19 replies to this topic

[jayb151]

Hey all,

So I used to be very active on this board, but have fallen off. I had moved to a tiny apartment, and had a couple kids, so life got in the way.

 

Now, my wife and I are looking to finally buy a house, and I'm already looking to the future. I'd like to build an electric brewery, and I'm looking for opinions.

 

I had wired up a heat stick that ran off 120v, and that didn't work super well. I mean, well enough, but still. Looks like this Brewcoil is a pretty sweet invent that wasn't around when I stopped brewing. 

 

The home we're in negotiations for has a couple 120v outlets in the garage, so I'm thinking I can make a nice brewstand there, and I see the Boilcoil comes in a 120v model. I guess I'm wondering if it's even worth it to use 120 if I would move up to 240 eventually, but if the 120 model works fine then I see no reason to move up.

 

I plan on having an electric HLT, and an electric keggle. Also, plan pretty much to split evenly between 5 and 10 gal batches. 10 just to have beer around, and 5 to do "special" beers (DIPAs and whatnot).

 

So, what are the thoughts on best practices for electric brewing?

 

Thanks guys, glad to be back.

[positiveContact]

even for 5 gal I'd want 240V.  for 10 gal it's damn near required from what I've gathered.

[HVB]

even for 5 gal I'd want 240V. for 10 gal it's damn near required from what I've gathered.

240v only imo. I can others will say 120v is fine but way too slow for me.

[djinkc]

...........I plan on having an electric HLT, and an electric keggle. Also, plan pretty much to split evenly between 5 and 10 gal batches. 1...........

 

 

 

240

[jayb151]

Thanks for the thoughts so far guys. 

 

Anyone have other tips? or best practices?

[BrewerGeorge]

Drive down to Indianapolis with a truck and I'll give you a great deal on one.

 

Seriously.

[CaptRon]

I have the 120v grainfather and I would 100% agree that 240v is what you'll want to go with. It takes a while for it to get to mash temps let alone to boil.

[BrewerGeorge]

If you don't want mine and are building your own, 240V is the minimum requirement.  With 120V you're limited to about 1500W, while 240V gets you to 5500W.  One of us could go into a long discussion about heat-up rates with math and heat of evaporation, or you can just trust us.

[HVB]

If you don't want mine and are building your own, 240V is the minimum requirement.  With 120V you're limited to about 1500W, while 240V gets you to 5500W.  One of us could go into a long discussion about heat-up rates with math and heat of evaporation, or you can just trust us.

Or he could PM me and I would send him the excel spreadsheet that I saved off some site years ago.

 

But yeah .. 240 all the way.

[jayb151]

Or he could PM me and I would send him the excel spreadsheet that I saved off some site years ago.

 

But yeah .. 240 all the way.

I feel like I remember that spreadsheet.

 

I'll take you guy's word for it. 240 for the win. And Brewer George, I would, but I don't think we'll be ready to build a brewery for quite a while. I'm just trying to get a jumpstart on the planing.

 

Thanks though!

[djinkc]

I feel like I remember that spreadsheet.

 

I'll take you guy's word for it. 240 for the win. And Brewer George, I would, but I don't think we'll be ready to build a brewery for quite a while. I'm just trying to get a jumpstart on the planing.

 

Thanks though!

 

That's a nice SS to have.  Lost mine somehow and Drez fixed me up.  I forget who had it but I think the website is gone

[Mike Green]

If you need a PCB for BrewPi or CraftBeerPi  I have a few leftover 

[gnef]

Only thing I can add is that you can make the setup as bare bones as you want, or as fancy as you want, and everywhere inbetween.

 

If you give us an idea of your budget and goals, we can help with some suggestions.

 

I went the more bare bones direction in terms of control panels, and am happy I did it this way so far. I did add a sink, vent, and other items, as well as other items.

 

What is your current system, and what were you thinking of adding an element to? 

 

Do you have a pump, or were you planning on using a pump in your new setup?

[BrewerGeorge]

First, get yourself some Christmas lights...

[djinkc]

First, get yourself some Christmas lights...

 

Hah - you and I may have been the only ones that did that.  

[Mike Green]

Hah - you and I may have been the only ones that did that.  

 

 

First, get yourself some Christmas lights...

What's the backstory on the Christmas lights?

[HVB]

What's the backstory on the Christmas lights?

Way way back George used the controller off a set of blinking lights to control his element. If I remember it was something like 100%,75%, 50%. Basically a ready-made PWM circuit in a Christmas light package. I made one as well but then went to a full PWM circuit for more control.

[jayb151]

...If you give us an idea of your budget and goals, we can help with some suggestions...

 

 

Honestly, I don't even have a house yet, I was just looking for suggestions, but I am planing on doing this on the cheap. I'm going to have to rebuild pretty much my entire brewery when I move, but I was hoping to have a three tiered system so no pumps...

...well, maybe a recirc pump for fast chilling...

 

I would be piecing the entire thing together slowly, because I don't have the funds to make one when I still have to do the whole dad thing, so whatever's cheapest is best (within reason of course).

[BrewerGeorge]

Way way back George used the controller off a set of blinking lights to control his element. If I remember it was something like 100%,75%, 50%. Basically a ready-made PWM circuit in a Christmas light package. I made one as well but then went to a full PWM circuit for more control.

Mine still works.

[djinkc]

Mine still works.

 

My nice green controller burnt up one brew day.  That's when I found out that 4500 watts and the shape of my kettle didn't need need controlling.