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wubears71
Joined: 14 Mar 2012 Posts: 278 Location: Webster Groves, MO
Drinking: Keg 1- Hefenweizen, Keg 2- Vanilla Scotch Porter, Keg 3-Munich Helles
Working on: Stinky IPA
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Link Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:31 am Post subject: |
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I'm digging it. By the way what did you do to Debbie's desk?
_________________ I am 275 lbs of chiseled half fat and half muscle.
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perogi
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 Posts: 850 Location: NH
Drinking: Perogi Pale, NEIPA, Nutter's Crossing Nut Brown Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Clone
Working on: Max's Maibock
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Link Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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SookeBrewing wrote: | Hi Kal,
Thanks for the advice re the vent hood - I think I'll go a little bit higher, maybe 20" above the kettles? My hood will be a little deeper so it may collect a bit more steam. In any case, I'm sure the Vortex fan will pull everything up and out where it's supposed to go. |
I would temporarily hang the hood and try a mock brew day (minus heat). That way you can really dial it in before finalizing the position.
Keggles look great too!
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VaWineSnob
Joined: 14 Jun 2011 Posts: 89
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Link Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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SookeBrewing wrote: |
There is no P-trap (since it's not tied into the septic system) so the drain works pretty well. I would have done a more direct line to the wall, avoiding the foundation wall, but that baseboard heater is in the way. Not the most elegant solution, I know, but it works. |
In the picture it looks like the drain slopes down a foot or so, then has a riser coming straight up? If so, the pipe is likely full of waste water. Anything that goes down the drain (spent grain) will either sink down to the point where it turns up or if it floats it will stay at highest level on the sink end, in both cases it is likely to eventually plug. Also, that amount of water/waste in the drain pipe will not exchange very well, if at all. You will end up with very stagnant water in the pipe.
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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No pictures yet, but I am way too excited not to post. I just returned from a 10-day holiday and found my mailbox overflowing with little parts packages from China!
I now have every single part for the control panel except for the amp meter (Volt meter came today so I expect it soon) and my control panel enclosure which I should have late next month.
I also have the elements and their cables, and got my large Greenlee punch for the keggles, so I will also start those soon.
And finally, a brand new auto-range multi-meter and all the shrink wrap and expandable braided tubing also arrived.
I cannot WAIT to get started on this thing!
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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KES
Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 472 Location: Iowa
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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You're going to find that building the control panel yourself is very rewarding. I always get "WOW!" comments from everyone who sees it. Especially after you say, "I built that."
_________________ “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” B. Franklin
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BeerguyNC61
Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 21 Location: North Carolina
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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How sad is that to read "mailbox full of packages from China" !!
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huaco
Joined: 05 Apr 2012 Posts: 1506 Location: Burleson Texas
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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BeerguyNC61 wrote: | How sad is that to read "mailbox full of packages from China" !! |
Ok... try to find ALL these components made in the USA. Go ahead, try... I bet you will be hard-pressed to find them. This is just the nature of the world in which we live no-days. Do I like it - NO - but don't bust someone's chops for purchasing goods sourced from China.
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BeerguyNC61
Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 21 Location: North Carolina
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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Not busting anyones chops!! As you just expressed your opinion I was expressing mine!!!
Now go away and brew another award winning brew already!!
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huaco
Joined: 05 Apr 2012 Posts: 1506 Location: Burleson Texas
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Link Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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BeerguyNC61 wrote: | Not busting anyones chops!! As you just expressed your opinion I was expressing mine!!!
Now go away and brew another award winning brew already!! |
Haha... no problem man. Just trying to clear things up.
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 2:28 am Post subject: |
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BeerguyNC61 wrote: | How sad is that to read "mailbox full of packages from China" !! |
Not sad at all. Chinese Ebay sellers offer free and easy shipping to Canada, where I live. And it's often just as fast as expensive shipping from the USA, if they'll even ship to me.
Actually, lots of my other parts came from US sellers, and I even used a US shipping depot to receive all my packages. I guess my own country is the real loser here, but hey, that's the free market.
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 8:33 am Post subject: |
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Update!
I know it's been a while, but I am still working away on my system. As of last update I was just waiting on the box to come in from Pioneer Breaker. It came in over Christmas and I got a chance to get out in the garage tonight to do a little work on it.
As previous builders have noted, the cable plate is a little different on the "new" version of the box. I don't really care if the thing is flush and smooth, and I'm using 2 small heatsinks so I just used the included gasket and self-tapping screws and attached the cable plate to the top of the box:
After that I took off the door and marked it all up:
While drinking a home brew, of course.
I got to use my new drill press! I opted for hole saws, since Crappy Tire (for those not in the know, that's a term of endearment for Canadian Tire) had a decent set of bimetal hole saws on sale for less than one step bit. The 22mm one is pretty much toast now.
All went well, except for the two holes that I could not use the drill press for (the work area was not deep enough). I ruined 2 pilot bits (I'm still not sure how - I wasn't using a whole lot of pressure) and destroyed what was left of the hole saw. One hole is pretty ugly, but the switch should cover up most of the damage. I also noticed that the switches/lights seem to be ever-so-slightly too large for the holes, but that is nothing that a little bit of filing won't take care of.
I plan to cut the square holes and the holes on the bottom tomorrow, as well as move the grounding post.
This is FUN.
