Grainfather Cutout

[Peter Scandlyn]

Thanks Mungri, very interesting reference, which suggests the issue may be with the connect/controller box. My Mk 2 GF does not have the Connect with fancy Apps based control facility, which I never did much want.

I have sent an e-mail to info@ GF, but do not expect any reply until the timing is in line with their location.

SWMBO, as it happens, did not think £6 a pop for a brewing machine was that bad value, so I could think about replacing the whole unit. However, being a "careful" sort of person, who has put up with some hassle with the GF, I would prefer a less expensive alternative. Controller Unit replacement / upgrade would be OK, for instance.

Glad to see you've seemingly sorted your prob. Result!

Have same GF iteration you have and like you the whizzbang Connect is not something I desire.

Could you notify when you get an answer back from GF please?
I live in their location but realised about 4 years ago that no matter how approachable they may appear to be, they just ain't going to respond. My last email was earlier this year seeking answer to something they'd posed in a discussion on using the alembic distillation system (I'm legal here) but still waiting.

My only other observation was I guess you'd sussed the reset button, then I thought 'course he has'! Mightn't have been too off track with that....Peace.

 

[Hoddy]

I like a happy ending. Glad to be of service.

 

[strange-steve]

Even for me, that was a bad fail. Sooo embarrassing

I had a similarly embarrassing GF fail when I mashed a beer with the temperature probe only half in, so no idea what temp it was actually mashed at. Glad you got sorted anyway :thumba:

 

[Slid]

I got the following response from GF and as it looks like a general guide to identifying the root cause of similar issues, it appears below:


My apologies for the issue you experienced with our product. Could you please provide the following information in order to investigate further;

• Batch No/ Serial Number (underneath the unit on a white sticker)

• Have you tried pressing the reset switch on the base of the boiler while the unit is turned on, then turn it off at the wall and try again?

• Is there anything burnt on the bottom of the boiler?
  
• What is the size of your grain crush?
  
• Is the red switch at the base of the boiler set to "Normal" or "I"?
• Are you using the original control box or the Connect Control box?
  
• Can you test the unit with just water and try bringing this to the boil and let me know what happens?

• To rule out the control box as the issue, can you fill the unit with water and try plugging the heating element plug directly to a wall socket rather than through the control box? Does it heat up then?
  
• If still no heat when directly plugged to wall socket, can you please unscrew the lid under the base of the mash tun and take photos of the heating element for us?
• Can you please provide photos and/or videos if helpful, to illustrate the problem further?

• It would be very helpful if you could please provide us with as much information as possible for our technical team to be able to investigate this issue as soon as possible.

Customer Experience Advocate - Grainfather

 

[Slid]

And today, GF confirmed the recommended crush range as 1.27 to 1.40mm

 

[Slid]

OK so today's brew was a Brown Porter along the lines of the GH recipe, but with more mashing malt and using Williamette hops.

Crushed the grain in the suggested range and it looked as if quite a few grains were intact. There was very little of the dust that causes me problems with the GF, but the GF still cut-out on me at 80C post sparge. There was some stuff on the bottom, not particularly stuck onto it, let alone burnt. Great feeling of deflation when I realised that it had zoned out again on me.

The efficiencies on this brew were just terrible. Like - when I first used it and was too scared to mash in properly. I will be going back to a "credit card" gap from now on. A credit card is 0.76mm thick, gives me a tennis ball sized lump of dust at transfer to PECO boiler, instead of today's table-tennis sized ball, but the efficiencies today were just pants. So, it looks like I am doing BIAB in a GF for the foreseeable future.

Won't be crushing at that gap width, anytime soon,for sure

 

[The Baron]

What a Bumm%r Slid it sounds as if the element is ok and it is some sort of thermal cutout that is happenng. Somebody out there must know how to fix or bypass it safely to confirm that is what it is Good luck and if you get the answer let us know

 

[Peter Scandlyn]

Not so good Slid, for sure and afraid I can't offer a solution, other then you're not running it via an extension cord, are you?

Interesting on your mill gap, not seen that before. Tried the credit-card setting, it didn't work for me - too fine. So used feeler gauges, eventually settled on 1.28mm

 

[Slid]

What a Bumm%r Slid it sounds as if the element is ok and it is some sort of thermal cutout that is happenng. Somebody out there must know how to fix or bypass it safely to confirm that is what it is Good luck and if you get the answer let us know

Not sure that a bypass is the answer. My work-around takes me about an hour on the brewday, that's all. A by-pass could lead to real problems.

 

[Slid]

Not so good Slid, for sure and afraid I can't offer a solution, other then you're not running it via an extension cord, are you?

Interesting on your mill gap, not seen that before. Tried the credit-card setting, it didn't work for me - too fine. So used feeler gauges, eventually settled on 1.28mm

I'm thinking of somewhere around half way between the credit card and the one I used yesterday. That might be an experiment.

 

[foxbat]

I'm always surprised that these concealed element systems don't have fan assisted ventilation in that bottom section. If I bought one I'd fit a fan somehow. Possibly underneath and stand the whole thing on planks in use.

 

[ACBEV]

My boiler has a thermal cutout and would cutout during boiling and on hot days would cut out before reaching a boil...

My simple solution was to prop the boiler on two wooden blocks, giving plenty of air space to the underneath and also point a small fan at the gap... Has not cutout since.

 

[ACBEV]

@foxbat How rude of me! I didn't read your post before I posted, and yes your idea is a good'un and actually worked for me.

I have a Buffalo boiler and I read on the interweb that peeps were by-passing the thermal cutout or fitting upgraded bits... But two bits of wood does the jobby.

 

[Harbey]

I had a similarly embarrassing GF fail when I mashed a beer with the temperature probe only half in, so no idea what temp it was actually mashed at. Glad you got sorted anyway :thumba:

Did the same on my last brew

 

[Slid]

OK so today's brew was a Brown Porter along the lines of the GH recipe, but with more mashing malt and using Williamette hops.

Crushed the grain in the suggested range and it looked as if quite a few grains were intact. There was very little of the dust that causes me problems with the GF, but the GF still cut-out on me at 80C post sparge. There was some stuff on the bottom, not particularly stuck onto it, let alone burnt. Great feeling of deflation when I realised that it had zoned out again on me.

The efficiencies on this brew were just terrible. Like - when I first used it and was too scared to mash in properly. I will be going back to a "credit card" gap from now on. A credit card is 0.76mm thick, gives me a tennis ball sized lump of dust at transfer to PECO boiler, instead of today's table-tennis sized ball, but the efficiencies today were just pants. So, it looks like I am doing BIAB in a GF for the foreseeable future.

Won't be crushing at that gap width, anytime soon,for sure

OK, so just drinking the Brown Porter in earnest this evening - as usual all is worth it in the end .
Great beer, and am getting there with the grain crushes.
The Belgian Wit beer was so good, I recently bought 10kg of Pilsner and 10kg Wheat malt for the summer wheat beer season!
Also obtained and made up another batch of marmalade for the usual additions and today picked up 2.8kg of frozen Raspberries from ASDA (£12) for the GH recipe.