About to get a Grainfather, couple of Qs

Fingathing said:

The red switch is to operate the element.

Click to expand...

The Fifth Element ?

Brewdoug said:

This button controls the power going to the element. When switched to mash it reduces the power to 500 watts to avoid scorching and more accurately control the mash temperature. It's explained on page 7 of your manual.

Edit: If you've got the new controller, which I haven't yet, I believe you just leave the button switched to 'normal' and the controller reduces the power as necessary. I also believe when they have sold all the stocks of the current Grainfather the new model won't have this switch as it won't be needed.

Click to expand...

Thanks Brewdoug,

Not sure what model of GF I have, it came with he new connect controller.

The big red button is marked '0' and '1'. I've re-checked the manual and definitely no mention. Maybe I have a different version of the manual?

So do I just need to switch it to '1' and let the connect control box control element power?

MagnusTS said:

Thanks Brewdoug,

Not sure what model of GF I have, it came with he new connect controller.

The big red button is marked '0' and '1'. I've re-checked the manual and definitely no mention. Maybe I have a different version of the manual?

So do I just need to switch it to '1' and let the connect control box control element power?

Click to expand...

It seems you have the new version GF the switch just switches the element on or off, older versions switched between 500w for mash and full 2kw for boil, however the connect box is able to adjust the output power now so no need for the mash / boil switch

Congrats on getting the grainfather anyway, mine arrived a little over two weeks ago and it's done 3 brews already, expensive but worthwhile investment IMO

Pawlo7671 said:

It seems you have the new version GF the switch just switches the element on or off,

Click to expand...

The on/off switch !!

Boy do I feel stupid now.

Thanks folks. I'l stop fretting an have a go at getting a brew on this weekend.

MagnusTS said:

The on/off switch !!

Boy do I feel stupid now.

Thanks folks. I'l stop fretting an have a go at getting a brew on this weekend.

Click to expand...

Well no not really, I think the switch is there as they had to put something there in place of the old two way one. The switch will only switch the element on and off, not the connect box. imho I was lucky enough to get the grainfather with connect which meant I got the older model but received both the connect and the old school box too :) so my switch switches between mash and boil.

Ok so now we know exactly what they've done with the switch on the new version. I'd assumed you'd got the same model as mine where I got the choice of adding the new controller for an extra ��£109 or just going with the old controller which is what I've done temporarily.
Anyway, now you've had an explanation you can enjoy playing with your new toy.:thumb:

Dont worry about the grain plates.. they will bow a lil with use,, and a good tip is to have a spray gun of starsan handy to use as a lubricant when slipping the grain plates in position with their silicone gaskets, otherwise its a tight fit and the gasket can stick and get pulled off the plates rim..

Pawlo7671 said:

Well no not really, I think the switch is there as they had to put something there in place of the old two way one. The switch will only switch the element on and off, not the connect box. imho I was lucky enough to get the grainfather with connect which meant I got the older model but received both the connect and the old school box too :) so my switch switches between mash and boil.

Click to expand...

So just to be clear: I flip the red switch to '1' at the start of brew day to switch the element on, and let the Connect control box handle power output?

(And if I left it on '0' then no power at all to the element and no heat?)

I did my 1st brew on the GF today. Can't believe how easy it was, even for a technophobe like me. The GF Connect app took me through it one step at a time, I am really impressed. I did however forget to press the big red button (yes, even after all my posts about it), so there was a bit of a delay heating up the strike water.

A couple of minor problems: I used the GF calculated water volumes, but ended up about 3L short in the fermenter. Don't know what happened there, maybe lost too much to evaporation during the sparge, which took me ages faffing about without a water heater.

Also, and maybe connected, I way overshot the estimated OG. Efficiency calculated at 97.7%. Definitely something wrong there. But even after topping up the FV with 3L of tap water I was still 5 points over the expected OG.

Great bit of kit this. I'm very glad I bought it.