Starting my eHERMS build....

[4TBBUCS]

@DonT not yet. Hope to reach that point today.

 

[DonT]

@DonT not yet. Hope to reach that point today.

The wiring is done and cleaned up, now I just need to do the test.

 

[4TBBUCS]

Congrats man! I'm still humping away on mine. Let me know how testing goes and good luck.

 

[DonT]

Congrats man! I'm still humping away on mine. Let me know how testing goes and good luck.

Thanks. I'm wondering if there is a particular start-up procedure. I'm thinking I'll plug it in with the internal breakers in the OFF position first....

 

[4TBBUCS]

Thanks. I'm wondering if there is a particular start-up procedure. I'm thinking I'll plug it in with the internal breakers in the OFF position first....

Yeah, that would be a good idea I'm sure. I just finished up the back wall, moving onto the front door tonight at some point.

 

[duncan.brown]

I'm curious, what's the fourth XLR connection on the panel? My Kal panel has three for the boil, mash, and HLT probes.

 

[DonT]

I'm curious, what's the fourth XLR connection on the panel? My Kal panel has three for the boil, mash, and HLT probes.

Mash In and Mash Out. I'm putting one at HERMS Out and the other at Mash Out

 

[duncan.brown]

Nice. I just added a thermowell to my mash tun to record the temperature in the middle of the grain bed. Might add a probe to HERMS in as well.

 

[DonT]

I plugged in the box the box yesterday and it didn't start a fire... HOORAY!
I did the interlock test and it all looks good. Next I'll turn on the internal breakers and hook up the sensors to see if everything works. I think I'm good though...

The next thing I'm pondering is pump placement and being able to plug them in. It appears the cables are going to be too short to reach the controller. I'm thinking I may have to extend the cables.

 

[4TBBUCS]

I plugged in the box the box yesterday and it didn't start a fire... HOORAY!
I did the interlock test and it all looks good. Next I'll turn on the internal breakers and hook up the sensors to see if everything works. I think I'm good though...

The next thing I'm pondering is pump placement and being able to plug them in. It appears the cables are going to be too short to reach the controller. I'm thinking I may have to extend the cables.

What size length are your pump cords? Also, where are you planning to mount your panel? I ended up fabricating a mount out of an articulating tv mount! My pump cords are 10ft plus 3" or so with the locking adapters I'm using for the pumps.

 

[DonT]

What size length are your pump cords? Also, where are you planning to mount your panel? I ended up fabricating a mount out of an articulating tv mount! My pump cords are 10ft plus 3" or so with the locking adapters I'm using for the pumps.

I have chugger pumps and the cord length is 5ft.... and I'll need a couple more ft to make it a comfy fit. I plan to put both pumps on a drawer under the workbench/brewbench. That way I can slide it in/out as needed and stay out of the way. It's 18/3, but I'm going to use 16/3 because Lowes has it for .63 cents a foot. I'll put the splice behind the bench, attached to the back of the bench, to keep it stable. I'm placing the controller on the wall next to the bench above my FC. Scroll up to see pics of my garage... The box will be at the lower left corner of the meat market sign.

 

[4TBBUCS]

I have chugger pumps and the cord length is 5ft.... and I'll need a couple more ft to make it a comfy fit. I plan to put both pumps on a drawer under the workbench/brewbench. That way I can slide it in/out as needed and stay out of the way. It's 18/3, but I'm going to use 16/3 because Lowes has it for .63 cents a foot. I'll put the splice behind the bench, attached to the back of the bench, to keep it stable. I'm placing the controller on the wall next to the bench above my FC. Scroll up to see pics of my garage... The box will be at the lower left corner of the meat market sign.

Got it! I ended up with way too much myself. 10ft cables, plus another 10ft from my riptide pumps smh.

 

[DonT]

I got my HLT from Brew Hardware on Friday! Thanks @Bobby_M, looks great! Weld quality is top notch and herms coil went in without a hitch.

 

[4TBBUCS]

I got my HLT from Brew Hardware on Friday! Thanks @Bobby_M, looks great! Weld quality is top notch and herms coil went in without a hitch.
View attachment 720505 View attachment 720506

Nice looking HLT man. I essentially have the same set up, different brand, but same set up. I used a BH herms coil in a BK kettle. Same configurment though. Probe in the herms out! Also, running the same recirculation arm.

