AdeDunn
Member
So, as I posted elsewhere, my ACE packed up. I did actual try to replace the terminal crimp to fix it, however the screw turned to powder as I tried...
So, my new boiler build is now well under way, using my old stainless steel 33 litre stockpot, a 2.4kw element from brewbuilder, the tap off my ACE, a small pickup pipe and some fitting I had already.
Drilled 2 pilot holes, then cut 1 x 20 mm hole for the tap, and 1 x 40 mm for the element, using Q-Max punches. The 40 mm was a beast to cut, but the 20 mm went through like a hot knife through butter...
Anyway, plan is to put a stainless steel pan scourer on the pick-up pipe to act as a hop and trub filter, can't be any worst than my old bazooka...
I used the elbow because it turned out I'd made the hole for the tap a tiny bit too high, with the elbow on though the pick-up tube sits right on the bottom of the stock pot, so very little dead space.
It's not quite finished just yet, but definitely well on the way. Leak tested it in the bath and no sign of any leaks. Obviously it'll need a leak test whilst hot too with metal expanding when hot.
Still to do:-
Cut a 20 mm hole in the lid, to take the return from my recirculation pump.
Rig up a false bottom (I have an IKEA spatter guard, a 33 mm pizza tray and a load of 70 mm marine grade stainless steel M6 nuts and bolts to act as feet. Need to figure out if the spatter guard will do the job on it's own, as if it will that will free up the pizza tray to act as a sparge plate on top of the grain. As I want to re-circulate, and probably ultimately temperature mash, a false bottom is a must to keep the bag away from the element.
I'll be doing re-circulating BIAB still, already bought a BIAB bag from Maltmiller for this. As to control (including temperature for mashing), I'll post more details about this soon...
On the bright side, my stock pot actually has a slightly higher volume than my ACE did. Be nice to finally use it for more than just heating up my sparge water again...:thumb:
So, my new boiler build is now well under way, using my old stainless steel 33 litre stockpot, a 2.4kw element from brewbuilder, the tap off my ACE, a small pickup pipe and some fitting I had already.
Drilled 2 pilot holes, then cut 1 x 20 mm hole for the tap, and 1 x 40 mm for the element, using Q-Max punches. The 40 mm was a beast to cut, but the 20 mm went through like a hot knife through butter...
Anyway, plan is to put a stainless steel pan scourer on the pick-up pipe to act as a hop and trub filter, can't be any worst than my old bazooka...
I used the elbow because it turned out I'd made the hole for the tap a tiny bit too high, with the elbow on though the pick-up tube sits right on the bottom of the stock pot, so very little dead space.
It's not quite finished just yet, but definitely well on the way. Leak tested it in the bath and no sign of any leaks. Obviously it'll need a leak test whilst hot too with metal expanding when hot.
Still to do:-
Cut a 20 mm hole in the lid, to take the return from my recirculation pump.
Rig up a false bottom (I have an IKEA spatter guard, a 33 mm pizza tray and a load of 70 mm marine grade stainless steel M6 nuts and bolts to act as feet. Need to figure out if the spatter guard will do the job on it's own, as if it will that will free up the pizza tray to act as a sparge plate on top of the grain. As I want to re-circulate, and probably ultimately temperature mash, a false bottom is a must to keep the bag away from the element.
I'll be doing re-circulating BIAB still, already bought a BIAB bag from Maltmiller for this. As to control (including temperature for mashing), I'll post more details about this soon...
On the bright side, my stock pot actually has a slightly higher volume than my ACE did. Be nice to finally use it for more than just heating up my sparge water again...:thumb:
I should imagine it's a far bigger problem though if you aren't using a pump during some part of the boil, or not pumping via the ball valve. :thumb: Not saying I won't ever upgrade to a 3-piece, just that that might be about the same time I get a bigger stock pot... I plan to get a single pot system at some point in the near future, but my thinking is to use the 33 litre as a HLT for sparge water heating, a larger (say a 50L) for very occasionally making either larger batches, or batches with big grain bills, and the system for my regular brew days. The bag I have is sold as suitable for up to a 100 litre boiler... lol
