National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: Rats on February 12, 2013, 04:35:43 PM

Title: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on February 12, 2013, 04:35:43 PM
Got a nice surprise delivery today. 2x8.8kw gas boil rings(wife bought them for me) :o
Got 3 kegs and cut them and drilled the holes for the fittings.
Got some heating cable from a friend and put it around my MT.
Will still have to get the insulation for it to finish it.The heating cable will only be use to keep the temp steady in the mash tun.
All the SS fittings will come next month and the build of the stand. ;)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on February 13, 2013, 12:05:11 AM
Those are Fokin mega burners!!

Love the name
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: irish_goat on February 13, 2013, 12:13:37 AM
Much is this costing if you don't mind me asking?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on February 13, 2013, 09:21:51 AM
QuoteMuch is this costing if you don't mind me asking?
€35.25 ex delivery(€5 for both)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: alealex on February 13, 2013, 08:33:29 PM
I can't wait to see this finished, hope you'll get few pics.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on February 13, 2013, 10:10:16 PM
I am clearly spending far too much time on NHC as I am sure this post was different last night ;)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on March 17, 2013, 10:08:01 AM
Update on my rig so far.Still waiting for my ss fittings to come  :P
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 17, 2013, 10:33:43 AM
The holes drilled in your kegs look like the ones I have drilled in my UK kegs. I drilled 22mm holes and am waiting to have a welder weld 1/2" Stainless steel barrel nipples in to them. Are you planning to use weldless bulkhead fittings.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 17, 2013, 11:01:46 AM
One other thing I am doing is I drilled a 10mm hole and plan to have a 100mm long piece welded facing in with the ends welded shut to act as a thermal well for an stc 1000 probe. 
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on March 17, 2013, 11:26:57 AM
Renier - The set up looks awesome. Well done.

Love the look of the control pannel.

Can't wait to see more pictures.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on March 17, 2013, 02:52:50 PM
QuoteOne other thing I am doing is I drilled a 10mm hole and plan to have a 100mm long piece welded facing in with the ends welded shut to act as a thermal well for an stc 1000 probe. 
I just drill a hole in my HLT and put fiber washers on both sides of the temp nut and tested it for leaks.Using a PID controller and probe for it.Was going to go electric but went with gas.
No temp probe for my BK.
Weld less all the way for my stuff.Will have to wait a bit for my ss fittings,switches and timer coming from china ::)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: imark on March 17, 2013, 05:24:26 PM
drool! Class setup ratsathome.

Where did you get the electric heating cable?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on March 17, 2013, 05:57:32 PM
Quote

Where did you get the electric heating cable?
Mash tun bands added and first coat of varnish.
Got about 15m from a friend who's dad work with it. :o
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Greg2013 on March 17, 2013, 06:15:02 PM
Next question, where did ya get the kegs? ;)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on March 17, 2013, 06:46:46 PM
QuoteNext question, where did ya get the kegs? ;)
In a skip on a building site :-/(in the UK) :-?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on March 17, 2013, 07:46:45 PM
Where did you get the "Pissed Porkers" image from?

Love it!
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on March 17, 2013, 07:50:49 PM
QuoteWhere did you get the "Pissed Porkers" image from?

Love it!
Found it online  :-? and edit it a bit
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 17, 2013, 08:25:58 PM
remember lads,the place to get kegs is in the UK as all kegs here in Ireland are owned by the 2 major groups,Diageo and Heineken. ;).
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Shanna on March 17, 2013, 08:55:33 PM
Hi there

Found the following place in the UK that sells kegs for €50 for a 50 litre keg.
http://www.crusaderkegsandcasks.com/products.htm

I am wondering what the cost of shipping would be?

Shanna
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on March 17, 2013, 09:09:45 PM
Thats a great find! I have copied the link to my private database.

Shipping a pallet from UK is not that expensive IIRC a 1 meter square full height (1 metre ) costs in region of 60 to 80 notes.

