Keggle Ardbir Build

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

+100% on that, I'm in the process of a 3 vessel build, but got bogged down on the shed wiring and plumbing, I'm almost there but can't seem to get any free time to sort it, so I decided to build a quick biab rig to get back brewing, if you don't watch it you can get lost in the engineering and get no brewing done.
It can seem an expensive hobby at first but on the other hand a new car would depreciate a lot more than the price of a Grainfather in 6 months 

[nigel_c]

Easy to get bogged down alright. I'm in the last stages of my build and it feels like I've done nothing in weeks. Last bits and pieces on the way so nearly there.

[DEMPSEY]

Looks class. Even if you were not to brew with you could hire it out as a Dalek in a Doctor Who movie 

[Motorbikeman]

Yeah when it comes to cost on these things, a grainfather comes in very close if not cheaper. You go the DIY route because you want/enjoy building something special for yourself, not to save money. The pumps especially are a big expense, as least for chuggers.

I worked out my own build was close to €1500, but based on €3 for a bottle of craft, you've made that back in about 15 brewdays, assuming 20L batches. That's just over a year's brewing, so after that its guilt free brewing.

Im just going to copy and paste that onto the wife's facebook page.  Im sure she will understand    Im actually saving money!!      

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I had originally bought mild steel KM8 locknuts but replaced them with Stainless steel ones due to the mild steel rusting

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I filled the keg with water and PBW and brought it up to 75C then rinsed it out to remove the cutting lube and debris left after grinding etc, then gave it a good belt of Bar Keepers Friend to passivate the stainless and remove any beer stone.

[darren996]

Nice and shiny.. Are they backer elements?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I'm not sure I picked them up from the Homebrew company a while ago

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Silicon hoses hooked up thanks to Damo,

Having cleaned the keggle already to remove most if not all of the filings or any crud which might upset the pump I ran another wash cycle with Lidl Oxy this time circulating through the pump and chiller. I noticed that the temperature was reading 5C high so adjusted it within the ardbir settings. I've set the PID to 50, 1 and 10 for the moment as advised elsewhere by Molc.
I'll tune the PID loop when I get my other brewing programmer (BCS) working as it has data logging which I can use to tune the loop.

[pob]

When you measure/calculate it, can you post the new figures?

Cheers.

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Of course

[molc]

You tuned values would be great. I notice it's slow to reach the last 1 or 2 degrees, so I think those values, as originally provided by pob, are a but too cautious.

Also the ardbir is initially set with an incorrect 5C offset for some strange reason.

[pob]

I've noticed those last few degrees are v slow.

Any advice from a PID tuner out there?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

It must be twenty years since I last tuned a pid loop, it's not always necessary to use the derivative component, and it may be easier to tune using just proportional and integral settings. I've ordered the thermocouples for my controller/logger last night but will ship via the cheapest option on Shipitto as they were looking for $60 for postage direct from Brewers hardware. I should add that the settings which I get for my set up may not suit yours as I've got two elements running through the ssr.
That having been said here's a useful link to tuning a brew vessel
http://onbrewing.com/pid-tuning/
Plus he has on online app, here's the Readme;
https://github.com/jangevaare/pidcalculateR/blob/master/README.md
And here's the app
https://jangevaare.shinyapps.io/pidcalculateR/

[pob]

Cheers.