Stainless Steel Float Switch

[gbrewer]

Here is a fairly inexpensive stainless steel float switch which could be used in the BCS system. You can find them for a few dollars less if you risk the high ebay user rating. I used this float switch with my prior system and it worked well. (low voltage only)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stainless-Steel-Wat ... .m20.l1116

[mpilchuk]

Nice switch. I may have to pick one up. Not sure where I'd use it. Mashtun maybe, for sparge water.

[missing_link]

I ordered one just now. Most frustrating part of brewing is trying to balance the level of the mash tun. I'm going to add this into my system so once I set the flow rate in to the kettle, I will set the flow into the mash tun so that it is just barely faster to keep the pump from cycling to slow.

Would you plug this directly into the BCS or just inline with the pump?

Linc

[bsfixit]

It looks like you could use it for either. But I would not want to pipe 110v that close to water.. so better use it as a sensor in a DIN setting.
It also looks like you would need some kind of 90 degree elbow. to have it point up or down. rather than straight into the side of a container..
interesting..

[gbrewer]

I would also suggest not running this with 120V. I tested it using 120v dry and it would not release from the open position. It did not switch. I used low voltage and it had no problem. The other issue is safety. BSFIXIT said it perfectly. 110v near the water is a bad idea.

Here is a good option if you want to submerge the entire device. You could put this in the bottom of your HLT and have it turn off when it is out of water.



This is not my picture but I like how it was done.

[mpilchuk]

I would put it as a switch on the SSR for the pump low voltage side. Unless I'm missing something it should work. Great idea putting it upside down (if it will actuate the right way) to stop your elements from burning up due to no water.

[bsfixit]

That would be great to be able to put notches on that copper pipe. you could set it to fill the HLT with certain amount of water. like 3.45 gallons for the mash in. Then adjust it for sparge water amounts, In increments of .5 gallons. In addition have another one just like posted above. to turn off the heaters when the water is low in the HLT.
gbrewer? what is the SS metal slab with the SS round tube mounted on it, with the copper pipe running down the middle. And where did you get it. EDIT: sorry I did not see your disclaimer at the bottom of the switch gbrewer..

Its all brilliant !!!

[missing_link]

I'm at work now and I am trying to remember how this would work if wired in as a switch.

During the sparge I have both elements off and 2 pumps on. I'm thinking the pump moving water from the HLT to the mash should flow continuously and the pump moving the wort to the boil kettle should be controlled by the float. This keeps the incoming temperature of the sparge water constant.

During pre-heat I would like to bypass the float though because it would be to high to have the pump run or I would have to adjust the level before adding grain and after.

I suppose it will take some work to get the function figured out.

Linc

[bsfixit]

or use two float switches attatched to different DINS in the BCS or directly to the SSR's. But direct connection to the SSR's can cause conflicts if the BCS is also controlling
the SSR inputs.

I still have not had a chance to figure out how to initiate a shift from one process to another using DINS. I wish each process had more than 8 states. (0-7)

[brewmastershake]

Thanks for the heads up on those. I got a couple. I have a dual level float switch from MoreBeer that sits in my grant/hopback and controls my mash/sparge pump. It was about $150, so i think this is a much better way to go. I'll probably use them on my HLT to trigger my heat stick to cut off as the water drops, and on my mash tun to stop sparge overflow.