Tube prbably knows from the malt buys but just google "shipping pallets to ireland"

Why not consider a group buy?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Greg2013 on March 17, 2013, 10:02:13 PM
Ok i will take one pallet :o
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Shanna on March 17, 2013, 10:32:02 PM
One keg group by is enough for me,  but I would hope that this will be of use to somebody I else.  I wonder it they would consider a home brew version without the top :-) save on the transport weight and also save the dirty and I dangerous job of cutting the top  of.

Shanna
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Tucan on March 17, 2013, 10:36:18 PM
Where do you see the price ?
I think the EU50 is the product code.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Shanna on March 17, 2013, 11:37:41 PM
Sorry guys brain fart I misread the product code as the price.  I did find it strange at the time that price was only shown for only one product type.

Shanna
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 18, 2013, 09:22:37 AM
Click on their clients list and you will see metalman is one. :)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Greg2013 on March 18, 2013, 11:20:41 AM
Guess i will have to book a slow boat to UK to"pick up" a few kegs :'(
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: rukkus on March 18, 2013, 12:29:03 PM
I'm very surprised that noone in ireland has setup a small business to make and sell keggles and brew stands yet....

Every time my copy of byo arrives i'm like, cant buy that here :'(
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on March 18, 2013, 12:51:34 PM
QuoteSorry guys brain fart I misread the product code as the price.  I did find it strange at the time that price was only shown for only one product type.

Shanna

Would you ever contact them and get a price?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: alealex on March 18, 2013, 02:37:43 PM
Most of cash and carrys and big off licences sell full kegs to the public, price includes content(beer) + deposit for empty keg, what about not returning empty one?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 18, 2013, 08:38:22 PM
A deposit does not mean you own it. If!!,you are going to use a keg that you got that way,don't post a picture of it for all the world to see,you don't know whose watching ;).
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Hop Bomb on March 18, 2013, 08:58:32 PM
Is there any advantage to having a separate keg for HLT & boiler? Ive got one 50L keggle that I use for both purposes.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 18, 2013, 09:04:23 PM
When yo are sparging the grains in the mash tun,are you not drawing this from your HLT and as you do,where is the wort being run off the mash tun going to.  :-/
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Hop Bomb on March 18, 2013, 09:07:47 PM
QuoteWhen yo are sparging the grains in the mash tun,are you not drawing this from your HLT and as you do,where is the wort being run off the mash tun going to.  :-/

I run the wort into 2 fermentor buckets. Is that the only purpose for having separate HLT & boiler?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on March 18, 2013, 09:15:23 PM
Pretty much,although if you have hard water does the lime scale not be lying in the bottom of the HLT not have to be cleaned out before you put the wort in to boil it. Having a HLT and a Kettle is handier. :)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Shanna on March 18, 2013, 09:30:30 PM

Hi Will

I pasted the link in case any body else wanted to buy a keg.  I am sorted on this front already so I will leave somebody else do the running on this.

Shanna

Quote
QuoteSorry guys brain fart I misread the product code as the price.  I did find it strange at the time that price was only shown for only one product type.

Shanna

Would you ever contact them and get a price?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: imark on March 18, 2013, 10:16:45 PM
Quote
Got about 15m from a friend who's dad work with it. :o

Is it just underfloor heating cable? If so does that get hot enough for the mash tun?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Hop Bomb on March 19, 2013, 07:12:16 PM
QuotePretty much,although if you have hard water does the lime scale not be lying in the bottom of the HLT not have to be cleaned out before you put the wort in to boil it. Having a HLT and a Kettle is handier. :)

I never have a limescale problem as my keg has 5 litres of dead space below the tap. I keep that water in another bucket for cleaning so the keg is clean & empty & ready for the boil. Reading back though I realised I was using three buckets (2 for the wort & 1 for the leftover sparge water).

