My Electric Brewery Build

[Shanna]

Never say version one - it looks like you've only just made it and it may still have bugs!

Much better is like Version 2.3 Revision Ozz_9

Spoken like a true software developer, note that I did not say engineer !!! Thank god we don't build bridges or nuclear power stations like software

Shanna

[Ozbrewer]

@Will - thanks for the comments.

I will definitely get a list together of where I got everything and pricing as best I can.

I went to do some wiring for the heating elements and the 10 sqr cable is too big, so I have to downsize that to 6 sqr. As I understand it though, I think the 10 sqr will function ok for the main power cable for the panel, but I'm double checking with brother-in-law electrician.

[Ozbrewer]

Oh - and on the naming thing. I have a brewery name but I'm thinking of changing it at the moment. But either way I will have an est. 1998 as that's when I started brewing.

[Ozbrewer]

Ok - so I sorted out the debacle that was the cables. The 10 sq cable I got will carry in excess of 70amps, so that is now my mains power cable to the panel. Source was Kelliher's up in Ballymount.

The 1.5sqr has been used on the chugger pumps, pics below.

So, I sourced 4 sq (good for 41 amps apparently) for the heating elements at Demense Electical in Tallaght. It was about 1.50 euro a meter.

So, small progress has been made, and pics as usual.

So, I'm using the Neutrik Powercon 32amp connectors for the heating element cables. I sourced these from Thomann.de. They were by far the cheapest place I could get them. I think on Amazon, e-bay and Farnell as some examples, had them at almost double the price. Shipping was fast and easy, and no duty on the way in either.

These are the 32amp powercons:



Just getting ready to do the wiring:



All wired up and ready for assembling:





And one completed heating element cable:





And three completed heating element cables:



Once that was done, I moved onto the pumps. I have two chugger centre inlet pumps. For those in the chugger group buy, you will notice the length of the cables that come with the pumps aren't great, probably a meter in length I would say. So I used 1.5 sq rubber flex cable to extend. The diameter on the rubber flex cable is on par with the pump cable. I used an inline wire splice technique to join them - see this instructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/Master-a-perfect-inline-wire-splice-everytime/

I don't have a soldering iron, so once spliced I used electrical tape on each splice then taped it all together and used heat shrink over it all. I'll see how this goes, but as I have plenty of slack in the cable, I can cut the join out and do it again another time.

This is the 16amp powercon connector:



All connected up:



And the pumps. On the pump on the right, just under the centre inlet you can see the join.



So, some small steps at least. I still have a lot of little bits to do, and although I'm hoping I will be brewing this month, I am, yet again, estimating a month further out - July. It's amazing all the little things that creep in to get this done.

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Looking great Rolf, if you don't fancy a tape joint on the Chugger lead, you could use something like this from Radionics

http://m.rs-online.com/h5/mobile/uk/catalog?url=%2Fweb%2Fp%2Fmains-inline-connectors%2F0454968%2F

[Ozbrewer]

Thanks for the link SA.....  I'll be touch shortly regarding the mains, and a few beers as well while we are at it.

[Covey]

Whats the total cost roughly?

[johnrm]

Is the join where you connect 'your' cable to the pump cable?
Why not remove the pump cable completely and have a clean run all the way?

[Will_D]

John's suggestion is by far the best. However if the cable is not removable then surely someone nearby could pop round with a soldering iron.

Solder, heat shrink over each joint then a bigger bit over the 3 joints and job done. If you want to avoid a big lump in the middle then you cut the individual wires to 3 different leghts so the joints are in series rather than in parrallel if you get my drift!

Why not buy a soldering iron - the are cheap as chips in lidl and Alsi (when they have them!)

[Ozbrewer]

@Covey - It's not cheap that's for sure.... but it will be in and around €3.5K. Before this I was a BIAB brewer for 8 years or so. Pics below for those interested. In terms of ingredients and how I've been brewing, a pint costs me about 60c. I have enough bottles (750ml) for 12 batches (a batch is typically 30 x 750ml, or a bit over 40 pints)

So I factored in typical brew volume per year + cost per brew + equipment cost, and my first batch of beer produced (say 40 pints) on this rig will be at roughly €86.61 a pint. 

But it's not really the way to look at it. If I add up the number of brews per year + the cost per brew and divide it by the accumulated amount of brews - that is distribute the cost of the equipment over the lifetime amount I have brewed on the rig - I will be back down to under a €1 per pint at the 10 year mark.

I don't homebrew because it's cheap, I homebrew because I love it as a hobby.

