Ace micro brewer

[dps51]

I clean mine with a bit of lemon juice works grate

 

[soupdragon]

Yep

As above, rinse the muck off and recirc clean water through the pump and a lemon juice soak will bring the brown scorched stuff off no problem.
Not had the need for fancy cleaners. As already mentioned it only really needs to be clean, not sanitised.

Cheers. Tom

 

[mgkpancake]

How do people clean their Ace after use?
Is there a special cleaner to use?

The reason I'm asking is that I suffer from asthma and have to be careful as chlorine-based cleaners may trigger an attack. I changed from VWP to Chemipro Oxi for all my plastic after an attack a couple of years ago but now that I have an Ace, I'm wondering what other people use.

My local HBS suggested either the Grainfather cleaner (which can give off chlorine fumes) or Antiformin S, which I know nothing about.

Soak in lemon juice or vinegar for an hour, wipe- should come right off. If it's stubborn wait another hour, repeat. Comes right off, no hard scrubbing.

 

[chor808]

Just got mine going again this morning for a mexican lager. I am the only one that boils at 2500w. I don't like the relay switching in and out if I lower the wattage.

 

[dps51]

Just got mine going again this morning for a mexican lager. I am the only one that boils at 2500w. I don't like the relay switching in and out if I lower the wattage.

I boil at 1800w and my relay have never switched on or off
I would have a look at yours to see if there is something wrong with your heating element or relay

 

[chor808]

I boil at 1800w and my relay have never switched on or off
I would have a look at yours to see if there is something wrong with your heating element or relay

I'll email support. If I set it to 1800 watts it just goes on for a bit, clicks, off for a bit, clicks, on again for a bit and so on. the lower the wattage the longer the off bit lasts.

Does no one elses do this?

 

[soupdragon]

Just got mine going again this morning for a mexican lager. I am the only one that boils at 2500w. I don't like the relay switching in and out if I lower the wattage.

My first brew I had it set to 1500, it boiled ok but as you say the element was switching on and off all the time so since then I've just left it on full blast. Cracking rolling boil. I've got the body of the machine lagged by the way.

Cheers. Tom

 

[chor808]

My first brew I had it set to 1500, it boiled ok but as you say the element was switching on and off all the time so since then I've just left it on full blast. Cracking rolling boil. I've got the body of the machine lagged by the way.

Cheers. Tom

Thanks I'm not mad then! I was pretty sure the wattage control is just a relay and not true power control, sounds like that is the case.

Anyway lager done on 2500 watts, boiled like a champ.

 

[soupdragon]

I was a bit concerned about the thermostat switching thing so thought that leaving it on would cause less issues than not.
On holiday at the moment but will be getting a brew on the weekend we get back. Any further issues and I'll report

Cheers. Tom

 

[chor808]

I was a bit concerned about the thermostat switching thing so thought that leaving it on would cause less issues than not.
On holiday at the moment but will be getting a brew on the weekend we get back. Any further issues and I'll report

Cheers. Tom

Exactly what I thought. I did not like the switching, I can see burnt out contacts in the future.

 

[soupdragon]

Maybe that's related to the element failures that people have reported? Lots of cycling, more chance on element failures? Clutching at straws with that really

Cheers. Tom

 

[shepp]

I don't think that would wreck the elements that quickly, if at all.

 

[soupdragon]

I'm not electrically minded so don't fully understand the technical side of it but I'd rather not take the chance. After several years of boiling a stock pot on a gas hob I'm more than happy to watch the Ace boiling the nuts out of the wort :thumb:

Cheers. Tom

 

[shepp]

I'm not electrically minded so don't fully understand the technical side of it but I'd rather not take the chance. After several years of boiling a stock pot on a gas hob I'm more than happy to watch the Ace boiling the nuts out of the wort :thumb:

Cheers. Tom

All that switching under load is the bigger issue with the contacts wearing out.

 

[Goldthirst]

All that switching under load is the bigger issue with the contacts wearing out.

I had a greenhouse heater like that. Once I replaced the burnt out thermostat, I put a RC contact suppressor across the contacts on the replacement and it has been fine for a number of years since.

 

[shepp]

I had a greenhouse heater like that. Once I replaced the burnt out thermostat, I put a RC contact suppressor across the contacts on the replacement and it has been fine for a number of years since.

That's a good idea :thumb:

 

[soupdragon]

I had a greenhouse heater like that. Once I replaced the burnt out thermostat, I put a RC contact suppressor across the contacts on the replacement and it has been fine for a number of years since.

You're talking a foreign language now :wha:

Cheers. Tom

 

[soupdragon]

Has anybody else had an element failure yet or is it (hopefully) just the two reported here so far?

Cheers. Tom

 

[appositive]

Hi MP, Thanks for this info, apologies for not having got back to you earlier.

In the end I returned the whole unit to hifitrading at their Berlin location. They have been incredibly easy to deal with. They rapidly accepted the return request and paid for the return shipping in full. I followed the return of the item via UPS tracking and, within 24 hours of having received it, they sent me an email to tell me that they can either ship me a new unit or provide a full refund. I requested a new unit, it arrived today (about a week after they received the broken unit).

Haven't unpacked it yet, but will do so and give it a water-boiling test run this weekend.

So... my experience with hifitrading (which I believe is the same company as retails directly through the klarstein website) has been very positive.

Hi mate! What I would do is call Ian @ Ace Trading. Shoot him an email after your phone call detailing your issues. They can send the parts out separately and I've been told is about $135 US (from the manufacturer). So I don't know what it will cost for you. Ace phone number is 01977 798888 and email is [email protected]

The only reason why I know this stuff is that I talked to the manufacturer directly and I'm sure it helped influence ACE's decision. Considering you bought from another retailer he may not help. Regardless, I know you can get the kettle separately, I bet your retailer might have access too!

I'm going to fix the broken kettle(scrape thermal paste, replace element) and make a video for everyone down the road. Partly because, I drilled the holes perfectly on this one and the new replaced one I kinda screwed up so it doesn't look as good :lol::lol:

 

[RobShamrock]

Well, broke in my Microbrewery on Saturday, was a bit of a mare of a brew day to be honest. Was bloody too hot to begin with, was slightly hungover from a night on the tiles from friday night.
Probably should have given it a skip. Had a big problem with my shed electrics it kept tripping the switch, so with the heat and the hangover and having to reset the settings each time, I'm not expecting much from the brew. Also aimed for 16l mash 16l sparge
but the mash seemed really thick so added some kettle water to thin in. Had some problems with the recirc pump to trying to get flow right, so I struggled alot.

Used a hop spider for the pellets and it didnt work to well with lots of hop sediment in the boiler, too ages to cooll down, then I'd tons of sediment and was afraid to use the tap so syphoned off to fermenter so suffered a good bit of lose.

Packed up into fridge fermenter after yeast pitch and check the following morning, I'd set the inkbird to wrong temp!!. Set to 17c instead of 20c. Upped temp and hoped for best, I've checked since and its taken off got a fine krausen etc. Not bothered doing a reading on it yet too soon.

All in all a bit of a disaster. I'll try again in couple weeks and hope for better results all round