Mash Tun Build

JimJiminy
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Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 7:53 am

Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by JimJiminy »

EckersKlein wrote:I have a holesaw set and a power drill you're free to borrow if you like. It's the same sizes I used to make my own coolbox mash tun, so it should do the trick for you.
That's a really useful offer. I've got a drill but no hole saw - I might be able to borrow one from someone at work, but if not I'll be in touch.

Cheers,
Jim
To brew beer from scratch, you must first create the universe.
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by I_used_to_brew »

I found the tank connector, do you still need it?
JimJiminy
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by JimJiminy »

RogerP wrote:I found the tank connector, do you still need it?
Sorry Roger, I should have updated you - I don't need it any more. I needed some other bits from BES so I bought a couple of tank connectors and drilled them out myself. Hope you didn't waste ages hunting for it.

(Though, in case anyone else finds this post and is thinking of doing the same: be warned that the tank connectors they currently have don't have a "small ridge" like many sources suggest - they change width half-way, so you have to drill out several centimeters rather than a couple of millimetres. I guess there's been a change of design. It's still doable, just not quite as easy. Main difficulty was that the drill bit is prone to stick, so you need something pretty solid to hold onto the tank connector to stop it spinning.)

Anyway, thanks to all the advice on here and other places, my mash-tun is now built and operational. I did a partial-mash a few weeks ago. Efficiency on the low side, I suspect that's my fault, rather than the mash tun's.

Buoyed by my success I then went on to build a boiler. Had a few problems with one of the elements leaking (very slowly). Maybe due to sloppy hole-drilling. But I think I've got that sorted - I ordered some silicone sheet off of ebay and fashioned a second gasket, seems to have made it watertight. So, I'm now ready to do my first all-grain this weekend.

For my next trick, I'm got a temperature sensor from Mr Lard and an Arduino and I'm going to try to build a thermostat/temperature controller for the boiler.

Thanks again for the help, folks.
To brew beer from scratch, you must first create the universe.
PMowdes
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Location: Bristol

Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by PMowdes »

JimJiminy wrote:
RogerP wrote:I found the tank connector, do you still need it?
Sorry Roger, I should have updated you - I don't need it any more. I needed some other bits from BES so I bought a couple of tank connectors and drilled them out myself. Hope you didn't waste ages hunting for it.

(Though, in case anyone else finds this post and is thinking of doing the same: be warned that the tank connectors they currently have don't have a "small ridge" like many sources suggest - they change width half-way, so you have to drill out several centimeters rather than a couple of millimetres. I guess there's been a change of design. It's still doable, just not quite as easy. Main difficulty was that the drill bit is prone to stick, so you need something pretty solid to hold onto the tank connector to stop it spinning.)

Anyway, thanks to all the advice on here and other places, my mash-tun is now built and operational. I did a partial-mash a few weeks ago. Efficiency on the low side, I suspect that's my fault, rather than the mash tun's.

Buoyed by my success I then went on to build a boiler. Had a few problems with one of the elements leaking (very slowly). Maybe due to sloppy hole-drilling. But I think I've got that sorted - I ordered some silicone sheet off of ebay and fashioned a second gasket, seems to have made it watertight. So, I'm now ready to do my first all-grain this weekend.

For my next trick, I'm got a temperature sensor from Mr Lard and an Arduino and I'm going to try to build a thermostat/temperature controller for the boiler.

Thanks again for the help, folks.
You shouldn't need a thermostat for your boiler. HLT yes defo, but not for your boiler.
60 percent of the time it works every time.
JimJiminy
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by JimJiminy »

PMowdes wrote:You shouldn't need a thermostat for your boiler. HLT yes defo, but not for your boiler.
I've yet to find a convincing reason why I need a seperate HLT and Boiler, although obviously if I find one, it will be easy to re-task the controller. And it has some advantages beyond thermostatic control - currently I only have pretty gross control over my boiler (elements on/off). It seems like there are moments when it would be useful to have finer control over the power (eg hot break threatening).

Also, once I've proven that I can implement a temperature controller, I might at some point in the future build a fermentation chamber. These are pretty similar in terms of software/electronics.

(Possibly the above reasoning is biased by the fact that I'm a software engineer, and so implementing a PID controller seemed like a fun project. :) )
To brew beer from scratch, you must first create the universe.
PMowdes
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Location: Bristol

Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by PMowdes »

JimJiminy wrote:
PMowdes wrote:You shouldn't need a thermostat for your boiler. HLT yes defo, but not for your boiler.
I've yet to find a convincing reason why I need a seperate HLT and Boiler, although obviously if I find one, it will be easy to re-task the controller. And it has some advantages beyond thermostatic control - currently I only have pretty gross control over my boiler (elements on/off). It seems like there are moments when it would be useful to have finer control over the power (eg hot break threatening).

Also, once I've proven that I can implement a temperature controller, I might at some point in the future build a fermentation chamber. These are pretty similar in terms of software/electronics.

(Possibly the above reasoning is biased by the fact that I'm a software engineer, and so implementing a PID controller seemed like a fun project. :) )

Fair enough, just trying to save you the time, money and effort is all.

If you need some inspiration about controls have a look at this https://store.brewpi.com/

And if you have a look around on the brewpi site you should be able to find all of the code that they used for the arduino version.


As for not being able to justify an HLT it makes the whole process far easier and saves time.
You can be bringing your sparge liqour up to temp and be sparging whilst running off into your main boiler and bringing that up to the boil.
60 percent of the time it works every time.
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steve crawshaw
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by steve crawshaw »

JimJiminy wrote: It seems like there are moments when it would be useful to have finer control over the power (eg hot break threatening).
back before i saw the (gas) light I made this

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=126

to control heating elements. It worked well. And it goes to 11.
cheers
steve
I like to keep a bottle of stimulant handy in case I see a snake, which I also keep handy.
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Jeltz69
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by Jeltz69 »

Goes to 11 Image
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Mash Tun Build

Post by I_used_to_brew »

You could say there is no need for a MT and just BIAB. You presumably are sparging into a 3rd vessel anyway in order to store the wort before putting back in your combi HLT/kettle. Just a matter of that 3rd vessel needing an element and the hop filter.

Less time, less aggro.

However, plenty of options for creating a great BIAB system if you can deal with all the electronics :) and, if you can spare the time, plenty of options to argue BIAB _v_ 3V brewing......

Don't bother with a thermostat on the HLT unless you are doing something (like recirc) in order to equalise any temperature gradient. It's all too easy to get carried away and make it all very complicated. Whatever you choose take a while to get used to the system before you fiddle too much.
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