Show us your brewsystem!

[Mob_Barley]

Here is the latest addition to my brew stand, in honor of The Dead Yeast Society:

[alms66]

Sweet...
I want to see this thing in action. Let us know when you're going to brew with it.

[Mob_Barley]

Trying to figure out how to wire the thing, then do some testing, then it should be ready...maybe by 2011.

[redtail28]

Where did you get the skull. I want one. Reminds me of a girl I use to date

[redtail28]

I need to get Yeasty to wire my control box up also. But I need some idea's on power connectors. I would like not to have 5 electrical cords coming off of it. Is anyone using 12 pin connectors.

[aleguy]

Digi-key!!! I have a nine-pin connector that Yeasty found for me. I'm sure they can do 12 pins too. (Everything for the plug setup cost a whopping $12.00)

[triple-oh_six]

I need to get Yeasty to wire my control box up also. But I need some idea's on power connectors. I would like not to have 5 electrical cords coming off of it. Is anyone using 12 pin connectors.

Mine only has 4

[Mob_Barley]

I haven't even thought about power connectors. I haven't really had any feedback on my control panel. Maybe someone who has theirs wired up can start a thread on the design, tips, parts, etc. I know every panel will be different, depending on the setup, but they all share certain traits in common, ie. the all need power in, they all need to power one or two pumps, they all have temp controllers, switches, lights, etc. Mine will use a 24VAC/75VA transformer to supply 24VAC power to the ignition modules and gas valves. Other than that, everything else should be the same as any other panel.

I asked the guys on Homebrewtalk.com if they could come up with a "basics of wiring your control panel" thread in layman's terms, but no one could do it (too many variables for too many different set-ups I guess). I guess you have to be an electrical guru/genius. I never used any of the electrical/electronics classes I got in college, so I lost all the information (short-term memory is a bitch). I think if I had some guidance, I could probably do it, but it's better to have someone with the know-how to do it right the first time and make sure you don't fry some expensive equipment...

[Mob_Barley]

Oh yea, the skulls are on clearance in the automotive section of walmart. They cost like $3 for a pair nstead of $10. They are called Hydragel medallions. One is facing left the other right... They are on an end-of-row clearance display...

[yeastmeister]

I'm not ignoring you guys that need help. I am sort of swamped between needing to make some beer for a few special events that I'm obligated to bring the beverages to, and dealing with broken lawn tractors, and kids needing rides to work interviews.

Mob Barley - I can start on yours tomorrow morning if you want, I need to leave for back home around noon however. Other than that, how about Labor Day? Its a fed holiday, so I'm free that day. Yep, I'm the electrical guru in the club when it comes to control panels. No worries.

Power is up to you, hard wired or removable. Since your box is removable, you may want to consider what 0006 did and purchase some different colored extension cords. That way you can color code every connection. Those seemed to work great. Mine is hard wired because my box isn't removable.

If you don't go that way, then my typical recommendation is to buy 1 long cheap outdoor extension cord, and then cut that up for the various runs.

[Mob_Barley]

I didn't think you were ignoring us, I was just gathering as much information about how to configure the panel as I could beforehand. I'd hate to have you come over just to find out that I needed to run to Lowes and pick up more terminal strips and wire, or spend a bunch of time drilling holes in the box when I could have that already done and we could spend the time wiring instead of running and cutting.

Also, I didn't quite understand what the switches were going to control. ie. I have a switch for the HLT and MT under the Love controllers. Are these to turn the controller on and off, or does the controller stay on when power is applied and these switches then control something else??? I never thought of these problems until I started gathering information about the panel...

And mine are simply two-way switches, just on and off. Some are using the three way switches which you can wire to auto-off-manual, etc. That's what I'm talking about when I say every panel is different...

[Mob_Barley]

If you can come over in the morning, that would be great. You can do some preliminary work on the panel and let me know what I need to do or buy before you come back. Thanks Gene...

[Imakewort]

i bought all my stuff for my control box at Tech electrical supply, you can buy the wire for your cords by the foot at what ever size wire you want, I used sealed plugs for the connectors and made the box side connectors all female except for the power in cord, and i used white heat shrink on the cords so i could write on them to identify what plugs into what. You can get everything there but the love controllers.

[yeastmeister]

Yep, I can come over. PM me your address and tell me a time to be there.

[lhardin02]

Here is our stand in the works. Not much to see, but it is slowly starting to look like something.