First BIAB Brewday - First Disaster

[Mickeywheelspin]

Yesterday I FINALLY got a chance to fire up my 40l Buffalo urn for the first time and put on a brew. It was all going well, water heated to mash in and once the grain was added the mash temp was spot on. I put a sleeping bag over it to insulate which worked well, and it only dropped 2 degrees over a 60 minute mash. I then lifted the bag clear of the base and warmed to mash out then dumped it into a clean FV, put the urn to full, gently squeezed the grain bag and tipped the extra liquid added into the urn.

It was all going well with a rolling boil and first hop addition but after 10 minutes I noticed that the boil had subsided somewhat. I twiddled with the thermostat and could tell that it was calling for heat below max so assumed that it just got a little warm and the thermal switch would reset after a few minutes and kick in again as I've seen other people mention before. But after another 10 minutes still nothing and the temperature was down to 85 degrees. It was only then that I noticed that there was no power to the illuminated switch or the on lamp.

To shorten the story, I checked the mains, extension lead, fuses and all were fine so it was definitely an issue with the urn. Nothing I could do with it full so it went down the drain and I was left feeling like a kid at Christmas with a broken toy! I did toy with the idea of rescuing some and trying to do it on the hob but the wife had bagsied the kitchen and I was aiming for a full length brew and had no time to recalculate the hop additions etc.

Last night I took it apart and, as I'd expected, it seems that the thermal fuse had blown - I had seen that these can be an issue but only with people who have a lot of buildup on the element, not a brand new urn having its first run.

Gutted, but we live and learn. I'll be buying a high rated fuse tonight (or I may bypass it completely as it's never going to be unattended). My advice to anyone with this urn would be to take the base off and at least lift the fuse away from the element, if not replace it or bypass it completely (all at your own risk etc etc :electric: ).

So, new grain being picked up this week and I WILL be doing my first BIAB on Saturday, even if I have to build a fire and put the fu#king urn in the middle of it!!

 

[ezraburke]

That's a bugger mate, all the best with the next one!

 

[Marcarm]

I had this issue with mine, I ended up removing the fuse completely which seemed to have solved the problem until the last 2 brews where it kept cutting out.

I have now also removed the thermal cutout which has definitely solved the problem.

Just one thing, when you remove the fuse, join the wires together with a porcelain or ceramic terminal block. Plastic ones will melt. You can get porcelain blocks for 74p each from Toolstation.

 

[Mickeywheelspin]

I had this issue with mine, I ended up removing the fuse completely which seemed to have solved the problem until the last 2 brews where it kept cutting out.

I have now also removed the thermal cutout which has definitely solved the problem.

Just one thing, when you remove the fuse, join the wires together with a porcelain or ceramic terminal block. Plastic ones will melt. You can get porcelain blocks for 74p each from Toolstation.

Thanks - I think I saw your thread while searching last night.

So I assume you've just bypassed them all with ceramic connectors? I was thinking about crimping them but connectors would be a better bet :thumb:

I assume you can still control the temperature with the knob without the cutout as this is just another form of overheat protection? I see some have replaced them with a higher rated version too.

 

[Marcarm]

I removed the fuse and the cutout and connected the wires with the porcelain connectors. The alternative for me would have been to twist them together and tape them, but after seeing how hot it gets in there that wouldn't have been very safe. Others have just removed the cutout and taped it out of the way, but I was still having problems with it cutting out so my cutout was either faulty or it was too hot in there for it.

I still use the thermostat to control the temp, I've got it marked that just under 4 is pretty much ideal mash temp, and then put it on full whack for the boil. Before I did overnight mashes I would use a timer to switch on the boiler about an hour before I got up, using just below 4 as the temp so I could dough in as soon as I got my slippers on :)

 

[paul3944]

Just completed my first BIAB and I was afraid off this after doing a bit of research.

I managed a successful rolling boil my simply replacing the thermostat with one of these
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261815345348&globalID=EBAY-GB

Make sure you coat the face with temperature resistant grease available from Maplins for about £4

Kind Regards
Paul

 

[baggybill]

You know, I've been holding out for one of these boilers on Nisbet's eBay sale for a couple of months now (no sign of any) but the more I read, the more I'm thinking just to get a bigger 50-60L pot with tap & a burner from the Malt Miller (or homebrewstore etc.).

I already have the gas (butane) & regulator and with that size of pot I could:

1/ Do double batches (when I get better, a lot better!!!)
2/ Not have to watch it for hot break / boil over
3/ Have no worries or issues with cut out, overheating, thermostats etc. etc.

The big point with the Buffalo that attracted me was that I can still do it in my kitchen... but after AG#2 brew and stinking the house out again, I think SHMBO is gonna put the foot down real soon :shock:

 

[Marcarm]

I did my first brew with my Buffalo in the kitchen. There was so much steam it was dripping off the ceiling and the walls.

I then sorted the shed out so I had somewhere to brew, as the clean up operation took longer than the brew. That was with the extractor on and all the main windows open.

 

[Mickeywheelspin]

I was banned from the kitchen before I started so was brewing in the garden, I'll probably confine myself to the garage once the weather turns.

Now I'm over the loss of the first brew I'm just looking forward to the next one. I've decided I'm not going to bypass everything so have bought a couple of higher rated thermal resistors from maplins (152C as the cabling is rated for 200C) and a higher rated cutout.

I always knew that I'd have to modify it eventually but from all the reading I've done it looked like I Could expect to get a few brews before having any trouble. It seems like a good piece of kit and saved me faffing with buying a burner, gas refills etc.

Also, in the end the cheapest place I could find it was on Amazon and it was delivered free (it was a gift but from memory it was about £80 when I saw one). It looks like they don't have any for reasonable money at the moment but worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Mickeywheelspin]

Sorry - Double post