Ace electric boilers?

[BeerCat]

The tap can be a bit tricky to do up tightly, and would be my number one suspect for a leak....

Cheers, plumbers tape to the rescue. :)

 

[donchiquon]

Just done my first brew in the ace boiler. only my second all grain kit.



So i did a Timothy Taylor landlord recipe kit and enjoyed every bit of the brewing process.



I must of cocked something up because i ended up with 18 ltrs at about 1.060 instead of 23ltrs at 1.042.



I mashed about 20ish litres at 66c then sparged with about 11ish ltrs at 77c so i had about 26 litres pre boil.



I measured the 26 ltrs in my coopers fv but when it was tipped back into the ace it fell quite a bit under the max line, im sure i read on here that the max line is about 25ltrs? So this could explain why i was short.



Apart from user error the ace was right up to the job.

Sounds good to me....6.45% Landlord!!! That is going to be a fun session ale :)

I measured and etched my ACE a while back. The top mark is 25 litres, then the raised line just below the "full" mark is 27, then below that 25 and 23.

My total mash and sparge is 33l to end up with 28l in the ACE for a 90 min boil and a 23 litre batch.

And that's for a beer with relatively few hops! I did an American IPA on Friday which used 200+ grams of hops for the boil (mainly leaf) and I ended up with 18l in the FV!

 

[donchiquon]

Just a quick update on some fun I've been having trying to use the ACE to heat a recirculating mash.

When I tried using it for the mash a few weeks ago, employing a solar pump feeding back into the top of the ACE, and an Inkbird 308 probe tucked just under the false bottom (at the edge away from the element), I found that I ended up with a big temperature overshoot of about 4-5 degrees C.

I bought a 2000W dimmer switch to tame the 1600W element with the aim of trying to produce a much lower heat output that would stay on for longer and produce a more stable temperature. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121998759447?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I bought a tub of ice cream, emptied it with the help of the children, and popped the dimmer inside, spliced into the live wire of a mains extension. The idea was just to test the dimmer, with the option to remove the lid and check the temperature of the heatsink (in case it needed a fan or vents).

On Friday I dialled the element down to about 1/8 power (or at least the knob was only 1/8th through it's turn) and the ACE produced less than 1 degree of temperature overshoot compared to 4-5 degrees on full power.

I'm pondering installing the inkbird probe into the ball valve which seems to be the done thing, and also whether to swap the Inkbird 308 for a PID....although I think this would negate the need for the dimmer.

 

[nigelnorris]

I'm pondering installing the inkbird probe into the ball valve which seems to be the done thing, and also whether to swap the Inkbird 308 for a PID....although I think this would negate the need for the dimmer.

I keep seeing references to PID but have no idea what that is?

 

[Wrongway]

It's a type of control. The P = Proportional, I = Integral and D = Derivative. Also known as a three term controller. The usual controller that uses a thermostat is a simple on/off type of control which has the problem of hysteresis which means in temperature terms for example the temperature may swing 2 or 3 degrees either side of the set point. A PID type controller will overcome this when it's properly set up and you should get very accurate and stable control. It's called loop tuning in the trade.

There is a more detailed description here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller . It made my head hurt trying to understand it at college.

 

[nigelnorris]

It's a type of control. The P = Proportional, I = Integral and D = Derivative. Also known as a three term controller. The usual controller that uses a thermostat is a simple on/off type of control which has the problem of hysteresis which means in temperature terms for example the temperature may swing 2 or 3 degrees either side of the set point. A PID type controller will overcome this when it's properly set up and you should get very accurate and stable control. It's called loop tuning in the trade.

There is a more detailed description here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller . It made my head hurt trying to understand it at college.

Thanks! I understand enough of the wiki article to know what it's about now and how the thing works.

 

[nigelnorris]

I just invented [ok invented might be a bit strong but I've not heard anyone else mention the idea yet] a new techinque for getting round the hops clagging up the pipe issues. Instead of putting the hops into a muslin bag I took the bazzoka off and put the hops in loose and cable tied the bag round the outlet pipe at the FV end. Everything drained out cleanly and I ended up with a big bag full of hop gravy. Squeeze it out into the FV then into the bin all clean.

 

[BeerCat]

Last time i tried the bagless method and still got bad efficiency. Can only presume i didn't stir it enough. Must take notes next time and find out what i am doing wrong. Will make sure i don't get interrupted. Not had a problem with draining and i am getting wonderfully clear wort. I do no chill and now only throw away about 1 liter after its cooled.
I have an extract recipe for 9% i want to try out. Does anyone use these for extract?
Would save me buying a 15l pot for the kitchen which would still be too small. Just worried the extract would burn on the bottom. The recipe calls for the some grain to be boiled as well so thought i could do that in the bag so i don't have to stir for one hour.

 

[GermLish]

Hi,

Do you use the stepping temperature when mashing?

I bought the ITC-310T because you can program cycles and I also bought on of these solar water pumps to recirculate the wort. Hope this will be boost the efficiency a bit. Circulation and temperature are the two keys to be more efficient in extracting the sugar from the grain.

Without the bag the grains can flow in the water and the heat from the bottom is creating a natural circulation. Therefore the density of the sugar solved in the liquid is higher.

If you pour salt in water you can see the salt crystals sinking to the bottom. They dissolve but it takes less time if you stir the water. The same happens with the sugar in the grain.

