Have you turned PID off? There's no point having it on for the boil. Set boil temp to over 100c (say 103c), PID off and it should achieve a very vigorous boil (depending on your environment I suppose).
Brewzilla Gen 4 - Struggling to get to boil point
- Thread starter Michael Burnley
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I didn't for my actual brew but today ran jt with just water PID off and set to 105 still only got to 98.7
RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
Is there a control on the 4 for the elements?
On the three there was a 1500 watt element and 500watt. I used to bring to boil with all elements then revert to 1500 or 500 depending on ambient.
I used to wash on the 500 watt and cautious use of 1500 during ramp.
Should easily get a vigorous boil with a 240V brewzilla
On the three there was a 1500 watt element and 500watt. I used to bring to boil with all elements then revert to 1500 or 500 depending on ambient.
I used to wash on the 500 watt and cautious use of 1500 during ramp.
Should easily get a vigorous boil with a 240V brewzilla
It was set at 100%. I so think it could be a callobration issue as yesterday when bringing to the boil it hit 99.5. Then I was messing with the settings and today with just water as a trial it was only getting to 98.2. It gets there pretty quick though so can't understand why it stops getting hotter
It really sounds like PID settings, but you're sure it's set as off. Can you take a picture of your control panel screen and possibly the settings screen? Is it in manual mode? Not set to a profile?
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I agree, this sounds like settings, not the element.
I have just finished running a trial as I went put and bought a temperature probe. Put in cold water out of a tap and recallobarated point one. Put in some hot water and recallobrated point 2 to the hot water. Turned the pid off and set it away. It did get to 102 degrees on the display bit temp probe said 96 assuming this will be a boil as temp probe was at the top of the 10l of water above the false bottom etc.
Temperature Probe Calibration
If you find that your temperature probe is not reading the correct temperature for example
if is reading over 100°C when boiling at sea level then a 2-point calibration can be
performed.
To enter 2-point calibration mode press Select on the device and enter the Settings menu.
Then select 2 point calibration. Then fill your boiler with ice water and measure the
temperature of the water using a calibration thermometer. Wait for the ADC reading to
stabilise as much as possible and input the measured temperature of Calibration point: 1 by
using the up or down arrows. Then press Select to set the temperature and ADC reading of
Calibration point 1.
The controller will then move on to Calibration point 2. Empty the boiler and fill with hot or
boiling water. Wait for the ADC reading to stabilise as much as possible and input the
measured temperature of Calibration point: 2 by using the up or down arrows. Then press
Select to set the temperature and ADC reading of Calibration point 2.
Your brewery should then be calibrated.
Please note if you are above sea level you may find that water reaches a boil before 100°C
and if this occurs calibration may not be required. Refer to the boiling point of water at your
elevation.
If you find that your temperature probe is not reading the correct temperature for example
if is reading over 100°C when boiling at sea level then a 2-point calibration can be
performed.
To enter 2-point calibration mode press Select on the device and enter the Settings menu.
Then select 2 point calibration. Then fill your boiler with ice water and measure the
temperature of the water using a calibration thermometer. Wait for the ADC reading to
stabilise as much as possible and input the measured temperature of Calibration point: 1 by
using the up or down arrows. Then press Select to set the temperature and ADC reading of
Calibration point 1.
The controller will then move on to Calibration point 2. Empty the boiler and fill with hot or
boiling water. Wait for the ADC reading to stabilise as much as possible and input the
measured temperature of Calibration point: 2 by using the up or down arrows. Then press
Select to set the temperature and ADC reading of Calibration point 2.
Your brewery should then be calibrated.
Please note if you are above sea level you may find that water reaches a boil before 100°C
and if this occurs calibration may not be required. Refer to the boiling point of water at your
elevation.
Ah sorry, misunderstood so looks like you already calibrated as per instructions. So are you getting a decent boil now?
RoomWithABrew
Landlord.
Have a look at this thread
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/brewzilla-gen4-discussion-tips-talk.702436/
Kegland monitor this and contribute but you should find help there.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/brewzilla-gen4-discussion-tips-talk.702436/
Kegland monitor this and contribute but you should find help there.
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I lost. Have you calibrated the probe on the Bz?
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Wow, seems several issues are going on with the Brewzilla Gen 4 series.
Yeah quite a few. I have learnt a lot reading through everyone of these as I experienced every issue going. Mash temps all over, couldn't get a boil and loads of grain in my wort.
Hopefully this can help what I have learnt from the other thread summed up.
PID is really needed for mashing but does need to be adjusted for volume.
Calibration does need to be done but not from freezing water to boiling point but more the temps you use so let's say 65c to 75c for mashing and mash out etc. So first point would be at 65c and second at 75c then that range will be the most accurate.
For the grain in the wort I am going to buy a bag and just put the bag in the mash pipe.
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Exactly, calibrate within the mash temperature. That is the most important. My 65 Litre Hop Cat goes into boil mode at 90C, if I try to calibrate at 90C it throws out the mash calibration. So I add extra time 10 or 15 minutes to the boil when it has got up to 100C.
Another common problem which is the same on a lot of SVBs the bottom plate lifting as the malt pipe sinks. I have my bottom plate fixed.
I have one of these thermometers which is cheap, I had it checked for accuracy by Hanna Instruments and they confirmed the accuracy to + or - 0.5 the probes come in different lengths to 1,000 mm. Really handy to check the whole of the mash temps.
I think I paid about $35 AU Hanna Instruments brewing thermometer is very similar and is over $300 with an accuracy of 0.3 + or -
No it isn't. I get better results with the PID turned off. I use the heat exchange dish and the built in temperature probe and regularly get 84% efficiency and a mash temperature within 0.5C of desired setting. I do not use the BT thermometer and I turn the power down to around 800W when mashing. I have now done over 50 brews on my BZ Gen.4 and have evolved my method to the point where it works consistently for me. Kegland now advise that the PID is unnecessary for small volume home brewing (in posts by Oli Permezel on the Aus KL support FB group).
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Thanks for that I will order a heat exchange dish and give it a try as changing the PID for different batch sizes might be a pain if I decide to do that. I am just going to run half batch sizes for the next few brews as I think I have wasted a full batch on this first go round.
I don't think it is the machine it is more down to the users. One guy posting thought he had issues with the HED plate because is was lopsided . This was not when in the kettle but on a work top... the hop screen/plate assembly was falling to one side or other, naturally the screw protuding from the bottom was causing this. Another had the plate on the wrong way round and another was placing it in the kettle the wrong way up. Many don't understand the heating system and PID interactions. With the PID on and the wrong power percentage the boil will be difficult if not impossible to reach.
All of these AIO systems need to be used by the brewer to gain knowledge of the systems capabilities. The Bz system appears to have a great many user functions and this is where the issue lies most users do not know how to use the system yet but these features can be valuable to the user if they know how to use them. The internet is your friend here because Kegland and many others have some good info out there.
I suppose you could say that this is an equipment problem but others would say the opposite because they have studied the system and figured out how it works. It is fair to say that it would appear the system is not plug and play from the box though but the wealth of knowledge available on the internet for not only the Bz but many other systems is amazing.
Personally I would write and transfer a profile and use it with plain water to see how it goes before doing any real brewing. I think a lot could be learned that way.
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