Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself to this forum. My name is Mitch Pilchuk and I live in Northern Virginia. I brew in the basement of my business shop and this is where the BCS will reside. I plan on placing it on my network which is mostly Apple with a few Windows PCs. There are two Apple airport extremes involved as well as hard wire. I have only played a little with putting the BCS on the network. I need to just use the BCS now to get going, then I'll get it on the network later. I plan on controlling a HLT, my mash temperatures using a heat exchanger and controlling fermentation temps with it. The HLT is my first step. I have taken a keg, cut the top and welded two 1 inch SS couplers to it. I put a 1500 watt heat element in each. The welding isn't pretty and wasn't even the correct type of welding (Mig) for stainless steel, but it worked. I added weld-less fittings for the main valve and a site glass with one of the probes that I got with the BCS. I really like the temp probes that I purchased with the BCS. I took one, and put it inside a thermowell that I purchased a while back on the Brew Board Forum. It is SS a foot and a half long. I'll use this to stick in a two hole stopper to place in my fermenting wort. I had to do a bit of trimming to get it into the well. Think I'm going to fill the well with a substance of some sort to seal it. Now I have to wire up some SSRs so I can use the BCS to control stuff.
Well, good to be here and hopefully we can all learn from each other and make some interesting beer with our BCS controlled breweries.
Introductions
Re: Introductions
hey Mitch, Welcome. I was able to network my BCS and direct connect it after some fussing around with it . but I was not able to use the apple airport extreme
to connect freestanding. It networked with my verzion router without any problems. if you manage to get the stand alone airport extreme connected to the BCS .. post up . In the meantime I bought 25 feet of Cat 5 cable for the direct connect
I started making my control box and since my BCS will be outdoors it will be water proof. separate from the SSR's I got for the system
My name is Brett BTW
again welcome. hope to learn more as more people use the system.
to connect freestanding. It networked with my verzion router without any problems. if you manage to get the stand alone airport extreme connected to the BCS .. post up . In the meantime I bought 25 feet of Cat 5 cable for the direct connect
I started making my control box and since my BCS will be outdoors it will be water proof. separate from the SSR's I got for the system
My name is Brett BTW
again welcome. hope to learn more as more people use the system.
Re: Introductions
Since my unit will hopefully be shipping tomorrow and I know I will undoubtedly be bugging you guys with some off the wall questions in the near future, I just wanted to introduce myself here. My name is Dan and I brew in northern Alabama. I've got my system set up in a dedicated brewshed, it's currently a single tier propane fired HERMS system using converted kegs. I am currently seriously considering changing the HLT to electric as I feel a bit safer automating that if it's electric. If my current shed wiring will support that, I plan to convert it very soon. I also plan on doing a custom GUI for the controller and would love to eventually just use my iphone to control everything once it's up and running.
Re: Introductions
Good to meet you guys.
Brett, We'll get the BCS working with the Extreme. I have a few guys who are familiar with Apple networking and Networking in general, Hell, Jason, who rents the upstairs of my shop for his SCUBA store worked for Apple. It isn't on the top of my list right now. I need to get my HTL up and controlled with it first.
Dan, a brew shed sounds like a great place to hang out.
I also would like to control my system with my iPhone. It's not like it is all that important to the usability of the BCS, but it'd be fun.Noah is one of the beta tester of the BCS and has mentioned something about controlling with his iPhone. We were out at a beer tasting at the infamous BrickSkeller (http://www.lovethebeer.com/brickskeller.html) in Washington DC. (Ok not famous in Northern Alabama, but a great place to talk with brewers and drink beer from all over the US) Noah showed me his iPhone with the BCS control page on it. He clicked on a control button and said "I just turned on my christmas lights"
I am currently using Kegs converted to Mashtun and Kettle. I have a Blichmann 14.5 Conical and I also use a few 6 gal carboys and a few 5 gal ones. I have a chillzilla that I plan on using to control the mash temperatures with as well as cooling the wort. Noah is already using one for his system. He is also heating and cooling his fridge for temp controls.
We probably need to get some place for photos going here as they will inspire others to duplicate and try new things.
Brett, We'll get the BCS working with the Extreme. I have a few guys who are familiar with Apple networking and Networking in general, Hell, Jason, who rents the upstairs of my shop for his SCUBA store worked for Apple. It isn't on the top of my list right now. I need to get my HTL up and controlled with it first.
Dan, a brew shed sounds like a great place to hang out.
I also would like to control my system with my iPhone. It's not like it is all that important to the usability of the BCS, but it'd be fun.Noah is one of the beta tester of the BCS and has mentioned something about controlling with his iPhone. We were out at a beer tasting at the infamous BrickSkeller (http://www.lovethebeer.com/brickskeller.html) in Washington DC. (Ok not famous in Northern Alabama, but a great place to talk with brewers and drink beer from all over the US) Noah showed me his iPhone with the BCS control page on it. He clicked on a control button and said "I just turned on my christmas lights"
I am currently using Kegs converted to Mashtun and Kettle. I have a Blichmann 14.5 Conical and I also use a few 6 gal carboys and a few 5 gal ones. I have a chillzilla that I plan on using to control the mash temperatures with as well as cooling the wort. Noah is already using one for his system. He is also heating and cooling his fridge for temp controls.
We probably need to get some place for photos going here as they will inspire others to duplicate and try new things.
