E-HERMS Part Two (Electric HERMS Brewing Rig)

[GNBrews]

I'm currently doing everything the manual way, but would like to get a bit of automation in the temperature control of my mash. There are a lot of guys that have switched from RIMS to HERMS. What's the advantage? I would think cleaning the HEX would be more work than a RIMS. What are your thoughts?

[CircleCityBrewing]

Well, the HERMS coil is easy to clean, I pump my sparge water through it, and then my kettle cleaning water through it at the end of the brew day.

I no longer own this system, but I am completing a BCS 460 wierlessly controlled, Blichman Boilermaker based 18,000W electric brewery. You can find a link to my build on the EmbeddedControlConcepts Facebook page!

[murf1916]

how long does it take for you to get a boil? does your 5500w heat element give you a rolling boil or is it an aggressive boil?

[CircleCityBrewing]

The 5500W element will boil very aggressively. I use it on a 70% duty cycle to maintain a rolling boil a boil off of 1.3gal/hr

It can reach a boil from sparge temps in 19 minutes with a 13 gallon volume. If you are starting at 7 gallons, you are looking at 10 minutes.

[murf1916]

@CircleCityBrewing

[murf1916]

Thanks, I'll probably down size to a 3500 watt element in my boil kettle and 5000 watt in my hot liquor tank. Great set of videos. Thank you

[CircleCityBrewing]

I am also building a new Blichman based system that has a 9000W boil kettle and 9000W RIMS heater.

[wlockwood]

Opps, that is right 220volts. Saw the BYO picture. Nice, I would like to copy much of what you have done. Please tell more about how to get the Ranco sensor into the liquid.

[CircleCityBrewing]

It is actually 240VAC, but close enough. It is easy. Get a straight SS cornie dip tube, cut it to the desired length, crimp the the end to seal it, then put the dip tube through the hole in a drilled stopper. Then place the stopper through a hole in the lid.

[wlockwood]

Opps, that is right 220volts. Saw the BYO picture. Nice, I would like to copy much of what you have done.

[wlockwood]

so you run 5500watts with 30amp breaker?

[CircleCityBrewing]

Yes, 5500W pulls about 23A... which is only 76.6% of the breakers rating.

[CircleCityBrewing]

This rig is now featured in BYO magazine.