18 replies to this topic

[BlKtRe]

I didn't want to clog the other thread with design issue's since that one is more about process. 

 

I'm building a RIMS with extra 1.5" TC parts I have on hand. I still need to purchase a few things but this is what I've come up with. The far left portion of the Tee will be capped off. That area between the cap and the output is 2". Do you current RIMS guys think this 2" area is a place where scorching could take place? When looking at commercial RIMS tubes it seems there is a section on those that seem similar. Im hoping this would be a go and I wouldnt have to put much more money into the project.

 

My other question is sine this is a 1.5" tube will a fold back element fit in there without touching the sides of the tube? The element pictured a 240v 4500w that I'm using as a reference. 

 

[HVB]

I don't see the space an issue for scorching. What if you mounted it at an angle with the element up to help the flow and exchange of wort in that area. I will have to measure mine but I think I have more space and have not scorched even with a hd element. I think the bend element will fit but not 100% sure. Any way you can take the parts to a big box store and mock it up?

Edited by drez77, 11 November 2014 - 08:22 PM.

[mabrungard]

It took me a moment to understand your concern. Yes, it would be better if the element was closer to the tee intersection, but I think that most of these units have some length of the element that is in that dead-space. My tube from Brewers Hardware is similar. 

 

I do believe that a fold-back low density element will fit in there. If it will fit through the 1" threaded fitting, it will fit in the barrel.  I run a 4500w ultra low density element @ 240v in my RIMS tube and it has plenty of power and is pulsed by the PID. For 5 and 10 gal batches, I'm thinking that 4500w is more than enough power. If the element every wears out, I might try a 3500w ultra low density element. 

 

Don't worry too much about the element touching the walls of the tube. It won't hurt anything. You can bend those elements a teeny bit if you want to get it centered better.

[HVB]

It took me a moment to understand your concern. Yes, it would be better if the element was closer to the tee intersection, but I think that most of these units have some length of the element that is in that dead-space. My tube from Brewers Hardware is similar. 

 

I do believe that a fold-back low density element will fit in there. If it will fit through the 1" threaded fitting, it will fit in the barrel.  I run a 4500w ultra low density element @ 240v in my RIMS tube and it has plenty of power and is pulsed by the PID. For 5 and 10 gal batches, I'm thinking that 4500w is more than enough power. If the element every wears out, I might try a 3500w ultra low density element. 

 

Don't worry too much about the element touching the walls of the tube. It won't hurt anything. You can bend those elements a teeny bit if you want to get it centered better.

 

If you ground your RIMS tube an element touching the wall will cause a breaker to pop. 

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

If you ground your RIMS tube an element touching the wall will cause a breaker to pop. 

Good info. Mine is grounded to the element housing.

[mabrungard]

If you ground your RIMS tube an element touching the wall will cause a breaker to pop. 

Uh, no it won't...unless the element is defective. Better for that breaker to pop in that case, than your body! I'm hoping that people know that wort is electrically conductive and regardless of if the element touches metal or not, the 120 or 240 volts is more than sufficient to form a circuit through the wort. 

[BlKtRe]

Bobby from Brewerhardware posted this video on how to bend a element for a RIMS tube.

 

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx8antHVHeU&feature=youtu.be

[BlKtRe]

I'm going to go ahead with this RIMS tube design. I'm going to use a fold back element and bend it the way Bobby suggests to fit it inside this 1.5" tube. I'm also going to purchase the element cover from those guys and ground it either in the pot or bring the ground inside my enclosure and attach it to my grounding bar. My only issue (if it is really an issue) is I plan on putting my RTD probe in a SS Tee on the out port of the tube ( I already purchased this equipment so I'm going to use it). So my probe will be about 8" or less away from the element tip. I will set my PID a few degrees lower than my projected mash temp to offset any temp differences in this space from the probe to be safe initially until I get a grasp on all my temps. 

Edited by BlKtRe, 13 November 2014 - 07:35 AM.

[Dave McG]

As Martin stated, the element will not pop anything if it contacts ground. Inside the element is a finely wound resistance wire that resembles a tight spring. It's insulated from the exterior tube of the element with some sort of ceramic. You can check this with an ohm meter going from one terminal to the part of the element that we can see. It should read open. If you get a low reading, the element is toast.

[BlKtRe]

As Martin stated, the element will not pop anything if it contacts ground. Inside the element is a finely wound resistance wire that resembles a tight spring. It's insulated from the exterior tube of the element with some sort of ceramic. You can check this with an ohm meter going from one terminal to the part of the element that we can see. It should read open. If you get a low reading, the element is toast.

 

Will bending make this resistance wire possibly ground by the ceramic cracking or something? 

[Dave McG]

Will bending make this resistance wire possibly ground by the ceramic cracking or something? 

It can, and that's where testing it with an ohm meter comes in. I've done some pretty big bends and I've found that the thin metal tube is the limiting factor. It kinks or cracks easily. For the type of bends shown above, it shouldn't be an issue. Some that I did were S turns and right angles with a wide radius. I ruined several trying to get it right, and hence learned about the inner wire and ceramic. I wish I could remember which ones were which, but some brands were much more likely to break than others. Some bent super nicely, and one brand just cracked right away. For smaller bends, I wouldn't worry, but do ohm it out when done.

[BlKtRe]

I called Bobby today over at BrewHardware. Very cool guy. We talked about SS element wattage's, weld less element mounting possibilities, bending elements, silver soldering and much more. I highly recommend using his company if you need something. He even recognized my handle from around so that was cool too.

 

httpss://www.brewhardware.com/default.asp

[matt6150]

I called Bobby today over at BrewHardware. Very cool guy. We talked about SS element wattage's, weld less element mounting possibilities, bending elements, silver soldering and much more. I highly recommend using his company if you need something. He even recognized my handle from around so that was cool too.httpss://www.brewhardware.com/default.asp

Yeah awesome dude! I bought everything from him. He was also the guy that bent me up the pieces to build my SS manifold. Among other custom bent pieces. The silicone tubing he sells is also really nice, have never kinked it at all. Highly recommended!

[BlKtRe]

Here is my final design. I wish the main tube was one piece but these are the parts I had on hand. Only thing I added was the element pot, silicone gaskets, and I needed the 1.5 TC x 1/2" MPT for the output. I should of gotten one of those in a 1/2" female so my QD would screw into it directly but I wasn't thinking clearly when I ordered. I plan on hanging this vertically so the output is at the element end. 

 

[HVB]

In on the right out on the left?

 

Looks good, go brew

[BlKtRe]

In on the right out on the left?

 

Looks good, go brew

 

Yes since it will hang vertically. From what Bobby said if its horizontal then the in/out should be reversed if I understood him correctly. 

[HVB]

Yes since it will hang vertically. From what Bobby said if its horizontal then the in/out should be reversed if I understood him correctly. 

Out of curiosity why?

[BlKtRe]

Out of curiosity why?

 

I misread his points. #5 on the RIMS page off his site says this. So I will need to reverse the location of my RTD probe. Pump in from the bottom and monitor the top port out for a vertical mount. 

 

httpss://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/rims.htm

 

 

 The unit can be mounted either horizontally or vertically, but for each of those, the wort in/out ports should be a certain way. If you go vertical, orient the element end down and pump liquid from the lower port up to the upper port. If horizontal, put the element end camlock port in the "down orientation" and use this as the input.

 

Edited by BlKtRe, 21 November 2014 - 09:36 AM.

[HVB]

I will have to take a look at that link when I get some time.