Re: Introductions
Mitch - the Brickskeller is famous in northern Alabama as well, we just can't get there so often. I get there when I can, but here in AL with the 6% cap there are no world class bars unfortunately. Hopefully this will be the year that we get that law changed. Until then, it's a 3.5 drive and an overnight stay at the Brickstore Pun in ATL (http://www.brickstorepub.com/home/) for a great bar.
Excited to hear that others are interested in using the Iphone to access the BCS, hopefully we can help each other out there.
Investigated the shed wiring yesterday (220V 60 amp service) and it looks like I'll be switching to two 4500W heating elements in my mash tun for sure. My unit is on it's way, I need to get on the ball!
Excited to hear that others are interested in using the Iphone to access the BCS, hopefully we can help each other out there.
Investigated the shed wiring yesterday (220V 60 amp service) and it looks like I'll be switching to two 4500W heating elements in my mash tun for sure. My unit is on it's way, I need to get on the ball!
Re: Introductions
looks like I am limited to 15 amps at the present location I have my brew stuff. I hope I can run the pump and BCS and heat control fan for the heat sink I am using on the
D2425 SSR's. I am now looking for an insulated bus bar to make the power dist. safer and cleaner looking .. going to home depot this AM . Once I get the whole thing functional I will start a thread with pics. and answer any questions to anyone that may have some to ask
Brett
D2425 SSR's. I am now looking for an insulated bus bar to make the power dist. safer and cleaner looking .. going to home depot this AM . Once I get the whole thing functional I will start a thread with pics. and answer any questions to anyone that may have some to ask
Brett
-
IrishBeerBaron
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:12 pm
Re: Introductions
You should have no problem running those three on a 15A circuit.
Re: Introductions
Zulu here
South African boy transplanted and taken root here in NC , Greensboro to be specific. Noah, Adam and I have been in regular contact during Beta and even now as we brew. I am president of our Local Homebrew club and would say i am serious about beer, 3 taps inside and 4 outside with another 4 picnic taps when full. In all I can have 15 full cornie kegs under temp control and still have the fermenter running separate. I use far too much electricity , and still yell as my kids to switch off lights
. time for a walk in cooler I think, mmmm perfect for a BCS......
Today my BCS controls a RIMS currently firing a 1500watt element. My system was already under control with a poor quality PID controller, so it was an easy change over for me as it was already SSR controlled. My whole system is home built - 3 tier -Keggle based HLT and kettle with propane heat, and with a 48qt Igloo Marine cooler with CPVC manifold with 7 pipes slotted on band saw, many pics on my picassa pages - link at bottom. Need to upload some new ones though.
My system was built to Fly sparge but I batch sparge almost all beers now and still get 80-85% eff . My BCS is programmed to run a stepped mash and mashout for my brew day. The BCS has been incredible for accurate mash temps with little to no overshoot even when stepping. I now have 6 brews under my belt using it. I already have my propane control valve and will soon experiment with also firing the HLT with Propane so that I can wake up a bit later and the system will be auto start and hit strike temp automatically for me. The valve has a pilot and thermocouple for safety.
I am also in final stages (for some 4 weeks now) in getting the BCS to control the fermenter fridge too , with both Heat and cooling. Today I have both Ranco and Love controllers working in my systems. But not doing both heat and cooling on one system yet.
Shout for help, rick dot abc at gmail
To paraphrase Phil Markowski ...... there is an old adage that says farmers make wine, engineers make beer.
http://picasaweb.google.com/rick.abc/ZenzeleBrewery#
South African boy transplanted and taken root here in NC , Greensboro to be specific. Noah, Adam and I have been in regular contact during Beta and even now as we brew. I am president of our Local Homebrew club and would say i am serious about beer, 3 taps inside and 4 outside with another 4 picnic taps when full. In all I can have 15 full cornie kegs under temp control and still have the fermenter running separate. I use far too much electricity , and still yell as my kids to switch off lights
. time for a walk in cooler I think, mmmm perfect for a BCS...... Today my BCS controls a RIMS currently firing a 1500watt element. My system was already under control with a poor quality PID controller, so it was an easy change over for me as it was already SSR controlled. My whole system is home built - 3 tier -Keggle based HLT and kettle with propane heat, and with a 48qt Igloo Marine cooler with CPVC manifold with 7 pipes slotted on band saw, many pics on my picassa pages - link at bottom. Need to upload some new ones though.
My system was built to Fly sparge but I batch sparge almost all beers now and still get 80-85% eff . My BCS is programmed to run a stepped mash and mashout for my brew day. The BCS has been incredible for accurate mash temps with little to no overshoot even when stepping. I now have 6 brews under my belt using it. I already have my propane control valve and will soon experiment with also firing the HLT with Propane so that I can wake up a bit later and the system will be auto start and hit strike temp automatically for me. The valve has a pilot and thermocouple for safety.
I am also in final stages (for some 4 weeks now) in getting the BCS to control the fermenter fridge too , with both Heat and cooling. Today I have both Ranco and Love controllers working in my systems. But not doing both heat and cooling on one system yet.
Shout for help, rick dot abc at gmail
To paraphrase Phil Markowski ...... there is an old adage that says farmers make wine, engineers make beer.
http://picasaweb.google.com/rick.abc/ZenzeleBrewery#
Re: Introductions
Shut up, Jay.Jay wrote:Hi Mitch,
Nice to meet you.
-Jay
Jay is a brewing buddy as is Noah. We are all in the same club (novahomebrew.com) I think we are all members of BURP as well (burp.burp.org).
Last edited by mpilchuk on Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:03 am, edited 1 time in total.