 

[DonT]

Back to an electrical question. I thought I read somewhere on HBT that a dryer will trip a GFCI breaker all the time and so won't work. Is this true? My plan was to replace the current 50A breaker with a 30A GFCI. I'll be unplugging the dryer to brew. And yeah, that 50A probably shouldn't be there anyway... previous renter.

 

[doug293cz]

Back to an electrical question. I thought I read somewhere on HBT that a dryer will trip a GFCI breaker all the time and so won't work. Is this true? My plan was to replace the current 50A breaker with a 30A GFCI. I'll be unplugging the dryer to brew. And yeah, that 50A probably shouldn't be there anyway... previous renter.

A three wire power input dryer, that has any 120V control circuitry inside, will blow a GFCI every time. If it's set up for four wire input, then it will work with a GFCI.

Brew on

 

[DonT]

A three wire power input dryer, that has any 120V control circuitry inside, will blow a GFCI every time. If it's set up for four wire input, then it will work with a GFCI.

Brew on

Cool. Thanks.

 

[DonT]

I received my mash tun and boil kettle from Brew Hardware the other day!






Now I just have to hook everything up. I'm going to re-do my bench and put in a sink, water heater and an RO system as well...

 

[RedRyderr]

Looks like it's coming together nicely! Exciting to have new equipment I gotta say though, that new Spike logo is going to kill the OCD side of me. I bought a new Spike kettle earlier this spring, has the old logo on it. It's a great kettle, Spike was completely awesome to work with and the product is top notch. But.. if/when I add a mash tun or HLT to my setup it will have the new logo on it. I'll probably have to have a custom kettle made just so I can use it with the logo in the back so I don't see it!

Edit to add: Not a knock against the new Spike logo at all. It's great. It's just the anal retentiveness in me not being able to deal with two different logos!

 

[DonT]

Looks like it's coming together nicely! Exciting to have new equipment I gotta say though, that new Spike logo is going to kill the OCD side of me. I bought a new Spike kettle earlier this spring, has the old logo on it. It's a great kettle, Spike was completely awesome to work with and the product is top notch. But.. if/when I add a mash tun or HLT to my setup it will have the new logo on it. I'll probably have to have a custom kettle made just so I can use it with the logo in the back so I don't see it!

Edit to add: Not a knock against the new Spike logo at all. It's great. It's just the anal retentiveness in me not being able to deal with two different logos!

Actually, I was a little surprised that it's a sticker. The pics on BrewHardware are of the old logo, and the spike website shows the new. Honestly, I never really took notice. I do question the longevity of the sticker, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Nonetheless, I'm pretty excited! I love building stuff and I'll probably feel a little let down when I'm finished...lol. Although, I can't wait to brew with it. It's really going to sharpen my process.

 

[DonT]

Well... 9K months later...
Does anybody know the term "Snowball"? lol
Just wanted to update progress on the brewery. I went crazy... my wife just shakes her head...
After a couple of really hot days I made the decision to insulate and drywall my side of the garage.

Gotta put the wife to work....

These didn't turn out so well....

I also plumbed in a sink with hot water. I'll put up some more pictures detailing things a bit more later today.
It's down to details now....

 

[Jako]

Looks awesome! I like the hop stencil but hey that's just me.

The snowball is just the while we are in let's get it all done correctly. My fermenting chamber build stalled and now I am adding a unitank and going glycol.

Keep it up the slow and well thought out will save you in the end even if it cost more now.

 

[grande69]

I plugged in the box the box yesterday and it didn't start a fire... HOORAY!
I did the interlock test and it all looks good. Next I'll turn on the internal breakers and hook up the sensors to see if everything works. I think I'm good though...

The next thing I'm pondering is pump placement and being able to plug them in. It appears the cables are going to be too short to reach the controller. I'm thinking I may have to extend the cables.

I hope you still monitor this - where did you find instructions to perform an 'interlock test'??

 

[DonT]

I hope you still monitor this - where did you find instructions to perform an 'interlock test'??

It was in the assembly instructions. I can't find it right now, but if you look on the Auber website you should be able to find it.
Are you putting together a controller?