I had another 50L keg here & a SS weldless ball valve kit so I made a HLT this morning. More shiny things :) 


Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on April 03, 2013, 07:10:32 PM
Small update from last time. ;)
Still waiting for my timer and I broke my pump :'( while fiddling with the fittings
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on April 03, 2013, 07:17:28 PM
Fiddling with you fittings results in blindness but very impressed!
2nd keg on right is identifiable :(, please take a pic top down on MT?
Where did you find your kettle leads, I like the length?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on April 03, 2013, 07:27:50 PM
Quote

Where did you find your kettle leads, I like the length?
Not sure might be from the wife's work.(She's IT) :P
Will get a pic of the MT asap.
The one on the MT is not kettle lead.It is a normal 2 core flat wire with a kettle lead plug.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on April 03, 2013, 07:32:28 PM
why are all these screens blank ;D
Suitable qualified electrician person please let me know if I can rob screen cables from my work and replace 5 with 13A fuses for my 2 -2.2Kw elements?
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: rukkus on April 03, 2013, 07:44:21 PM
I wouldnt be an expert but i've read before that computer leads are bad for this kind of thing and can melt.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on April 03, 2013, 07:57:42 PM
 :o
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on April 03, 2013, 08:36:31 PM
QuoteI wouldnt be an expert but i've read before that computer leads are bad for this kind of thing and can melt.
You get 2 different types.A heavy duty one that some of the UPS systems use and your normal pc one.Try to get the thicker cable.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Rats on April 03, 2013, 08:47:40 PM
Work in progress.Still a lot of finishing to do on them.
Manifold from my old cooler box.
Thinking of building a new round one.Something like
(http://www.howtobrew.com/images/f163.gif)
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on April 03, 2013, 09:10:21 PM
rectangular manifold I suppose is balanced? would you not just go for a mesh since you have the pipe already in there?
see you went for the FR pink foam, good stuff.
I know Shanna was advocating it but its not necessary unless you use gas on your keg.
Standard form is resistant to temperatures ranging from -40°C to +100°C and to heat ageing, but not to UV-rays.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DEMPSEY on April 03, 2013, 09:19:54 PM
Instead of using drainpipes,what about using a stainless steel plate like the IKEA candle holder. It is 290mm and is ideal as a drainage plate with slits cut into it.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Hop Bomb on April 04, 2013, 08:09:54 AM
What a brilliant idea. Cheapest SS false bottom ever! They've a 37cm one also

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/70236071/

Not on the ikea.ie site though :(
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Shanna on April 05, 2013, 07:52:53 AM
Hi Ciderhead

I advocated firesafety style foam as when I went looking Fir foam none of those for sale in my local builders suppliers were rated for temp higher than 80c. Still working on my mash tun and manifold. I have cut out building insulation and plan to attach it with the foam.

Shanna


Quoterectangular manifold I suppose is balanced? would you not just go for a mesh since you have the pipe already in there?
see you went for the FR pink foam, good stuff.
I know Shanna was advocating it but its not necessary unless you use gas on your keg.
Standard form is resistant to temperatures ranging from -40°C to +100°C and to heat ageing, but not to UV-rays.
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DoWn2DiE on April 08, 2013, 07:51:05 PM
Quote
QuoteHi there

Found the following place in the UK that sells kegs for €50 for a 50 litre keg.
http://www.crusaderkegsandcasks.com/products.htm

I am wondering what the cost of shipping would be?

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58785&p=617815&hilit=crusader#p617815

somebody over on Jim's got some of those kegs, prices there too. free shipping to uk. and they do 20 litre kegs too min order of 36. prob work out cheaper then the cornies.

I can't help but think about getting second hand kegs here for half nothing and just getting the right coupler. question is which are the easiest opened and not a pita???
I'm surprised nobody on here has kegged with 50 litre system.

Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Ciderhead on April 08, 2013, 07:59:41 PM
How many of those will I get in a fridge :(
How do I carb my beer :(

There's your answer
Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: DoWn2DiE on April 08, 2013, 08:45:50 PM
Quote
Quote
Quote
How many of those will I get in a fridge :(
How do I carb my beer :(

There's your answer

theirs a gas post on the coupler similar to cornies.
great to bottle/polypin from counter pressure affair and chil in fridge. just like the lad is doing in that thread. chill down in your secondary and transfer in and force carbonate if wished or condition under a blanket. nice clean bottles will be the result. since I do 47 litre batches they would be ideal along with my cornies of course.


Title: Re: Upgrade of equipment
Post by: Will_D on April 09, 2013, 11:37:28 PM
For my comments on Irish kegs, see here:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1365422837