My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

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Rhodesy
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Rhodesy » Wed May 20, 2015 3:57 pm

Cxp073 wrote:https://vimeo.com/128369113

For your viewing pleasure! Will be putting this on my blog soon but thought I would give you guys a sneak peak!
Nice one, will have a look once out of the office! Your blog was really good also, its the kind of thing I was looking for when getting all the bits n bobs for mine.

I had a trial run with mine last night, it seemed to work ok with the temp control (non PID) that I have. Once the temp stabilised it would creep up a degree or so for 25 secs and then drop back down and hold for 1.30/2 mins at time. Still not as precise as a PID but think it should serve my purpose quite well when I test it out for real over the weekend, I just hope I got my flows right and no stuck mash.

Cxp073

My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Wed May 20, 2015 4:36 pm

Rhodesy - I think it should work fine when you are trying to hold a temperature; however, if you try to ramp it will almost certainly start to boil. In order to stop mine from doing that I had to turn the max power out way down. What kind of mash schedule are you going to try?

P.s thanks for letting me know you like the blog! I really want people from the UK to start reading it.. I have always wanted it to be UK focused, but most of my visitors are American..

Rhodesy
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Rhodesy » Wed May 20, 2015 4:47 pm

The flow was quite fast and didn't sound like a boil, I done as you did and put the probe on a tee at the top. I am going to do another run tomorrow I think and will check it again. Doing an imperial stout so I plan to dough in around mid 40's and then try a protein rest well because I can :D . I will then mash at 67 and do a mash out at 78. Keeping it relatively simple for my first time.

Yeah the blog is very helpful, whilst I get loads of great help on here when researching HERMS & RIMS alot of it was from US forums then seeking clarity here, there was very little I could relate to with pics so blogs such as yourself really help.

Cxp073

Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Wed May 20, 2015 5:36 pm

That's awesome to hear! What I can say is to just keep a close eye on it when you are doing the rest at 67 and especially the mash out. When the temp is hotter like that it takes less to bring to a boil. When I was on full power it didn't boil when bringing it to 62 but when I brought it to 70 it did (or at least I thought it was!). Remember also that the flow cannot be too fast or you may get a stuck mash. I'd really recommend setting up a PID: hopefully the instructions on my site / my wiring diagram will make it easy...

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orlando
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by orlando » Wed May 20, 2015 6:53 pm

Cxp073 wrote:https://vimeo.com/128369113

For your viewing pleasure! Will be putting this on my blog soon but thought I would give you guys a sneak peak!
Looks like its all figured out. Halfway through you asked about what to do with the redundant top port, if you don't want to do anything with it get yourself a blanking plate for it, you can use the triclover fitting to keep it in place and it makes a nice finish. One other point and I'm not sure whether this is important or not but I use a valve after the wort goes into the RIMS to restrict the return flow, my concern is are you getting enough wort in the RIMS tube, at 3 l pm I guess so but I like to restrict mine more so it doesn't disturb the grainbed, if you decide to go this route the current set up might be a problem.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

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Cxp073

Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Wed May 20, 2015 7:24 pm

orlando wrote:
Cxp073 wrote:https://vimeo.com/128369113

For your viewing pleasure! Will be putting this on my blog soon but thought I would give you guys a sneak peak!
Looks like its all figured out. Halfway through you asked about what to do with the redundant top port, if you don't want to do anything with it get yourself a blanking plate for it, you can use the triclover fitting to keep it in place and it makes a nice finish. One other point and I'm not sure whether this is important or not but I use a valve after the wort goes into the RIMS to restrict the return flow, my concern is are you getting enough wort in the RIMS tube, at 3 l pm I guess so but I like to restrict mine more so it doesn't disturb the grainbed, if you decide to go this route the current set up might be a problem.
Where can I get one of those blanking plates?

As far as the valve placement goes, I have read that you should never have the valve out the outlet of the tube. The reason for this is that if it was shut for some reason, the pressure could build up and you could turn your tube into a pipe bomb. Clearly this wouldn't be from the pump pressure (it would never be strong enough), but from the wort overheating and steam building up. Any thoughts?

