opinons

[Roger]

Hey guys! I want to set up an electric brew system and was wonering If I should plan to put my temp probe with the site glass port or install a seperate one? Also length of probe to best to measure accurate temps.

[Chris Craig]

It probably doesn't matter too much, but ideally you'd want a temperature reading from the middle of the liquid.  Since the sight glass port should be as low as possible on the kettle, it's probably not the best place for the thermometer.

[Roger]

That's true! The problem I'm having is I want to use an immersion chiller like yours but I don't want to bend or break the probe taking it in and out of the kettle and/or HLT if I'm able to get a HERMS set up. I'm looking at both 2" and/or 4" probes.

[Chris Craig]

I use a 2" probe in my boil kettle for this reason, but a 6" probe in my HLT, although I had no plans to put my chiller in there.  I guess you could build the chiller so that you hang it over the side of the kettle, but above the probe, or build some sort of rack out of copper that the chiller rests on.

[Roger]

I was thinking about a rack but if I put a rack in than I'd need to put the probe in the site glass port. Instead of a more central spot.  :?

[Kyle]

Another consideration is whether you want a temp probe at all on the boil kettle. My setup uses just one PID, and I only use the temp probe for mashing. I use the PID in manual mode for the boil. It's difficult for me to get Saturdays off, but I'll host a demo of my electric soonish, on an off meeting day. I went for a utilitarian setup, but it was affordable and works very well.

[Roger]

I've ordered two PID's but I guess one could be a spare. I'd still need to figgure out how to do a HERMS set up using the coil I made as both the HLT coil and chiller with out screwing up the probes or elements.

[fakr]

For my setup I use 3 temp probes.  2 of them are only an inch long and the third is 4".  First one is installed in my HLT in an SS T off the ball valve.  I personally use a pump to recirculate hot water from the lower ball vavle back up to the top of the kettle to create a whirlpool for the HERMS coil.  So it reads the exiting temp of the HLT.

The second 1" probe is again installed in an SS T fitting, and it mounted on the top of my mash tun where the recirculated wort re enters the mash tun.  I don't really care what the mash temp is at the bottom, just what the temp is returning to the mash from the herms.

The third is installed in my boil kettle where the old analog thermometer was mounted.  I only use it when I'm heating up water for mash in, otherwise, it's not used.

This setup works pretty well for me.  it allows me to use only 1 PID and temp input to control all aspects of the brew day.

by the way, I switch between temp probes with a quick disconnect connection on each of the probes.

hope that helps give you a few ideas.

[Roger]

Thanks for all the ideas guys! Keep em coming! I wish I had started this a long time ago.

[Roger]

I've got a new question about stainless steel this time. Is there any reason I should use 304 over 316 SS for fittings? Is one is better and why?

[Chris Craig]

I don't think it'll matter too much for your application, but 316 steel is supposed to be more corrosion resistant.  Perhaps our club technician knows more here...chrismccull?

[chrismccull]

Either would be fine, 316 is more common and a bit more expensive.  I have used both at work along with 317.

[fakr]

304 is the most common and a bit softer and cheaper than 316.  316 is more industrial grade, but more expensive and harder to work with if you're milling or bending it.

Like Chris said, for homebrewing, there is no advantage to 316, that's why you rarely find 316 SS parts online for brewing.

[sdixon]

WRT to a temp probe in boil kettle, I like to have one there because I use the BK for my initial strike water and the HLT for HERMS and strike water. Of course I also have probes in my HLT and MT.

Roger - If you are getting the same system I have, I may be able to come and brew with you when you are ready. A couple of suggestions... make sure you have enough hose and life is easier with 2 pumps. I'm using a March pump and one of those samll ones with the different threads. Makes life much easier!

[Roger]

Thanks I'll probably take you up on that sdixon! We plan to have a system like yours but 1bbl at the brewery and I'm building a smaller 10 gallon one for test batches and personal brewing.