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Spike Innovations
TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer



Joined: 26 Feb 2011
Posts: 245
Location: ME

Working on: Your Brewery!


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:15 pm    Post subject: Introducing our manufacturer Reply with quote


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Hello Everyone!


I wanted to formally introduce myself to the forum after stalking it for nearly the last two months Smile .

My name is Mike, I live in CT, and I am ecstatic to be Kal's US manufacturer of The Electric Brewery systems! Over the last month I have been working closely with Kal to build my own, production-ized version of his control panel to be able to sell through this website. I am proud to say that we are nearing completion of all our preliminary planning and setup.

I hope to stay closely involved in this forum not only for support alongside Kal, but for advice and even the chance to learn even more! Please stay tuned for news on product releases, and feel free to ask any questions at all.

UPDATE: Products are now available for order.
See: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/products


Cheers! Mug

Mike


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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After many weeks (months?) of interviewing and talking to potential partners, I'm really excited to get Mike on board here helping us build and sell our Electric Brewery setups and components!

Individual parts, DIY kits, and complete setups will be offered, all built to our exacting standards. We intend to offer it all, from pre-built control panels, to control panel kits, to hard to find individual parts (like those from McMaster-Carr and custom heat sinks).

Mike's nearing completion of a prototype control panel and I have to say, his attention to detail puts mine to shame! Mike comes with an extensive background in materials, manufacturing, and electrical experience, which is why I put him at the top of the list of candidates. Mike's also a home brewer of course!

I probably shouldn't be doing this, but I can't help resist showing off some of Mike's work on his prototype (not entirely complete) control panel:


Custom anodized heat sink built specifically for our setup:


Check out how cleanly installed and perfectly aligned the components are:


Clean wiring (puts mine to shame!):






Temp probes:





Kal

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Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:35 pm; edited 5 times in total
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JP




Joined: 12 Jan 2011
Posts: 41
Location: K Town South Of Ottawa


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum Mike!
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Castermmt




Joined: 03 Jan 2011
Posts: 863
Location: Lowell, In

Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale

Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, looks very nice. Now I need to redo mine Shocked
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milldoggy




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 569
Location: Pottstown, PA


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine looks ugly now Sad

Very nice, that is some nice work.
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crush




Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 706
Location: Telemark, Norway


PostLink    Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Was this built by hand, or is there some magic to getting the exact alignment?
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coffeediver




Joined: 18 Dec 2010
Posts: 174
Location: Kiowa CO.


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks good.

Barry

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All beer is good, the one you are drinking may not be your favorite. Enjoy it for what it is and move on.
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

crush wrote:
Was this built by hand, or is there some magic to getting the exact alignment?

This prototype was custom built by hand. Mike's extremely good with tools and this sort of work. His attention to detail shows. He's as anal as I am about this stuff. Wink

The production versions will likely be punched with a CNC machine, not to make it better but to cut down on the amount of labour involved. Those of you that have done this know that punching holes by hand is extremely labour intensive.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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Spike Innovations
TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer



Joined: 26 Feb 2011
Posts: 245
Location: ME

Working on: Your Brewery!


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

crush wrote:
Was this built by hand, or is there some magic to getting the exact alignment?


Yes, this one was done by entirely by hand with some help with a drill press. Simply used Kal's method, although I only drilled pilot holes for all 22mm devices and used a GreenLee Punch to get those exact. Everything else was all jigsaw.

As Kal said, I hope to do all future runs on a CNC machine simply to cut down on the labor involved and have the cuts exactly where they need to be. That way there is no need to constantly fiddle with parts as they are secured to the panel.

The magic is simply being extremely careful and methodical in regards to making your cuts. Measure twice, cut once!
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rgrrbt




Joined: 08 Jan 2011
Posts: 13



PostLink    Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum Mike. What ac dc rectifiers are you using?
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They're 5 volt DC power supplies that have been slightly modified. Matching them with the meters is important, which is one reason why I recommend using the variable DC supplies per my build if you build your own from scratch. It gives you flexibility to not have to use the exact right meters. When you build the whole thing yourself from scratch as Mike is doing and are careful with sourcing parts that match, you can take a few 'shortcuts'.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thought I'd share one more photo as you get very close to final product:



All of the specially produced control panels will have this inner panel tag that personally identifies your panel as hand built in the US, with your serial number and build date.

Nice wiring work Mike!

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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milldoggy




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 569
Location: Pottstown, PA


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Again, makes mine look like Cr@p, h8u mike, in a jealous way.
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milldoggy




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 569
Location: Pottstown, PA


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Btw, can we ask were those switches are from, the gray backing looks different than the switches us home builders are using.
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They're the same switches I use and link to in my parts lists. Mike's do have a grey base while mine are more gold coloured, but same switches.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0


Last edited by kal on Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:46 pm; edited 2 times in total
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milldoggy




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 569
Location: Pottstown, PA


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, thanks
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crush




Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 706
Location: Telemark, Norway


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I nearly bought the other switches too with plastic contactors. electric parts/pioneer breaker list the switches Kal uses as "telemechanique", and didn't come up in my first few searches for switches, so easy to miss.

edit: it's "telemecanique" without the h.

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doc62




Joined: 30 Aug 2011
Posts: 5
Location: Missouri


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 6:18 pm    Post subject: Control Panel DIY Kit Reply with quote

Got our DIY Control Panel and Temperature Probe kits yesterday! My son and I will be building the brewery together and we're both pretty excited. We will probably take a year to complete the project due to work and financial constraints and thought the panel would be a good starting point. We plan on posting pictures/progress on the forum once we start.

Thanks to Mike at Spike Innovations for making this kit available. He does a great job packaging everything and our shipment arrived via UPS after being unavoidably delayed due to flooding in NJ and PA. Mike obviously pays a lot of attention to detail and hand counts the 1.2 billion small screws and nuts! Hats off Mike, because you couldn't pay me enough to fill those little bags! We decided to get the kits after pricing all the individual materials separately. After shipping and handling charges, time spent ordering, and almost surely, returns on incorrectly ordered items, it was easier to get the kit from Mike.

Thanks again Mike, and Kal!
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool Ken! I look forward to seeing the build process of your control panel!

I'm hoping your son is a bit more helpful with the build than my son & daughter were (she told me she was a master electrician but I'm starting to have my doubts):



Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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KES




Joined: 13 May 2011
Posts: 472
Location: Iowa


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck, doc62 and son. I believe you both will find the build rewarding.
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