 

[BeerCat]

Hi,

Do you use the stepping temperature when mashing?

I bought the ITC-310T because you can program cycles and I also bought on of these solar water pumps to recirculate the wort. Hope this will be boost the efficiency a bit. Circulation and temperature are the two keys to be more efficient in extracting the sugar from the grain.

Without the bag the grains can flow in the water and the heat from the bottom is creating a natural circulation. Therefore the density of the sugar solved in the liquid is higher.

If you pour salt in water you can see the salt crystals sinking to the bottom. They dissolve but it takes less time if you stir the water. The same happens with the sugar in the grain.

I realised i was stupidly looking at the wrong recipe so my efficiency improved without the bag after all but still a bit short.
I have an STC1000 but not wired it up yet or bought a pump but will look into the 310T.
Temp control is my next step among many things. Cheers :)

 

[user 5969]

Finally got round to finishing my set up and got a brew going today!! Very pleased and impressed with the ace boilers.

'

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dwibber]

Hi Dave

Can you explain your setup with the pumps. I have one Ace boiler and i am intrigued with yours. I do not recognise the piece in the first two picture on top of the boiler on the floor. Did you have that fabricated and made for your setup.

 

[user 5969]

Hi Dave



Can you explain your setup with the pumps. I have one Ace boiler and i am intrigued with yours. I do not recognise the piece in the first two picture on top of the boiler on the floor. Did you have that fabricated and made for your setup.

Hi, I've got two of the ace mash tuns, one I use only for sparge water and the other I use as a recirculating mash so I have the ball valve open and the pump going during the 60 minute mash. To keep the temperature correct I use the inkbird and also connect this upto a voltage regulator so I can adjust the power of the element to prevent over shoots. (During the mash it only came on once for a minute and this was with the lid off so it's very efficient at keeping temperature) After that I turn the pump off and then pull up the grain sleeve and run the sparge water through untill I have reached my fill level. I had the grain sleeve fabricated for my, I work in manufacturing and have a welder friend so called in a favour. What set up do you have?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dwibber]

Hi, I've got two of the ace mash tuns, one I use only for sparge water and the other I use as a recirculating mash so I have the ball valve open and the pump going during the 60 minute mash. To keep the temperature correct I use the inkbird and also connect this upto a voltage regulator so I can adjust the power of the element to prevent over shoots. (During the mash it only came on once for a minute and this was with the lid off so it's very efficient at keeping temperature) After that I turn the pump off and then pull up the grain sleeve and run the sparge water through untill I have reached my fill level. I had the grain sleeve fabricated for my, I work in manufacturing and have a welder friend so called in a favour. What set up do you have?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi, I have only one Ace boiler and have been doing BIAB and dunk sparging in 80c water for 15 minutes. My efficiency has been in the high 60s. I am brewing a Brew Dogs Dead Pony recipe of theirs Friday and i am going to do Tonys method to see if i can up my efficiency. I will be investing in a pump but it has to go on hold for a few weeks as the Man Cave is being delivered and erected at the beginning of August and there is a lot of work to do inside the shed to get my Home brew setup going ie water, electrics. I have just bought the inkbird ITC-310 which i am going to use to monitor temp. Just wish Friday would hurry up. :grin:

 

[mishking]

Just got finished with my second brew in the ace and wanted to run my brew day past you guys using the ace as i have ended up with a higher gravity wort again and not sure if its something i'm doing.

Sitra all grain kit

Target was 27l pre boil.

So i mashed at 65c in 20 ltrs of water for 60mins. This give me 15ltrs of wort. I then batch spared with about 20ish litres of water at 77c for 20 mins. I topped up my bucket with these running until i hit 27l.

Was a 70min boil and i ended up with about 20ltrs in the FV so i topped up with cold water to 23ltrs.

My OG was 1.055 instead of 1.045, did i just get good efficiency or am i doing something wrong?

 

[cheapbrew]

looks like you are getting good efficiency :thumb: maybe cut down on the grain bill a little next time, or add more water to hit the target OG and have more beer

 

[Zephyr259]

Hi everyone, I'm doing some research into a boiler and came across this one http://aceuktrading.com/Joomla/Comm...iler/Beer-Mash-Tun-Boiler-Urn-Low-Tap25l.html, seems pretty decent but it seem that most of the boilers in this thread came off ebay. Is this the same item? Not sure it's got the double wall insulation but I've got a coolbox which I was gonna convert into a mash tun anyways and just use the ACE for water heating and boiling.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[user 5969]

That's the same as the ones off eBay.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mishking]

Hi everyone, I'm doing some research into a boiler and came across this one http://aceuktrading.com/Joomla/Comm...iler/Beer-Mash-Tun-Boiler-Urn-Low-Tap25l.html, seems pretty decent but it seem that most of the boilers in this thread came off ebay. Is this the same item? Not sure it's got the double wall insulation but I've got a coolbox which I was gonna convert into a mash tun anyways and just use the ACE for water heating and boiling.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

This isn't the same as the ones on ebay as this is 25ltr compared to 30ltr for the ebay ones.

 

[Zephyr259]

Thanks for the feedback, I've finally had the time to go through the entire thread, and the one sold on ACE's site looks like the old 2500W model.

This is definitely on my birthday wishlist now.