Heating/Cooling controllers and home brew build

[Shanna]

Hi there,

In part prompted by Tube's earlier post about "talking/writing shite" I thought I had better scratch this itch. I did not have time to write a short post so I decided I had better write a long one instead.

I can't seem to draw a line under the plans for building a home brewery. What started out as an plan to do boil in the bag has now turned in to a plan to convert two old S/S containers in to to a brewing kettle and a mashtun. The plan is to insulate the mashtun and use a pump to transfer the water from the kettle to the mashtun and back again. Hell I might even use it to power transfer of water from an external water but for cooling the beer (eventually).

So as part of this plan I started to think about how easy would it be to control the temperature on the kettle. I have bought a 5.5KM heating element that will be going in to my kettle. I want to be able to control the switch of the kettle automatically without having to stick a thermometer in to a 50Ltr vessel.

I have read many posts about people using UTC-800 or STC-1000 heat/cooling. My basic knowledge of electrics tells me that these controllers won't cut the mustard. a 5.5KW element will require approx 23amps to operate safely and to the best of my knowledge these two controllers only support 10am for heating and cooling.

So can anybody recommend a good controller that they have used with a higher amp rating, approx 35 to 40 amps? Ideally I would also like to be able to add support for cooling in the future if I decide to introduce a fridge in to the mad house that my shed is becoming ;-)

I might add that I am not doing this build alone as my brother is an electrician and will be making sure that everything is electrically sound so that i don't burn the garage down or electricute myself. This will at some point involve rewiring the shed. Strange I thought this home brewing lark was supposed to save money!!!

Regards,

Declan

[Will_D]

You probably will not find a simple digital controller that will switch a 5.5 Kw element. This is approx 22 Amps.

Use the controller to control a 40 Amp Solid State Relay ( aka. SSR ) You can get these on e-bay from .china for about €8.

They are switched by a 3 to 5V Dc voltage so you need a 5v psu in your controller. The ATC-1000 is much smaller than the ATC-800 ( to say nothing of cheaper ), it is also calibratable ( Function 4 ) and also has the same relay ratings. As you are only switching 5V to the SSRs then relay contact rating is not a problem.

HTH!

Will

PS: Note I resisted the jibe at the 5 and a half kilometer long heating element!. That would certainly be loooooooow density at the best

[Ciderhead]

One of these 30 Amp stc controllers
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/290730216178?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_4814wt_897
and one of these for your stainless bathtub
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/271068900173?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2739wt_950
you can go mad and also use heat transfer paste

I am guessing you are hard wiring 22A to main fuse board as standard sockets won't handle that

Also consider 2 smaller elements in case one goes mid boil or coming up to sparge temp

[Ciderhead]

They have big fish tanks in China
Will only heat or only cool not like my other stc's

[Shanna]

Yes it should have read kw not km. Predictive text at work on my phine. As the heating element is low density I cant help think you managed to get the jibe in :-)

Declan

PS: Note I resisted the jibe at the 5 and a half kilometer long heating element!. That would certainly be loooooooow density at the best

[Shanna]

Garage wiring is yet to be done plan was to have a dedicated socket connected to a 25amp fuse on the fuse board.

Now that i am looking at controllers going to hold off till i get it sorted. Thanks to everybody for their suggestions.

Declan

One of these 30 Amp stc controllers
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/290730216178?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_4814wt_897
and one of these for your stainless bathtub
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/271068900173?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2739wt_950
you can go mad and also use heat transfer paste

I am guessing you are hard wiring 22A to main fuse board as standard sockets won't handle that

Also consider 2 smaller elements in case one goes mid boil or coming up to sparge temp

[christhebrewer]

When you are putting in the  wiring you should put in a decent size cable while you're at it. I have 6square and a 40A breaker. I dose'nt cost much more to do and I can run a 6Kw kettle and other stuff without worries.
I use STC1000 controllers and 25A SSR's from e-bay. The SSR's were about €5. You can get them now with free shipping.

[Shanna]

Yes that is the plan to upgrade the wiring inside the garage. Thankfully main cabling between garage and house is of a higher rating so dont have to worry about thus.

Declan

When you are putting in the  wiring you should put in a decent size cable while you're at it. I have 6square and a 40A breaker. I dose'nt cost much more to do and I can run a 6Kw kettle and other stuff without worries.
I use STC1000 controllers and 25A SSR's from e-bay. The SSR's were about €5. You can get them now with free shipping.

[Shanna]

Yes that is the plan to upgrade the wiring inside the garage. Thankfully main cabling between garage and house is of a higher rating so dont have to worry about thus.

Declan

When you are putting in the  wiring you should put in a decent size cable while you're at it. I have 6square and a 40A breaker. I dose'nt cost much more to do and I can run a 6Kw kettle and other stuff without worries.
I use STC1000 controllers and 25A SSR's from e-bay. The SSR's were about €5. You can get them now with free shipping.