New Fermentation Chamber

[andybear]

Is there such a thing as a digital hydrometer? Would be cool to be able to control/ log temp and gravity during fermentation..

Maybe a little off topic but google 'beerbug'. Bit outa my price range for what it does though. Be a nice toy for those with money to throw around though.

That leaves me out lol. Will check it out. I thought there my be a cheap sensor for an arduino.

Has anyone ever tried using scales to do this? If you had 100 lts at SG 1.1 at the start it would weigh 110 kgs then as it fermented down to SG 1.0 it's weight would drop to 100 kgs. So long as the scales started at the same temperature as the ferment its change should only be due to the success in fermentation.

[bluc]

Interesting, I read a suggestion from someone on a beer brewing site of using a submerged hydrometer in a tube with a pressure sensation pad at the top pressure decrease's as gravity drops...

[andybear]

Interesting, I read a suggestion from someone on a beer brewing site of using a submerged hydrometer in a tube with a pressure sensation pad at the top pressure decrease's as gravity drops...

That sounds a bit inventive. You could use a submersible level sensor that would detect the pressure change at the bottom as the SG dropped but this is getting expensive. The transmitter is at least $100 and the indicator another $20 and you still need a 24 volt supply. This would need to be calibrated too so some test gear would be needed unless you know someone that could help.

[CaptainRedBeard]

I'm liking where this topic is going :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Always good to have a few like minded people throwing ideas around.

I've also seen a beer Brewer use a thermo well with an sg meter permanently fixed inside. Used a wifi camera inside his chamber to monitor the sg. I'm not sure it would be very effective, co2 levels and pressures giving false readings, but it was inventive non the less.

[CaptainRedBeard]

Quick update. Having a prick of a time trying to flatten this door panel. Been trying to soak it in water and re-flatten. It refuses to play nice. I really don't want to frame the door, so I might buy another piece of ply instead.

I've come to the the conclusion that I will use 2x globes in coffee tins for heat source. Mostly just because I have all the light fittings on hand from when I built my house. I'm using 2 so that when one globe fails, it will still operate normally.

So today I'm cutting and gluing in the insulation. I need to add 1 noggin in the centre where I will mount my lights and run the wiring, and I'm hopefully going to come up with a design and build a frame that sits ontop to the bench (creating a new Bench top) that will house the controller and all the wiring. Anyway, here's a pic of the insulation being glued.

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[WTDist]

:text-+1: with scales. SG refers to weight, 1000gk/m^3 has an sg of 1 and sg is just multiplying the volume by the sg or something liek that. to early for me to remember it perfect. I think if you want to know what it is throughout measure volume perfect and then you will know start and finish gravities just be weight alone

[CaptainRedBeard]

Hmm...

I think I could encorporate digital scales into this. :-B

The more I think about this, the more it's starting to turn into a robot. And all for a hobby :teasing-tease:

Anyone seen this fermenter chamber build before: http://www.brewgeeks.com/build-a-ferm-chamber.html? It's kinda where I'm getting my inspiration from. A few things I think they cut corners with, but overall it's pretty damn awesome. I like the brew software they use to monitor their brews. All displayed on an old computer monitor mounted on the side. Even though I don't need it, I want it. 8-}

[andybear]

So I had a quick look on ebay and found this. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-EuroChef ... SwmtJXYN-4
It has a 50g resolution, so as you would be looking for a 10000g change in a 100lt wash it will be more than adequate. It also has a remote indicator, perfect. Its an auction so I don't know the finish price but its up to $54 plus 15 for postage but that looks pretty good to me. Note its the change in weight that we are concerned with, not the actual weight.

[bluc]

This is interesting http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Load-Cell-Scale/ might be able to scale it to whatever size fermenter we have and modify the software so it logs weight at given intervals and add tempurature monitoring as well.

[CaptainRedBeard]

This is interesting http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Load-Cell-Scale/ might be able to scale it to whatever size fermenter we have and modify the software so it logs weight at given intervals and add tempurature monitoring as well.

That's an interesting read. From what I understood, it was designed for a conveyor belt, and once it hits the required weight, it shifts the belt. Would be very useful for collection jars when doing spirit runs.

