It's using a Tchibo Mulled Wine heater (very similar to the old Lidl jam/mulled wine vessels used on here), 29L capacity with a integral 1800W plate heater.
The plan is to leave the pot largely alone, can't start drilling it as it's enamelled.
I'll be building a control unit which will be arduino based, running an improved* (IMO) version of Open Ardbir.
I'll be recirculating during mash in, mashing and mash out stages, a 12v solar pump will be handing that, speed control using PWM.
Digital temp sensor (ds18b20) will be fitted to a stainless tee on the exterior of the pot, between the pot and the outlet tap.
Progress so far:
Existing plastic tap removed from pot and replaced with stainless version.
Hop manifold built and fitted to interior compression fitting.
Camping mat jacket for pot outer made.
Compression fitting drilled out to accept ds18b20 probe into stainless tee piece
Arduino s/w running on a testbed with ds18b20, keypad, 20x4 LCD display and LEDs simulating pump, heater, buzzer. Running nicely on an Arduino UNO with some minor issues resolved.
To Do
Source enclosure for controller and fit it out with Arduino, LCD display, keypad, PSU, SSR, buzzer, LEDs, temp sensor connector, connections for heating element and pump
Wire it all up and brew!
Future
Move software platform from Arduino to ESP8266 (currently compiles and runs on it) and add wireless control / over the air firmware update
Possibly add a flow meter to the system for the initial filling if the pot with water
I'm looking to do an initial test next w/e without the controller, just to make sure the pot is actually usable
Pics to follow.
* improved in implementation terms, still provides the same level of functionality but is technically more elegant.
