Ink Bird Temperture Controller for HLT

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Binkie Huckaback
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Ink Bird Temperture Controller for HLT

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Thu Oct 24, 2019 5:07 pm

I'm now the owner of a Grainfather and now want to turn my plastic boiler into a HLT.

My plan is to use a temperature controller to keep sparge water at as constant a temperature as possible. The boiler is plastic with a kettle-type element (25 litres) It was purpose built with a simmer stat which I removed.

Can anyone tell me if an Ink Bird-type controller with a probe maybe attached to the outside would work well enough or whether one with an aquarium-type probe would be best. Further, is it possible (and advisable) to fit a thermowell to a plastic boiler? If a thermowell isn't a problem, how far above the element should I place it?

Finally, does anyone have a recommendation for which model of Ink Bird I should buy?

Thanks!

TheSumOfAllBeers
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Re: Ink Bird Temperture Controller for HLT

Post by TheSumOfAllBeers » Fri Oct 25, 2019 1:33 pm

I believe the inkbird is only capable of outputting 1KW on each of its elements.

This might be ok for a HLT as long as you are not doing any step mashing with rapid time intervals (it might still be OK for this, if the volume of water being heated is low). And is fine for heating strike water over night, or as you say keeping your sparge water into the right temperature zone.

One of the inkbirds has a long probe that is suited for immersion?

guypettigrew
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Re: Ink Bird Temperture Controller for HLT

Post by guypettigrew » Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:25 pm


Binkie Huckaback
Piss Artist
Posts: 216
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Ink Bird Temperture Controller for HLT

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:08 am

Thanks guys

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