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Brewery build thread
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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


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Question about relays when powered up. As I continue to test my panel I noticed that when the boil or hlt relay is engaged there sometimes is a buzzing sound. This does not happen when I energize the power in relay. I do not have any heating elements attached. The buzzing cannot be heard when the panel door is closed. Is this normal or is there a possible problem? Thanks
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 12:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimbus3000 wrote:
Question about relays when powered up. As I continue to test my panel I noticed that when the boil or hlt relay is engaged there sometimes is a buzzing sound. This does not happen when I energize the power in relay. I do not have any heating elements attached. The buzzing cannot be heard when the panel door is closed. Is this normal or is there a possible problem? Thanks

I had this problem once on one of my relays. It's due to the contact plate chattering. It was caused by the relay not pulling in properly due to a low current load. I also found that the braid wires leading to the plate were slightly bent to the side. The wires were pulling on the plate and stopping a clean contact.
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exception13




Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 13
Location: Orleans, ON

Drinking: Brown Ale

Working on: American IPA


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
Link to Qmax punches at Amazon.com that helps support our forum at no additional cost to you:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=q.max%20punch&linkCode=ur2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&url=search-alias%3Dtools&linkId=WQIKWFI356RNC635

Thank you!

Kal


Hey Kal,

Are these conduit or radio punches that you've linked to?

Chris
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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: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I simply linked to any and all qmax punches on Amazon in case someone wants to try them and support our site at the same time. (Thank you!)

I don't endorse these punches as I have never used them. I can only recommend what I've used myself which are the punches I recommend in my parts list here:

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/parts-list-for-building

If you're unsure what to use or have doubts about the quality of these less expensive punches, I recommend you use the the punches from the parts list above. They are known to work well and are good quality. Good luck!

Kal

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My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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VaWineSnob




Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Posts: 89



PostLink    Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used Qmax punch, it worked but by the time I was done the threads were out of whack and the die was dull. I only used it on the kettles, not on the control panel. I also used Concord kettles. I don't think they would last on the heavier gauge Blichman kettles or the control panel.
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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am currently using the QMax punches on my 100 quart Concord kettles that I am building now. The QMax punches are not of the quality of the Greenlee (I used a Greenlee 7/8" punch on my control panel door) but are punching clean holes in the kettles. The Concord kettles are 18 gauge stainless. I also noticed that the threads are starting to show wear. I have punched six 13/16" holes so far. If I need to I will just replace the draw bolt. The Greenlee punches are high quality and you cannot go wrong with them. Given the price difference in my case it was hard to justify the Greenlee price for three kettles. Speaking of building kettles, I have a question about the orientation of the valves on the mash tun and HLT. Kal's design has the water input valve on the HLT and the input valve on the mash tun oriented horizontally. Is there a reason that the valves could not be oriented vertically below a 90 elbow? My thought is that this would put less strain on the weldless fitting since there would be less of a "lever arm" effect when the hoses are full. Thanks
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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: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimbus3000 wrote:
Is there a reason that the valves could not be oriented vertically below a 90 elbow? My thought is that this would put less strain on the weldless fitting since there would be less of a "lever arm" effect when the hoses are full. Thanks

Sure - you can do that, but don't do it for the reasons you specify. That stress/strain you mention is irrelevant. There is no kettle manufacturer out there that installs them this way.

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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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finished punching holes in my kettles. Any suggestion on what to use to remove the small amount of cutting oil film that is left from drilling. Heating elements from Spike should be here today or tomorrow then I can start testing the 220 volt portion of the panel.
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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: Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any cleaner/degreaser will do. Oxiclean works well.

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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huaco




Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 1506
Location: Burleson Texas


PostLink    Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Barkeeper's Friend works great!
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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Will be ordering my Vortex fan next week and have a question about location in the ducting. My plan is to come through the wall from the hood turn 90 and run level for about twelve foot where it will exit out of the carport gable end. If I install it this way does it matter whether the fan is before or after the 90 bend?
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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another question about venting. I plan on building a vent hood that will measure 32" wide X 44" long X 13" deep. I will be installing a VTX600 fan mounted into the side of the hood. The ducting will have 1 90 elbow and five foot of straight duct to the exit. This will provide 30" of clearance to the top of the kettles. My question is if the hood is too high above the kettles to properly vent out the steam? Thanks
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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: Mon Jan 25, 2016 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimbus3000 wrote:
Another question about venting. I plan on building a vent hood that will measure 32" wide X 44" long X 13" deep. I will be installing a VTX600 fan mounted into the side of the hood. The ducting will have 1 90 elbow and five foot of straight duct to the exit. This will provide 30" of clearance to the top of the kettles. My question is if the hood is too high above the kettles to properly vent out the steam? Thanks


You should be fine. Just remember these fans pull a lot of air and that you will need to have make up air for the system not to suck from sources such as your furnace vent and hot water heater vent in your home. I'm set up in my attached garage and during the winter I open the man door just a tiny crack to let air in as not to create a vacuum in the house.

Hope this helps, Castermmt

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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finished my boil kettle. Decided to do a test run with just water. Fired it up and everything was going as it should. Now the question, about halfway to reaching boil I noticed two small drops of water oozing slowly out of the side of the kettle about 2" up from the bottom and about 6" away from the heating element. The drops were about a 1/4" apart. I went ahead and kept on heating the water and watched the drips to see if they were increasing. About 2/3 of the way into the boil the drips stopped and never came back. Now there are two very very small spots with a kind of frosted look where the drips were but I can not see any kind of pin hole. Anyone have an idea what happened? I am going on the thought that there were pinholes but it seems odd that they would seal up. Any suggestions on how to fix this if the leaks return? Thanks
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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: Wed Jan 27, 2016 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The drops formed on the kettle wall? Nowhere near a fixture of any sort? Are you sure? That is very odd.
Are you sure they didn't run down the side and it was simply hard to see?

Can you post a closeup picture? Are these kettles new? What brand?

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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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The drops were about an inch above the bottom and about six inches from the heating element. Definitely not condensation or running down the side. New Concorde 100 quart kettles. After I started looking closer at the area it seems like there may be a small horizontal "crack" in the kettle wall but it is real tough to tell. I have posted a picture and you can see what looks like a calcium trail on the side.


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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: Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Picture's too fuzzy to tell much. I would take a better pic and talk to whoever sold you these kettles (I'm assuming they're new?). I wouldn't like the idea of a crack or a leak in a kettle even if it appears to have gone away.

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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View user's photo album (21 photos)
Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One call to Amazon and a new kettle is on the way.
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huaco




Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 1506
Location: Burleson Texas


PostLink    Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazon customer service rocks! I've had packages go missing... (light packages blown away on a really windy day) They shipped new stuff, no questions asked. Mine was only o-rings and such... your wares are much more expensive than mine! lol
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Nimbus3000




Joined: 06 Nov 2014
Posts: 123
Location: Western Washington State


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:23 am    Post subject: Brewery Build Thread Reply with quote

Did a test boil on my kettle today. Had about 11 gallons of water in the kettle. Kettle measures 20" in diameter by 20" in height. I was running my PID on manual at 100 % with a 5500 watt element (amp gauge was showing 22.4) and the only area that seemed to be boiling was a strip about 3" wide running along the length of the element. The water in the rest of the kettle was fairly calm. Having not done this before, is this the way it is supposed to work? It just does not seem like I am getting the kind of boil that I should be? After boiling for 90 minutes I calculated a boil off rate of 2 gallons per hour Thanks.
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