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

[OneManBrewery]

How many temp sensors did you use on your build? Did you use thermowells in your kettles?

 

[JonW]

How many temp sensors did you use on your build? Did you use thermowells in your kettles?

There are 4 temp sensors: HLT, MLT, BK & chiller. They are all located at the pump with a compression fitting. Details are in the pics.

 

[OneManBrewery]

Great idea, so you then you don't have temp wires running all over your stand. Is it pretty accurate for your Mash?

 

[JonW]

Great idea, so you then you don't have temp wires running all over your stand. Is it pretty accurate for your Mash?

I do a continuous recirculation, so yes, it is accurate.

 

[Adam12]

I'm sure this is answered somewhere else. But I am building my own single tier and had originally thought to mount the two chugger pumps i'm using on the inside of the outer support legs. Unfortunately that doesn't leave me the space I wanted to store my Mash tun etc underneath. I'm considering mounting them in between the mash tun and HLT/Boil kettle on the underside of the top shelf. My concern is that will put them close to the burners. Has anyone had problems with the heat transferring to the pumps and causing them to fail?

 

[JonW]

I'm sure this is answered somewhere else. But I am building my own single tier and had originally thought to mount the two chugger pumps i'm using on the inside of the outer support legs. Unfortunately that doesn't leave me the space I wanted to store my Mash tun etc underneath. I'm considering mounting them in between the mash tun and HLT/Boil kettle on the underside of the top shelf. My concern is that will put them close to the burners. Has anyone had problems with the heat transferring to the pumps and causing them to fail?

DON'T DO IT! You will kill your pumps in short order. You must protect them from heat wash coming from the burners. Even if I had put mine on the top side of my lower shelf, I would have needed to add heat shields to them. The lower shelf serves that purpose (among other purposes).

Additionally, you will not have enough drop from the kettle to the pumps to help purge air from them while priming.

 

[OneManBrewery]

Did you wire any safety mechanisms into your build? Looking to starting making a schematic for my own and it's getting a little confusing with all the diagrams out there.

 

[JonW]

Did you wire any safety mechanisms into your build? Looking to starting making a schematic for my own and it's getting a little confusing with all the diagrams out there.

No, there are no direct safeties - not really needed. However, I have a gas shutoff on the wall away from the rig as well as a breaker to kill the circuit if needed. I don't do unattended brewing, so I'm there for any issues that may happen.

 

[decoleur]

JonW,

This is a sweet build, can you provide more detail on how you wired and controlled the motorized valves? I am looking at doing an automated single tier E-HERMS solution and not sure if I want to try to put everything into a single control box or use multiple boxes. How many did you end up using and what are they for? Where in your pictures is the BCS?

Thanks for your time,

-t

 

[JonW]

JonW,

This is a sweet build, can you provide more detail on how you wired and controlled the motorized valves? I am looking at doing an automated single tier E-HERMS solution and not sure if I want to try to put everything into a single control box or use multiple boxes. How many did you end up using and what are they for? Where in your pictures is the BCS?

Thanks for your time,

-t

The BCS outputs are wired to an 8 channel relay board (12V relays with 5V trigger input from the BCS). The valves are then wired to the relay board using both the N/O and N/C contacts since the valves must be powered to open or close. The N/C contacts are used to close the valve, so the default is closed. When the BCS energizes a relay, it opens the valve.

You can see the underside of my stand in the first pic. My relay board is in the grey plastic box. That pic doesn't show the BCS because I used to have it mounted in a panel on the wall and connected to the rig via CAT5 data jacks, but I have since moved the BCS to the underside of the rig. It is not enclosed.

 

[decoleur]

Thanks for the information! Now I just have to find an enclosure that can hold my relay board in it.

 

[lgoolsby]

Jon, would it be possible to get a close up picture of the ignitor setup you are using? I am having issues visualizing how to make a mount for the the gloflys. Which burner jets did you choose to be the 'primary' ignitors (I think I am using the same type jet burners you are but with 23 tips, I know some people have had issues with getting them all to light at once). Did you use any of the hardware that came with them, or did you make something up yourself from scratch. What type of metal (presumably) did you make the mount out of?

 

[JonW]

Jon, would it be possible to get a close up picture of the ignitor setup you are using? I am having issues visualizing how to make a mount for the the gloflys. Which burner jets did you choose to be the 'primary' ignitors (I think I am using the same type jet burners you are but with 23 tips, I know some people have had issues with getting them all to light at once). Did you use any of the hardware that came with them, or did you make something up yourself from scratch. What type of metal (presumably) did you make the mount out of?

