Unibrau V3

[augiedoggy]

I full understand what you're saying and that i would only NEED one element plugged into a controller. I was wondering if there was any way to get what i WANT.
I suppose their current solution would work just fine tho. Can the kettle be modified by unibrau? I think I would like the temp sensor in the kettle as apposed to their solution. (i want one more hole an tc fitting)

To put it bluntly, What you want required a lot of effort and extra cost for Zero benefit in this configuration. This is because one element is only used when the boil or strike water is being heated and 100% is needed from that element as a "base" of power... the other element with the controller does the fine tune overall heat level in all other situations. (similiar to the second element in all the repurposed hotwater urn systems like the grainfather and mashand boil and the like.)

With 2 1600w elements you actually dont need a controller at all for the boil or for heating strike water. (or at all unless your recirculating the mash and directly maintaining temps of it )

Both running at 100% would produce a decent but not overly strong boil. the fact that the power for each element needs to come from different circuits means separate wiring for each. Yes its easy enough to tie them together with two ssrs controlled by one pid or in this case stc1000 thermostat. but the final result would not be beneficial for anything.

If you really wanted both elements to have controllers just buy a inkbird IPB16 prebuild pid controller with temp probe and alarm for $100...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/INKBIRD-Wi...gFas2Zi:sc:ShippingMethodStandard!14120!US!-1

Its a real pid which if anything, would perform better anyway.

 

[NewJersey]

Still haven't bought the Unibrau, but was thinking about possible easy workarounds for using the hop basket. I'd like to put hops directly in to wort and was wondering if anyone could think of anything. I was trying to imagine some type of ss mesh basket that would insert in the bottom of the unibrau "bag". it would look like the lid to bucket and be sized to just press fit in the bottom. could that work?

 

[DevilsCups]

Still haven't bought the Unibrau, but was thinking about possible easy workarounds for using the hop basket. I'd like to put hops directly in to wort and was wondering if anyone could think of anything. I was trying to imagine some type of ss mesh basket that would insert in the bottom of the unibrau "bag". it would look like the lid to bucket and be sized to just press fit in the bottom. could that work?

I upsized the hop basket. In the future I'm going to be moving to a counterflow chiller, as I like to hop directly into the kettle as well. I'll also be adding another tri-clamp ferrule so I can have a whirlpool arm.

 

[_BullDog_]

Been using the Unibrau for a while now and ended up with a 1600w and a 500w heater. This works fine as I keep the 500w plugged in all the time and the 1600w in the controller. Takes about 5 hours from start to finish (cleaning and all) for a 5 gal batch.

Thinking about getting a food grade tri-clamp filter from amazon to minimize the true that gets into the pump/cfc.

 

[kh54s10]

I looked at all of the possible E-BIAB options for quite a while. I like the idea that all the parts are pretty much off the shelf and nothing is sealed into the bottom of the unit. If the element goes you can just buy a new one and plug it in.

There were other things with the different other systems that didn't meet my needs or were a concern. Like the element sealed in the bottom of the unit.

I also toyed with the idea of converting my present 3 vessel propane rig to electric. Just the parts alone came in above the price of the Unibrau. I do get $100 off with the Black Friday sale. It ends up being only about $200 more than the Grainfather the way I set it up, and I don't get things I don't need.

I went with the ETC, second 600w element kit, no chiller since my tap water here in Florida in the summer is over 80 degrees. I will use my IC. I passed on some of the other options that I didn't think I need, and can add those later if I find out I want or need them.

I ordered it yesterday, Black Friday and cannot wait to get a brew done on it. And brew inside in the AC in the summer!