I've finally got my RIMS Tube about ready for release. I'm offering a few units to qualified Beta Testers at half price in an effort to get more input and better test the unit. There is the option to order it with a BCS-460 dedicated sensor instead of the thermowell.
"You must also use a pump to move the wort across the element. A control relay must be installed that prevents the element’s control relay from closing unless the pump is operating. There are quite a few ways to accomplish this, but your system should be wired so that the element cannot energize if the wort is not moving across it. This wiring in conjunction with the temperature monitor are the only safety features preventing the element from boiling wort in the tube resulting in a dangerous build up of pressure and possible explosion."
I don't currently have mine set up to do this. Can anyone detail it here or point out another post showing these ideas?
Derrin, wish I knew of this before you did that 2.5" tri for me, which worked great last week when I used it. Thanks
I signed up with Derrin and prepurchased the RIMS Tube to test this out and would encourage others meeting the requirement to do so. I have been interested in adding an electric option for testing purposes for some time now. Who knows, I may switch to an electric mash after this. I am still planning on using some sort of gas for the HLT and BK.
The requirements can be designed easy enough into the BCS-460. Only allow the heating relay to turn on when the pump is recirculating. I don't see this being an issue for those who recirculate since most of us get our temperature of the mash based on the temperature of the recirculating wort. The only issue I see would be some sort of pump failure or user error.
Perhaps you could make a "Kill" type process that will turn the entire process off if the temperature probe from the RIMS Tube reaches 170 degrees? We wouldn't want to mash this hot anyway and Derrin has posted that it is not recommended to have the inside wort hotter than 170 degrees.
You could also make some sort of hard wire loop for this system as well. Power only flows to the heating element when power is flowing to the pump. Perhaps a secondary relay not related to the BCS-460.
gbrewer wrote:Perhaps you could make a "Kill" type process that will turn the entire process off if the temperature probe from the RIMS Tube reaches 170 degrees?
Would a secondary exit condition satisfy this requirement? I have not programmed a secondary condition yet. Are they an "and" or an "or" condition? I haven't tested it out yet, but I'm thinking I could set a secondary exit condition whenever the RIMS tube is on where if the output temp is >= 170* (or whatever temp I set), it will kill the entire system (proc off).
banjolawyer wrote:Doesn't it seem that the proximity of the heating element end to the thermowell tip would result in a reading that you're not quite looking for?
Banjolawyer,
I think your statement may end up being what I find. I have an extra temp probe that I have yet put to use. I plan on leaving one of the temp probes in my mash tun return and most likely will use this for the "on/off" of the rims tube element based on this reading. I have a feeling the probe directly in the rims tube will end up being more of a safety type device so I can make sure it doesn't over heat. I will moniter both of these temperatures and see which one provides the most accurate reading.
Derrin wants two batches ran during his Beta Phase. Perhaps I will do one batch with the rims tube probe regulating the temperature and one with the mash tun return regulating the temperature.
gbrewer wrote:Perhaps you could make a "Kill" type process that will turn the entire process off if the temperature probe from the RIMS Tube reaches 170 degrees?
Would a secondary exit condition satisfy this requirement? I have not programmed a secondary condition yet. Are they an "and" or an "or" condition? I haven't tested it out yet, but I'm thinking I could set a secondary exit condition whenever the RIMS tube is on where if the output temp is >= 170* (or whatever temp I set), it will kill the entire system (proc off).
Brian.
I think you might be right. Perhaps ECC can chime in.
gbrewer wrote:
I think your statement may end up being what I find. I have an extra temp probe that I have yet put to use. I plan on leaving one of the temp probes in my mash tun return and most likely will use this for the "on/off" of the rims tube element based on this reading. I have a feeling the probe directly in the rims tube will end up being more of a safety type device so I can make sure it doesn't over heat. I will moniter both of these temperatures and see which one provides the most accurate reading.
This is exactly what I am planning to do with mine as well. I'm looking to go from Mash Tun out -> RIMS Tube -> Pump -> Mash Tun return. I need to come up with a better way to waterproof the electrical element end though before I get everything plugged in. A trip to the hardware store is in order for tomorrow.
Let me know what you cover the end with. Are you going to use 240 v or 120v? I plan on using 120v since this will only be used to maintain temperature and not heat the entire process.
gbrewer wrote:Let me know what you cover the end with. Are you going to use 240 v or 120v? I plan on using 120v since this will only be used to maintain temperature and not heat the entire process.