[Dig Brinker]

This is interesting http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Load-Cell-Scale/ might be able to scale it to whatever size fermenter we have and modify the software so it logs weight at given intervals and add tempurature monitoring as well.

That's an interesting read. From what I understood, it was designed for a conveyor belt, and once it hits the required weight, it shifts the belt. Would be very useful for collection jars when doing spirit runs.

One robot build at a time, Cap :laughing-rolling:

[CaptainRedBeard]

This is interesting http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Load-Cell-Scale/ might be able to scale it to whatever size fermenter we have and modify the software so it logs weight at given intervals and add tempurature monitoring as well.

That's an interesting read. From what I understood, it was designed for a conveyor belt, and once it hits the required weight, it shifts the belt. Would be very useful for collection jars when doing spirit runs.

One robot build at a time, Cap :laughing-rolling:

Your sounding a bit like my wife :laughing-rolling:

[CaptainRedBeard]

Solved the door problem. Just put damn locking mechanisms on it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

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Almost got all the insulation done. But im short 3 pieces. Back to bunnings later this arvo. I'm putting white Masonite over the flooring insulation, help spread the weight and not damage the insulation.

20160620_155152-1200x1600.jpg

And got the lights wired. Haven't fed it through the top yet. Want to get the frame built first so I don't have cables getting in the way. Need to get some coffee tins too.

20160620_155204-1200x1600.jpg

Pretty much just need to varnish and wait for Mr postman to come with my goodies :-D

[warramungas]

The tins will get extremely hot so be careful they don't touch anything and so will those plastic light fittings. I'm not sure what their temperature tolerance is as all the built up heat off the globes that isn't radiating out of the metal will travel up across the plastic. My light is in an all metal fitting that is designed to get hot (for heat lamps) so that's why mine is pointing down.
It might be better having them upright and a few air holes in the top of the tin to allow the excess air heat to go up and out instead of across your light fitting.

[CaptainRedBeard]

Thanks for the advice warra.

My fridge used plastic too, but it was horizontally installed. The plastic did deteriorate over 2 years, became brittle and useless. I'll look into all metal fittings. Rather not burn my garage down.

[warramungas]

Thanks for the advice warra.

My fridge used plastic too, but it was horizontally installed. The plastic did deteriorate over 2 years, became brittle and useless. I'll look into all metal fittings. Rather not burn my garage down.

Not just the outside of the fitting need to worry about. There's plastic bits inside as well mate. May be fine but id keep a close eye on it for awhile.

[Wobblyboot]

http://www.brewerschoice.net.au/html/De ... oller.html

I have 2 of these. Put 2 belts on each controller.. Set them at 30c. I have 2 belts on my 220l ex olive drum outside in garage, it sits on 10mm rubber to insulate from cold concrete, with thick insulation I got from job I was on and top exposed. It's off more than it on when I run it. I'm in Melb and it gets cold out there. I don't see why u would use any heat without regulating it somehow.

I hope that links ok, it's not as tho anyone's gunna buy anything there when there's better quality at macs shop!

[warramungas]

http://www.brewerschoice.net.au/html/Detail%20information/Temperature%20controller.html

I have 2 of these. Put 2 belts on each controller.. Set them at 30c. I have 2 belts on my 220l ex olive drum outside in garage, it sits on 10mm rubber to insulate from cold concrete, with thick insulation I got from job I was on and top exposed. It's off more than it on when I run it. I'm in Melb and it gets cold out there. I don't see why u would use any heat without regulating it somehow.

I hope that links ok, it's not as tho anyone's gunna buy anything there when there's better quality at macs shop!

30 degrees is the kiss of fruity death for most of your standard ales and lagers. What temp do distilleries maintain their washes at or what's the recommended temp?

[Wobblyboot]

Haha rum :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Kale :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Most crappy neutrals
But if u gunna heat it, why wouldn't u regulate the temps?

[CaptainRedBeard]

Heat belts aren't for me wobbly. I'm after an ambient temperature for the whole chamber, not just individual washes. Could be useful if I was brewing say, a whiskey and a rum at the same time, where the wash temperatures are different. But this is not the case for me.