Ace micro brewer

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Quick question, how many of you use the pump to circulate when cooling and how many use the pump to move the wort to the ferementor?

If you do this, won't you have to keep taking the pump apart to clean it in case you get hop debris and break material trapped in there? If you just use the pump to recirculate during the mash, you should only have wort going through it, so a good flush with warm water during cleaning should be enough. Or am I missing a trick?
 
I have just downloaded Brewmate, can anyone tell me how to set it up for the Ace?
 
I have just downloaded Brewmate, can anyone tell me how to set it up for the Ace?

I could be wrong but I think Brewmate is one that's been abandoned, I seem to recall trying to use it and finding that it was full of bugs and broken bits. I hope I'm wrong and that you have a good experience with it, but just in case I'm right the Brewer's Friend software is solid.

The pay-for cloud version is even better, and it's run by a HBF sponsor so worth a look.
 
If you do this, won't you have to keep taking the pump apart to clean it in case you get hop debris and break material trapped in there? If you just use the pump to recirculate during the mash, you should only have wort going through it, so a good flush with warm water during cleaning should be enough. Or am I missing a trick?

Ideal conditions for bacteria to grow is in the pump and tubing. The night before I do a mash I heat up water to around 50 to 60 degrees put in some sodium percarbonate and recirculate for a half hour.
 
I could be wrong but I think Brewmate is one that's been abandoned, I seem to recall trying to use it and finding that it was full of bugs and broken bits. I hope I'm wrong and that you have a good experience with it, but just in case I'm right the Brewer's Friend software is solid.

The pay-for cloud version is even better, and it's run by a HBF sponsor so worth a look.

I am new to using brewing software fullstop, is the ACE set up on Brewers freind? If not how do you set it up for consistent use?
 
I am new to using brewing software fullstop, is the ACE set up on Brewers freind? If not how do you set it up for consistent use?

No, no presets. The best advice I can offer is to stick a few estimates in, brew up, review your estimates based on what comes out. Feed back a few times and you'll dial it in eventually.
 
No, no presets. The best advice I can offer is to stick a few estimates in, brew up, review your estimates based on what comes out. Feed back a few times and you'll dial it in eventually.

Thanks, I will give it a whirl.
 
My switch fried during today's morning brew. I think mgkpancake and I are being punished as early adopters... I've noticed that when I exchanged my first unit for a replacement (after the element cracked) the electrics changed rather substantially. But, unfortunately, the switch that had failed on mgkpancake's unit remained the same on my replacement... and now it has melted.

I bought the first unit on January 29th 2017 with a one year warranty. And it failed on February 2nd... 1 year and 2 days later. ;)

That said I've already had one warranty replacement on June 6th, so maybe hifi-tower will still cover this failure. They were excellent last time. Otherwise will follow mgkpancake's excellent video and try to replace switch myself.

edit:

just watched mgkpancake's video... it's like a synopsis of my brew day today with different people. :)

mgkpancake: where did you track down a replacement switch?

[ame]
 
My switch fried during today's morning brew. I think mgkpancake and I are being punished as early adopters... I've noticed that when I exchanged my first unit for a replacement (after the element cracked) the electrics changed rather substantially. But, unfortunately, the switch that had failed on mgkpancake's unit remained the same on my replacement... and now it has melted.

I bought the first unit on January 29th 2017 with a one year warranty. And it failed on February 2nd... 1 year and 2 days later. ;)

That said I've already had one warranty replacement on June 6th, so maybe hifi-tower will still cover this failure. They were excellent last time. Otherwise will follow mgkpancake's excellent video and try to replace switch myself.

edit:

just watched mgkpancake's video... it's like a synopsis of my brew day today with different people. :)

mgkpancake: where did you track down a replacement switch?

[ame]


Hey dude! Ordered one off ebay. Anything with 6 pole dual rocker switch is all you need.

Also noticed for all you people who have done nothing to your Ace that if water gets on the switch you'll get electrocuted! Don't ask me how I know. So be careful.

They may have updated the design now but I'm glad I ripped everything out and started from scratch, my temperature is dead on accurate using the Inkbird 106T (reads in Fahrenheit) wired to an SSR and SSVR.
 
Mine switch broke just before Xmas. Radio spares part number 4406929 will do the job but it's slightly larger than the opening that the old one sits in. I needed to trim some of the plastic off to get it to fit. The spade connectors can be a pain to get off by the way.

Cheers. Tom
 
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rocker-switches/4406929

Try that

Didn't actually mean to post it as a link. I know my phone does stuff when I copy numbers

Cheers . Tom


F4406929-01.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Been kicked from eBay it seems, account deleted

So far as I can tell, hifi-tower effectively is klarstein... both are subsidiaries of the same umbrella company. In any case, they may not sell via ebay any longer, but they are still around.

https://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/

I just emailed them to see how if they'll replace it. It's a bit absurd to replace it because of the failure of a 5 euro switch, but I don't want to open it and void my warranty, discover that it's a bigger problem. Plus I noticed that build quality had improved when I last received a replacement unit... hoping that I will again receive a replacement now and that there might be more improvement.

I actually noticed that they are now marketing an XXL 50 litre version with a 3kW element. Interesting.

https://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Klarst...stem-3000W-50l-304-Stainless-Steel_i37436.htm
 
Hey dude! Ordered one off ebay. Anything with 6 pole dual rocker switch is all you need.

Also noticed for all you people who have done nothing to your Ace that if water gets on the switch you'll get electrocuted! Don't ask me how I know. So be careful.

They may have updated the design now but I'm glad I ripped everything out and started from scratch, my temperature is dead on accurate using the Inkbird 106T (reads in Fahrenheit) wired to an SSR and SSVR.

Thanks for the info! I'm considering making an order for the smartpid. The functionality I really want is timed start... I brew in the morning, try to mash in and then make kids breakfast. Would be nice if it was hot when I woke up.

If I understand correctly, you started modding yours before this was available? Would you go this route now?

I'm in north italy, so it's a local product, which is nice.

http://smartpid.com/
 
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