-SookeBrewing
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 12:41 am Post subject: |
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Good progress today! I cut out the rest of the holes for the PIDs and Volt/Amp meters. It went amazingly well, actually. I was worried that my cheap-o jigsaw would have trouble cutting through the panel, but the bimetal blades I bought went through it just as easy as plywood!
Once I had all the holes cut I set to work filing them smooth and fixing any lines that weren't straight. The holes I cut for the volt and amp meters were not quite big enough, but a little filing fixed that. As I mentioned above, the 22mm holes were slightly too small, which I took care of with a grinding stone on my rotary tool.
Here's what the panel looked like all cleaned up:
And here's what it looks like with components dry-fitted. As you can see I went with the Auber timer, and unfortunately my volt and amp meters are not a matching set - they are both blue though. It bugs me enough that I may order another so I can have them match.
I hope to get a little more time out there tonight or this week at some point to get the heatsinks cut and the bottom of the panel drilled.
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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woodenboatguy
Joined: 19 Sep 2012 Posts: 96 Location: Mississauga, ON
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Link Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 2:57 am Post subject: |
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Very helpful set of photos! I have an enclosure that I haven't yet been ready to put under the knife so seeing one emerging from the process is very helpful.
Congrats on a great looking job.
(I especially love seeing the cabinet assembled but wtihout its tags....something about an old comment from Kal that it "doesn't look right" that makes me smile everytime I see one "nekkid" now!).
I really need to get started on this.
Cheers.
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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Update:
I drilled all the holes in the bottom of the box - this required some, uh, creative drill press work - I had to put some lumber underneath it to get more height and clamp it down. All went pretty well though.
Then I moved the grounding post, primed and painted the box, and installed all the components on the door and backplate:
I started some of the wiring yesterday - but had to stop when I realized that some of my components (relays and fuse block) need quick-connects not spade terminals.
I also punched and drilled the boxes and back plates for my heating elements.
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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huaco
Joined: 05 Apr 2012 Posts: 1506 Location: Burleson Texas
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Link Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice background... That stuff went FAST!
Looking good, and that's the way to think outside of the box with your drill press!
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:49 am Post subject: |
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huaco wrote: | Very nice background... That stuff went FAST!
Looking good, and that's the way to think outside of the box with your drill press! |
Thanks - I am in good with the guy that runs a local specialty liquor store so I was able to secure two cases of the stuff. The one pictured there is being cellared - with one bottle to be drunk each of the next six Christmases.
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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vedrosrp
Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 20 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Drinking: Amber Ale, Bavarian Weizen, Oatmeal Stout
Working on: Dead Ringer IPA, Walking Dead IPA, Orange Wheat Saison
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Link Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: North Wall Brewing (working title) Build Thread |
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perogi wrote: | SookeBrewing wrote: |
I am considering (ie, pretty damn sure) I'm going to tile the wall behind the brew stand for ease of cleaning and of course protection - OSB doesn't like wet. |
That the first thing I thought of when I saw the pics. Definitely put some sort of barrier up there. |
I used FRP panels similar to the ones they use in commercial breweries and kitchens. 4' x 8' sheets that can be mounted to "any solid substrate material". You might need to have your ping-pong partner help if you go this route. It's a little combersome when it's all glued up. Completely waterproof when done.
I agree with everyone else about the Westie background! None of it came to Virginia but I had a friend who scored some in California and presented me with a bottle for Christmas! Now I just need to figure out when to have it.
Super nice build you have going so far!
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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It's ALIIIIIIIIIVE!
Well, the blue light turns on and the relay goes CLUNK when I turn the key. First bit of wiring is a success!
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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vedrosrp
Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 20 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Drinking: Amber Ale, Bavarian Weizen, Oatmeal Stout
Working on: Dead Ringer IPA, Walking Dead IPA, Orange Wheat Saison
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Link Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Isn't it an awesome feeling?! That 1st affirmation that things are going as planned!
_________________ Libertas est non gratis - (ask a vet)
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SookeBrewing
Joined: 01 Sep 2012 Posts: 69 Location: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Link Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:41 am Post subject: |
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You're looking at the Amp and Volt meters powered up and working.... right before the AC to DC converter let out the blue smoke for the Amp meter....
I have no idea what happened. I turned on the switch and it was fine. Turned it off for a few seconds and turned it back on.... FIZZZ POP SMOKE.
I suspect maybe it was a bad AC to DC converter as I had trouble with it. When I was setting the output voltage it wouldn't go lower than 11.5 or 12V. But I noticed that the voltage changed when I pressed down on the probes of my multimeter. So I took it off the back plate and tested it off the plate and it worked fine. I was able to set the voltage to 4.9 volts, no problem.
So I thought maybe it wasn't seated right on the plate. I added another plastic washer before I put it back on the backplate - tested it, 4.9V, perfect. So I hooked up the rest of the wires and fired it up.
As the picture shows, the Amp meter was working fine and the volt meter was displaying something odd (Haven't completed the loop to the boil relay yet).
So it seems it was fine. Well after that happened I thought I'd try the amp meter with the remaining good power supply to ensure it wasn't fried also... and it was displaying 2-4 amps so I guess it's fried too.
Sucks - everything was going so well and now I have to wait for more parts
My O-rings, spacers and lock nuts for the elements are arriving next week - I was hoping to be able to fire it up soon thereafter.
_________________ - Sooke, BC, Canada
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