The glowflys come with some additional sheet metal mounting brackets. I used one of those and some tin snips to make a mounting plate. The threaded screw in the picture (on right) is the one that comes with the glowflys for mounting them to the extra brackets. The screw on the left is just a self tapping sheet metal screw that I used coming up from the bottom of my original NG pilot mount. I've seen burners that don't have the extra pilot mount like mine and I've seen them with the pilot mount, but not drilled out. Hopefully you have a tab like that present where you can mount to it.

 

[lgoolsby]

Very helpful! That helps with two other questions I had about the glowfly's: are they directly in the flame's path and if so angle of attack. I know these burners can put out serious BTU's and had doubts if the ceramic could take the heat. Judging from the picture they are not in the flame's path and AoA looks to be arbitrary. Is that correct? Do you have any issues with the initial ignition being a large poof of accumulated gas, or is it pretty quick?

The burners I have actually have both the empty socket for the pilot light and another ledge with pre-drilled holes. This is part of what was tripping me up was trying to figure out where to mount them. I think with what you have shown I have a better idea of at least how to get started.

If you're interested/curious/bored here are my burners:

 

[JonW]

Judging from the picture they are not in the flame's path and AoA looks to be arbitrary. Is that correct? Do you have any issues with the initial ignition being a large poof of accumulated gas, or is it pretty quick?

Correct, the igniter is not directly in the flame path. It sits off to the side a bit. The burners ignite pretty quickly and don't give a big poof when coming on. I've never had any issues with all tips not igniting.

 

[JonW]

After well over 100 batches on this rig.... it's time to go bigger and better!

SS frame, 30G kettles and some cool new ideas I have. Stay tuned!

 

[luhrks]

Way to go. Looks like my rig will be the pilot for our new brewery.

 

[Bru-noob]

After well over 100 batches on this rig.... it's time to go bigger and better!

SS frame, 30G kettles and some cool new ideas I have. Stay tuned!

 

[Oldskooler]

This is so sweet, it makes me want to cry. Brilliant work!

 

[aangel]

Question! Do you do anything special to prime your pumps? Or rather have you had any problems with prime / cavitation?

 

[JonW]

I will usually leave the top connection inside the kettles disconnected (like the grain bed hose) when I start the pump. Additionally, my valves are programmed to open 5 seconds prior to the pump starting which allows the liquid to flood the head. Usually works pretty good that way.

 

[FunCat1828]

Jon,

Sorry if it's already been asked, but I didn't see it when I went through the thread.

Where do you have your temp probes located in your latest configuration?

Are they still in the T-s off of the pump? I couldn't quite make it out on the top picture.

Thanks

 

[JonW]

Where do you have your temp probes located in your latest configuration?

Are they still in the T-s off of the pump? I couldn't quite make it out on the top picture.

Yes, they are in the T's below the pumps, which means that they only measure temps while recirculating. Because both my MLT and HLT do continuous recirculation, this isn't an issue for me.

 

[FunCat1828]

Cheers Jon! I thought that's where they were based on the other pictures.

My design leans pretty heavily on yours for the plumbing side of things and I also have 3 pumps and will be doing continuous recirculation. Main difference is mines electric with a herms coil in the HLT.

Finally able to get working on it now SWMBO is happy the kitchen is finished!

 

[JonW]

Sounds cool RazorUK! Building is actually half the fun. I'm working on gathering parts for a new build right now. Brewers Hardware is finishing up on a stainless frame and kettles for me right now and then I'll get to start plumbing and wiring. I'm staying with my original 3 pump design, but will be adding a few tweaks for new features like auto-filling the kettles and a low-high mash burner configuration.

 

[FunCat1828]

That sounds great, can't wait to see your next build thread! This one has been a great help to me in my build.

 

[rkjones1953]

JonW, I am connecting my BCS-462 everything gets wired as an output correct? Except for Temp? Next dropped the laptop and need a replacement what do you suggest? I've set the BCS-462 on its own router. I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask.

 

[JonW]

JonW, I am connecting my BCS-462 everything gets wired as an output correct? Except for Temp? Next dropped the laptop and need a replacement what do you suggest? I've set the BCS-462 on its own router. I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask.

Any pumps, valves, etc that you are controlling need to be wired to a relay for their power and that relay needs to be wired to the BCS outputs.

Best place to ask specific questions regarding wiring and setting up your BCS is at the ECC forum.

 

[mavantix]

Brewers Hardware is finishing up on a stainless frame and kettles for me right now and then I'll get to start plumbing and wiring. I'm staying with my original 3 pump design, but will be adding a few tweaks for new features like auto-filling the kettles and a low-high mash burner configuration.

Auto-filling kettles?! Sounds like I mod I need to add to my JonW clone.

 

[corypedia]

subbing for future build