I'm taking the step into all-grain and putting together a BIAB kit.
What I'm planning to use as my source of heat is a portable induction heater/hot plate thingie.
I've read that I can't use a controller or PID to control the heater, but I was wondering if I'd be able to have a temp probe in during mashing to monitor temps, or if the induction heater would FUBAR it.
Anyone know?
Induction heater and temp probe?
Induction heater and temp probe?
Litany For Beer
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
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VANDEEN
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
If you haven't bought it yet some of them come with inbuilt thermostatic controllers. They aren't the cheapest though 
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aamcle
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Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
I've read that most default to low power when first switched on so they don't play well with PID controllers.
Aamcle
Aamcle
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Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
I've managed to get a 3.5kw Buffalo one off of eBay (awaiting delivery), which doesn't work out much more expensive than a couple of kettle elements.
TBH, I'm not sure how much I'd trust the inbuilt thermostatic controllers for accuracy.
TBH, I'm not sure how much I'd trust the inbuilt thermostatic controllers for accuracy.
Litany For Beer
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
-
BenB
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
If they're anything like the electrim boiler simerstat I wouldn't trust them at all. My electrim held 75 for 30 minutes on AG#1 then shot up to low 90s! Now replaced by a Sesto PID HLT.
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
Right, I asked a tiffie friend about this, and his answer was "it should be fine". And on that resounding vote of confidence I shall progress with using an STC1000 to monitor the temp, and control the heater 'manumatically'.
Litany For Beer
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
The temperature will vary depending what part of the water/wort you measure so without some form of recirculation you may be better stirring then taking a manual measurement.
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Jocky
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Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
STC1000 will not switch 3.5kW safely on its own - it only has 10A relays so its 2.4kW max and even then I'd like a little head room.Norik wrote:Right, I asked a tiffie friend about this, and his answer was "it should be fine". And on that resounding vote of confidence I shall progress with using an STC1000 to monitor the temp, and control the heater 'manumatically'.
From my experience with BIAB I'm not sure why you'd want to do this anyway. Aside from being able to 'set and forget' when heating the strike water.
If you're intending to use it during the mash to maintain or change temperature the problem is that direct fire tuns needs either stirring or recirculation to avoid the bottom getting way hotter than the top. Adding insulation solves the temperature maintenance problem - an old sleeping bag around and camping mat underneath worked to keep my 19L pot with only a 1C loss.
Personally I'd spend my money on the insulation and an accurate and fast reading thermometer like a thermapen.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
Jocky wrote:
STC1000 will not switch 3.5kW safely on its own - it only has 10A relays so its 2.4kW max and even then I'd like a little head room.
From my experience with BIAB I'm not sure why you'd want to do this anyway. Aside from being able to 'set and forget' when heating the strike water.
If you're intending to use it during the mash to maintain or change temperature the problem is that direct fire tuns needs either stirring or recirculation to avoid the bottom getting way hotter than the top. Adding insulation solves the temperature maintenance problem - an old sleeping bag around and camping mat underneath worked to keep my 19L pot with only a 1C loss.
Personally I'd spend my money on the insulation and an accurate and fast reading thermometer like a thermapen.
I think you've misunderstood, so I'll repeat myself. I will not be plugging the induction heater into PID or a thermostatic controller. I plan on monitoring the temperature with a STC1000, or similar, and then manually adjusting the temperature if required.
I haven't mentioned here what/whether/how/if I plan to recirculate the wort during mashing as it had no bearing on the question I was asking. I even understand the issues regarding heating wort before all the starchs have been converted.
I do plan on insulating though, but with Armaflex as I think it makes a prettier job.
Litany For Beer
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
I must drink the Beer.
Beer is the mind-killer.
Beer is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my Beer.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the Beer has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
Hitchens's Razor:
"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
-
Jocky
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Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
Sorry, yes I have misunderstood.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
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Matt in Birdham
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Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
I think (as aamcle mentioned) that most induction tops either do not power up again after a power outage, or do so at low power. When I get a moment I will go and test my Buffalo to see what it does. Either would make them useless for the purpose you describe, though.
One of the great features about induction, of course, is controllability via the unit, but I don't know of any clever way of hooking into this control system so that it can be directly controlled by an external sensor. If there was, then induction heating and recirc could be a really nice solution.
One of the great features about induction, of course, is controllability via the unit, but I don't know of any clever way of hooking into this control system so that it can be directly controlled by an external sensor. If there was, then induction heating and recirc could be a really nice solution.
Re: Induction heater and temp probe?
OP is only using the STC as a thermometer so it will work.