Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Suggestions, Problems, Availability, etc. Everything is up for discussion.
JonW
Site Admin
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:51 am
Bot?: No
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by JonW »

For normal ale ferm temps of 66-68 I use 1 degree diff on the fermenters and 5 degrees on the glycol bath. Glycol is chilled to 50. At this temp, the glycol chiller only cycles a couple of times a day.
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

I have a 27 Gal non jacketed that I use from my Ales. I have a "Cold Room" that is insulated and Air Conditioned with a room AC with a CoolBot. It does a good job keeping the Ale at 65-68. I have my Brewer's Hardware Jacketed Conical in the "Cold Room" as well. I plan on using it for Lagers in the 50 degree range so I will try a 1 degree swing on the valves and maybe 5 degrees on the Glycol Bath at maybe 36 degrees. I know that Gylcol gets less fluid as the temperture decreases.

On my first try I will watch it like a Hawk in case I need to change it.

When I cold crash, I will get the Gylcol lower.

I do have a question about that however:

When Cold Crashing, should I get the Glycol Batch down to 32 first while still having the valves at 50?

Or

Let both the bath and conical go down togather?

In the past I used a Freezer and Corny kegs as fermentation vessels. I just cranked down the Johnson Control on the freezer to Cold Crash.
JonW
Site Admin
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:51 am
Bot?: No
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by JonW »

For logic sake, I would just crash them together. Your glycol will get there within minutes, so no reason to start it separate and wait for it.

One thing you might want to check with your solenoid valves is the temperature operating range of the diaphragms.
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

Almost done! I have all the wiring for the Fermentor BCS done. I have the Gylcol Chiller done and just did my first Test Run. The chiller cooled the glycol bath form 74 to 50 in about an hour. (15 gal bath 50/50 with 5000 btu window ac). I just have to get the valve working (wiring is done on a 3 way ball spring valve that bypasses back to the valve unless cooling is called for.), but have not got it working yet. Will work on in the morning before I buy the Grain Bill.

I cleaned the Fermenter and it is ready.

I am going to brew a Lager Sunday at 50 degrees. I will have the valve set to Hysteresis with a .5 degree swing at 50. I am having the Glycol bath at 49 degrees with a Hysteresis of 1 degree. I am also going to use my new Huge HLT (http://forum.embeddedcc.c om/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2860) which I cleaned with PBW for 12 hours and then treated with Citric Acid for 24 hours. I have set up some DINs do that if I lose power, the Diacytel Rest will be programmed to continue with the last State. ( I will be leaving to play golf in South Carolina in the middle of the brew, so I so not want to repeat the Diacytel rest.)

Just as a Note: I am on my second Window AC Unit. Some You Tube Videos are totally wrong. I destroyed the first one as it would turn off after a few seconds. Do NOT remove any fans or electronics from a Window AC Unit. Just extend the Cooler Coil to your bath.
JonW
Site Admin
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:51 am
Bot?: No
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by JonW »

You need to set a larger swing or you'll short cycle your AC unit too much.

Don't know what Youtube instructions you went from, but you can absolutely remove the evaporator fan since you are placing the evaporator into the glycol. You can also remove the electronics controls if you've properly rewired it. Getting a non-electronic model is much easier though as it is easier to remove the manual temp sensor/control unit.
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

I just opened the AC Unit and removed the screws holding the evaporator coil. It worked best to come out the side. I cut a small piece of the cover off and just re installed the cover. I left all of the fans attached as well as the electronics. I moved the sensor that was on the evaporator coil to near the condenser line so it is out of the way. The Exhaust fan and the Blower (Evaporator) Fan are on the same shaft so I thought it best to leave it alone. Basically, I removed the cover, undid the 4 screws holding the coil, bent it out, cut the cover, reinstalled the cover and was done. I have changed the swing to 4 degrees for the Glycol bath.
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

Working very well:
Days of graphs like this:
Blue and Green are Temp Probes in the Conical, The Red is the Glycol Bath. Stays within 1.2 degrees (49.9 to 51.1) with a Setpoint of 50 and swing of 1.
The Green is the Controlling Temp.
Pivo.png
Pivo.png (43.47 KiB) Viewed 5475 times
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

Ramp up for Diacytel Rest
ramp up Diacytel.png
ramp up Diacytel.png (30.17 KiB) Viewed 5451 times
User avatar
oakbarn
Posts: 846
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:28 pm
Bot?: No
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by oakbarn »

Fermentation with Diacetyl Rest went extremely well. I was able to Program all the Steps and it worked great. The BCS did all the work and I even went on a vacation during the fermentation and the Diacetyl Rest was accomplished while I was gone. I did have Remote Access setup and my Brew Buddies for “emergencies”, but there were none.

I have never had such control over a fermentation and the beer came out the most clear I have seen out of the Fermentor.

The beer tastes more “clean” to me without any off flavors that I can detect. While I have done this beer in a Freezer as a Fermentation Chamber, I did not have this good of control.

Now I am thinking of another one! :o
JonW
Site Admin
Posts: 1726
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:51 am
Bot?: No
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Contact:

Re: Thinking of getting a Jacketed Fermenter

Post by JonW »

All this talk of making great beer and not so much as even a picture of it! :P
Post Reply