10 gallon Herms build

[kitoog]

I have a 50L hlt with two elements,70 litre boiler also with two elements and a 70L thermobox m/t. I bought them from someone who had it set up for herms previously but I am building a new control panel with two power inputs. I am going to build a 10L ? heat exchanger with an element at the base. There are pt100 temp sensors at the inlet to the mash tun and the hlt. I am just a bit unsure about pid ssr setup.
I will use one pid and ssr combo to control the heat exchanger.
I can use the other pid ssr combo to control one element of the hlt, not too sure about this.
Can someone briefly explain a 10 gallon electric herms brewday. Like do I first heat up the hlt temp to about mash temp, transfer to m/t, add and stir grain and then start mash pid to keep temp constant. And then use the Hlt pid/ssr to keep the hlt at mash out temp when the mash is done.
Cheers
Derek

 

[Vossy1]

Hi Derek,

Can someone briefly explain a 10 gallon electric herms brewday.

Easier said than done but this is pretty much how mine goes/went

Use both element in HLT to get liquor to strike using a pump to recirc liquor during to even out temps in hlt.
Turn elements off, transfer liquor to mash tun, dough in, check mash temp.
Leave mash to 'settle' for 10-15 mins prior to starting recirc, this aids in not getting a stuck mash. During this time refill HLT and set to sparge temp using only the PID controlled element for the mo.
Nearing end of mash 'settling' period set HE PID and pre heat HE to near mash temp. As the HE nears mash temp slowly open mash tun valve fully, flooding tubes/pump then start recirc.
Near end of mash check HLT temp, if low use second element to raise it quickly.
Sparging...
raise mash temp to strike temp by increasing temp of HE PID and recircing until reached, turn off HLT elements, then divert runnings to boiler and pump sparge liqour through HE to mash. Doing it this way means your HE will maintain strike temp and the liquor will clean the lines/HE.
Naturally flow rates for inlet and outlet should be balanced.

Alternatively don't raise the mash temp using the HE, simply start sparging .

Something you could do - Fill your mash tun with the mash liquor the night before then set it to be ready for when you are in the morning using the HE to pre heat it via a timer plug.

You don't have to recirc for the entire period, you could just do it for the last 10 mins or so to get clear runnings.

Beware - stopping the recirc at the end of the mash can lead to the mash bed floating to the surface undoing all the hard work getting clear runnings
Also, the mash return manifold will be higher than the tun so stopping the recirc at the end of the mash will let runnings in the pipe 'syphon' back into the tun...disturbing the grain bed...shut the ball valve first

Questions :lol:

 

[kitoog]

Cheers for the detailed post there Vossy :thumb: . Just thinking about it that while the HE is keeping the mash constant I will only have one element to heat the sparge water as you said. This might take too long with one element to heat the sparge water, it takes me about 40-50 min to get the sparge to 80C batch sparging with two elements. Will I need a third power input for a 48L herms?

 

[Vossy1]

TBH D, I use both elements when required to get the hlt to temp, whilst the mash HE element is working. Once the mash is stable the PID will pulse the element on and off...it's really smooth...that frequent but quick switching of the HE element is not enough to trip my fuse box... when using a HLT element full time, if you get where I'm coming from...not ideal but bourn from experience.
I use the non controlled element in the HLT on an extension lead that also serves the HE....the cable rarely gets warm...though proceed with caution JIC