And although to some homebrewers' a €1 a pint is expensive, it's a damn sight better than the usual shite available when you go out or what you can buy at your local bottle shop (off licence).

I have built this system to be a lifetime investment; I should not need to change or upgrade anything, maybe replace an element or a pump along the way, but this is something I will be able to hand down to my kids. My old equipment doesn't owe me anything and over 15 years of brewing I haven't spent much money except on ingredients.

And based on all these factors, this is why I'm doing it.

And I would recommend it to anyone.

Old setup:

[Ozbrewer]

@John, Will - So I did some looking around and didn't find a great deal of information on the Chuggers when doing this. There was one thread on the ElectricBrewery site where a guy was looking to change the whole cable. By the looks of the thread he sent an email to Chugger and they told him no, it can't be done. I saw one other thread where someone knew someone who had done it but the pump was never the same again - can't remember which site that was on.

Linky here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=288257#288257

So I thought about it, and decided I don't want to get into a situation where I'm pulling a brand new pump apart, maybe void some warranty (although can't see warranty fine print anywhere), and when I put it back together it doesn't work for some unbeknownst reason. 

@Will - yeah, I know I could have gone and bought a soldering iron, but I was kind of at the point where I don't really want to buy another piece of equipment to be used only once. As it was I had to buy a specialist star screwdriver set, for 20 euro, just to screw in the cables on the 16amp (yellow) powercon connectors. So I was a bit peeved at that and so I said I would splice it and use electrical tape and then heat shrink - which is what I've done.

It's not rational, I'll accept that. 

The other alternative was to put a plug on it and on the end of the new cable along with the powercon and do it that way. I may go back and look at as an option.

[Covey]

"It's not cheap that's for sure.... but it will be in and around €3.5K. Before this I was a BIAB brewer for 8 years or so. Pics below for those interested. In terms of ingredients and how I've been brewing, a pint costs me about 60c. I have enough bottles (750ml) for 12 batches (a batch is typically 30 x 750ml, or a bit over 40 pints)

So I factored in typical brew volume per year + cost per brew + equipment cost, and my first batch of beer produced (say 40 pints) on this rig will be at roughly €86.61 a pint."

I would love a proper AG set up in the future, dont really have the ability to put the boards together and all that. Who cares about the prices. Your first AG kit is like a Light saber you have to built it your self

[Ozbrewer]

Ok - there has been some small progress. Wiring had commenced, but will now be on hold. Brother-in-law's wife is having her baby tomorrow, and for some reason he is prioritising that over this....  :

Front panel, 90% wired:


I now have the correct contactors (relays): Although they say 25 and 32 on the front, the 32 can sustain up to 80amps and a continuous current of 50amps. These are heavy duty industrial contactors and will do the job. I'm lucky to be building this in an actual workshop that builds industrial panels for refrigeration and pump stations etc. This is where my brother in law served his apprenticeship, and all the guys on the shop floor thinks this is amazing, and are of course demanding beer in return for all their advice as we were building.



It's progress at least. I think on the weekend I will sort out the fixes on the false bottom, and look to complete the counterflow chiller.

[DEMPSEY]

Man after me own heart.
Quote
Brother in laws wife is having a baby.

[Ozbrewer]

@Dempsey - Yep - and I'm sticking by it as well..... 

Ok - More updates.

So I worked on the Blichmann Falsebottom. First step was to get some tubing around the edge of it so it seals properly in the bottom of the Mash Tun.

I saw this method either on this forum, or another one, but thought that it would do the trick well.

Equipment needed - two pieces of left over wood from the brewstand, 4 screws, carton cutter blade, 1 nut, drill and tubing:



Screw two pieces of wood together, and screw in 2nd screw - tube width away from top piece of wood:


Add the 3rd screw above the tube to hold in place:



Screw the nut and the blade to the wood:



Pull tube through the hole:





Keep pulling until the tube has been sliced open:



Couldn't have been easier.

Now for the false bottom. I needed to enlarge the pickup hole. To do this I had to drill another hole to extend it:



Tidy it up with the trusty old Dremel:



Drill holes for the legs:



I used these machine screws from B&Q. I cut them down to size once installed.



Legs in place:





So I needed to blank over the original hole: Using zinc coated washers and the stainless machine screw:



The underside. Screw cut down to size.



FB in place in the kettle. Perfect seal around the sides:



Close up:



Dip tube in place with original washer:



All in all a success. This completes the mash tun 100%. Only have to sort out the HERMS coil touching the heating element in the HLT and then the kettles will be 100% complete.