You can see the wort return (added later) in the updated pic #1 on the first page. This lets me recirculate back into the kettle until I get it down low enough to go to the fermenter.

 

[Carlscan26]

You can see the wort return (added later) in the updated pic #1 on the first page. This lets me recirculate back into the kettle until I get it down low enough to go to the fermenter.

I see it now - thanks.

 

[bsomogyi]

I used this SSR IC: http://www.futurlec.com/Relays/SSR3A48D05pr.shtml

I bought an AA battery holder to put the battery external to the igniter and then soldered wires into the igniter so it could be controlled by the SSR. Sorry I don't have any pics or a schematic of it.

Jon - I assume you have the BCS trigger the solenoid gas valves and the bbq ignitor's SSR simultaneously, correct? How long does the ignitor stay on? I assume only momentarily. I'm planning to run my solenoid's and bbq ignitors from a control panel version. (ie. turn burner switch and it fires the solenoid and ssr for the ignitor.) Any issues with the ignitor only firing momentarily? Is there a way to make the ignitor fire for a bit of time? Capacitors maybe?

 

[JonW]

Jon - I assume you have the BCS trigger the solenoid gas valves and the bbq ignitor's SSR simultaneously, correct? How long does the ignitor stay on? I assume only momentarily. I'm planning to run my solenoid's and bbq ignitors from a control panel version. (ie. turn burner switch and it fires the solenoid and ssr for the ignitor.) Any issues with the ignitor only firing momentarily? Is there a way to make the ignitor fire for a bit of time? Capacitors maybe?

There is a setting in the BCS controller called "Auto Ignition" that can be programmed to fire igniters when the burners come on. My igniters come on for 2 seconds right when the gas valves open. You need a second or two of gas flowing to get them ignited.

 

[calebstringer]

FYI - Solenoid valves are different than ball valves. I have solenoid valves on the NG burners, but SS ball valves on the liquid stuff.

http://www.electric-valve.com/ I ordered direct from China. Shipping costs is a killer, but if you get a few people together to order a quantity of them, it makes it worth it.

Do you mind if I ask how much you paid? Im looking on cloning your rig.....

Also, on their site, how do you get a quote?

 

[calebstringer]

I got ahold of the company in china. I was quoted ~$39.00 each. I asked for a quote on eight and shipping from china to Ohio was $80. As much as I want them, I'm going to have to go with manual valves for now. FYI, ONE valve from grainger was over 300!

 

[phoenixs4r]

I got ahold of the company in china. I was quoted ~$39.00 each. I asked for a quote on eight and shipping from china to Ohio was $80. As much as I want them, I'm going to have to go with manual valves for now. FYI, ONE valve from grainger was over 300!

Grainger's typically only good if you need something NOW or if you have a company account that orders there a lot. Their retail pricing is generally through the roof on all their products.