HERMS argos version

[prolix]

it's all your fault! :thumb: Oh well it was bound to happen.

Been trying to come up with a HERMS solution and today I think I may have cracked it, I wanted something that would sit on the side stable and not take too much time to make or alter. well here it my answer.

an argos Cookworks Signature Compact Fryer £15.59.

My original 8mm IC cooler fits it a treat, will see about getting one made in stainless by Manu

Will have to cut the copper to size first to play with it but seems great, the coils will be secured to the lid so I may have to find a way of securing it more firmly, plan on removing the sight glass and replacing with stainless plate for inlet and outlet points.

 

[EskiBrew]

Interesting idea for the heat exchanger :thumb:

 

[Muddydisco]

mmm Herms and chips! :thumb:

 

[Wez]

Great idea, will watch with interest!

 

[Vossy1]

Sounds like a plan p :thumb:

 

[tigertim]

Fantastic!

I have a pump on standby with Norm at the moment, and have acquired some of the rather nice temperature controllers from Virtual Village (using the voucher code from this site) pending the construction of my HERMS. I also have an excess of 15mm copper from fitting a new shower a couple of months ago and an assortment of 15mm JG fittings.

I want to spend some time building a proper frame like muddydisco and put it all together as and when I have the parts, but I was stuck on the actual HERMS itself - until now.

The fact that the element is only about 900w (and is possibly concealed) even opens up potential for it to be a RIMS, I would have thought!

By the way, many thanks to Norm for being a top bloke once again, and sorting out some items for same day collection just a couple of days before Christmas! Respect also due to Digital Village for their keen prices and rapid shipping!

 

[jenki]

it's all your fault! :thumb: Oh well it was bound to happen.

Been trying to come up with a HERMS solution and today I think I may have cracked it, I wanted something that would sit on the side stable and not take too much time to make or alter. well here it my answer.........
Will have to cut the copper to size first to play with it but seems great, the coils will be secured to the lid so I may have to find a way of securing it more firmly, plan on removing the sight glass and replacing with stainless plate for inlet and outlet points.

Hi Prolix - did you get anywhere with this - waiting with eager anticipation

 

[evanvine]

The simplicity of your idea is brilliant, have you hit a snag or just not had enough time?

 

[jenki]

Well, Thanks for the Idea Prolix, I've borowed it, and here it is:
All the bits,

I then took of the bottom to have a look around, it's basically a aluminium square pot with an element at the bottom, I decided to use 2 15mm compression tank connectors, and some long 8mm to 15mm reducers. I drilled the tank connectors so that the 15mm reducers would fit through the fittings.

I drilled the fryer with a 20mm hole saw and put the fitting in place, sliding the clamp nut between the two walls

I rolled the 8mm copper tube around a fire extinguisher and soldered the reducers in place.
Then put the coil into the fryer, and jiggled it untill the 15mm part of the reducer came through the outer wall, I soldered the inside of the tank connectors in place - making the my new HE watertight.

On the outside I then had 2 stubs of 15mm copper (the reducers), I attached 2 compression fittings to these, then from here a moddified 15mm pushfit elbow with my probe.

I got my PID's from VV and all seems to work, brewed a Bitter and twisted for a trials.

 

[EskiBrew]

:clap:

 

[unclepumble]

looking Good, looking real Good.

 

[highwayman]

Wow..Would never have thought of using a Deep Fat Fryer.....Well Done Guys :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[prolix]

awesome! : :thumb:

Mine is still in the garage waiting for next weeks holiday. I like the side ways entry never thought of that, means it can drain too. :thumb:

 

[jenki]

I like the side ways entry never thought of that, means it can drain too. :thumb:

Yep, just take care when drilling the hole near the top, as there is the black plastic shroud sits in, and if you drill too high the flange of the connector will hit it..... i know, as i had to trim the edge off the connector nut on mine - however the flat made the nut unable to spin and aided getting it tight.
Works well though, i'm tempted to use oil next time, as i think it will hold temperature better and reduce the fluctuations, during the PID set-up the water boiled over, but you could control that with the fryer thermostat.

 

[highwayman]

i'm tempted to use oil next time,

:hmm: This gets better..Never would I have thought of that... :clap: :clap:

 

[A T]

Very nice work indeed :clap:

 

[Vossy1]

Nice work jenki, and thought provoking on the oil :thumb:
I wonder if oil would reduce and galvanic corrosion, I guess it must do as it works in engines :hmm:

Anyone got any input on the oil side of things ?

 

[prolix]

as a thermal mass oil holds less heat than water and so prone to fluctuation of temperature faster, it would be more reactive but would it then overshoot more than water. also oil is harder to clean up than water