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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Fil » Wed May 20, 2015 10:56 pm

ebay china for blanking plates, or if you want one within a week drop mrlard a note

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAINLESS-STE ... 4abe35efbb
ist update for months n months..
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orlando
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by orlando » Thu May 21, 2015 7:07 am

Cxp073 wrote:
As far as the valve placement goes, I have read that you should never have the valve out the outlet of the tube. The reason for this is that if it was shut for some reason, the pressure could build up and you could turn your tube into a pipe bomb. Clearly this wouldn't be from the pump pressure (it would never be strong enough), but from the wort overheating and steam building up. Any thoughts?
The valve is placed on the return inlet to the mash tun, not the outlet on the RIMS tube, as long as there is a proper flow over the element the PID should ensure the wort is always at the set temp. If you calibrate the PID at the ideal running speed you shouldn't have a problem.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Rhodesy » Mon May 25, 2015 10:59 am

I had a nightmare attempt at my first RIMS brew yesterday! I thought I had the flow going well however the grain compacted and from there on in it was a disaster which led to me dumping the grain. I had some extract so just done an extract brew to give me something to put in the brew fridge!

I clearly had the flow too fast and despite going 3L/Grain it was still too much. I recirculate using the Blichmann Autosparge so will have to set it stricter which will allow me to restrict the flow between the out valve on the pump to re-entering the MT. My false bottom is the standard 12" domed jobbie and using an Igloo cooler like Cxp073 is.

It is all trial and error I suppose. PID is next on the list as that is critical for this, once SWMBO allows me to spend money again that is :D

Cxp073

Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Mon May 25, 2015 12:32 pm

Rhodesy: how did you attempt to set the grain bed? Do you crush your own grain?

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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Rhodesy » Mon May 25, 2015 12:51 pm

No I never crushed my own, the MO I used in particular seemed quite fine and alot of flour. I never thought or Rice Hulls but may consider them next time out. I doughed in at 40c. I may over stirred also but really wanted to avoid dough balls

Cxp073

Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Mon May 25, 2015 1:47 pm

Over stirring wouldn't have been the problem. I re-checked my grain crush, and made it slightly courser than usual on my second brew with the system. Further, I REALLY took my time setting the grain bed. What I did was dough in, wait aprx 4-5 minutes for grain to settle, opened the valve on the tun (but had the valve on the outlet of the pump completely closed), turned on the pump, and over a period of about 5-8 minutes feathered the valve on the pump open (to about 1/3 of the way, which is about 3l/min). You probably made the same mistake I did - starting circulating at 3l/minute too quickly without letting the grain bed settle properly.

Rhodesy
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Rhodesy » Mon May 25, 2015 2:00 pm

Yeah I think I have been too keen and over done it for sure. I worked (a half day) today so will use the day I just accrued to right these wrongs!!

What did you dough in at? If I order malt how should I specify an ideal crush? I haven't used the malt miller (for malt anyway) in the past but believe he crushes to order?

This site is a lifesaver, some of the US sites make these things so much harder to understand :D

Cxp073

Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by Cxp073 » Mon May 25, 2015 2:03 pm

Malt Miller is great - he's a really nice guy and is quick to respond so just email him any questions you have.

I doughed in at 62c.

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orlando
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Re: My igloo RIMS system - help needed please!

Post by orlando » Mon May 25, 2015 4:24 pm

Rhodesy wrote:No I never crushed my own, the MO I used in particular seemed quite fine and alot of flour. I never thought or Rice Hulls but may consider them next time out. I doughed in at 40c. I may over stirred also but really wanted to avoid dough balls
Why mash in at 40c, MO is a really well modified so you should mash in at a higher strike temp so that the mash falls to your desired mash temp fairly quickly. Sounds to me like you have run the pump too hard and it has sucked the mash down onto the FB and compacted. The idea is to "float" the goods and to run the pump slowly to avoid not just compaction but channeling. I like the Electric Brewery system but finesse it by using an old tin foil container a chicken came in, punching a lot of holes in it and feeding the return hose into a bigger hole in the side. This spreads the returned wort over a wider to area to keep everything floating. Yesterday's brew returned an efficiency of over 90% and took over an hour to complete using this method. What was your grain to liquour ratio?
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

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