Finally Building An AG

[chris_bobuk]

Well I've been a ready on here for some time and being collecting parts to build an AG setup for a while.
I finally got round to starting it this week and made the main stand got the pots nearly sorted and mash tun done. I've used fire board for the top and wind break round the burners just to be safe. I may uncoil the cooler and make it in to an oval so I can fasten it up under the burners out of the way, trying to keep it as compact as I can.
My space heater packed up on me last time I was in the garage so I've got a spare thermocouple to try but suspect the electro gas valve has gone in it, find out tomorrow when I check it over.

Parts ready to begin

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[chris_bobuk]

Building the stand

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Fire board top fitted

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Burners sat on for size

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[chris_bobuk]

Mash tun

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Cooler

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Hop strainer, see how it works.....

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All stack on the trolley out of the way

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Still have another sight glass to fit, gas pipes to run round neatly, slide out stand for the mash tun so it's slightly higher then the pump and it all the plumb together.

[Fil]

grand job, should brew you some great beers, nice tidy bench im jelouse of your skills..

[chris_bobuk]

Had a quick 10 mins mounting the STC's in some boxes ready for converting the 2 fridges. One for the corney setup and one for fermenting.

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Reading the thread on hacking them I actually have an old one and a new one by the looks of things.

[chris_bobuk]

I decided to uncoil the cooler and mount it under the top today, need to fill it with water next see it its mounted ok and doesn't sag in places.

Cooler mounted under the top

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Inlet and outlet on the front of the stand, I'll trim these back and make a raised protector so they don't get knocked when it's stored away.

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[BenB]

That looks like a right proper job. Good idea re the fireproof board- I seem to recall someone on one of the podcasts confessing to making a windbreak out of wood and the second time when they went inside of weigh the hops.... well you can imagine the rest.

Looks good and sturdy- ain't going to go anywhere in a hurry!

[chris_bobuk]

Think the wood and fire board cost me £50, i still have 2 lengths and 2x3 left and a 2x1 rough cut laid there. So really it will have cost me less but I'll make a nice solid stool out of what's left for in the garage so I have a perch for when I'm brewing.

I do have a tendency to be a bit OTT on building things strong but then I'd rather only build it once and it last me.

See what I can get done tomorrow before I have to go back to work, I need to sort the mash tun stand out and pump setup but not sure what or how I want it yet. I need to inject expanding foam in the lid of the mash tun as its hollow at the moment.

I was wondering about buying a central heating header tank with lid and insulating that with some 75mm Kingspan round it if mine doesn't hold the temp well, jumping the gun a bit as I'll need to run mine see how it performs first which might be perfectly fine.

[chris_bobuk]

Got a few more loose ends tidied up today.

Gas piped in for the 2 burners.

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Pump and PSU mounted, this was done to slot inbetween the lats on the bottom so that it didn't move round and still be able to remove it for packing it all away. Just need to order some hose for the outlet of it now.

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Cooler connections fitted so that a standard hose pipe can be used for the feed and return.

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All packed away now until I have some more time off and order the rest of the parts I need. Hopefully next time I can get it filled with water and check what loses I'm expected to see on the first brew, give it a good clean through as well!

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[chris_bobuk]

Had another day sorting the odds and sods out that I had left to do.

Sorted all the piping out and ran some water round the lot to flush it out and check for leaks.

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Thought I best insulate the cooler box lid with some of screwfix best expanding foam, I may have been slightly trigger happy.....

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Sorted the fermentation fridge, thermostat removed and bypassed. Heater fitted and all wired back to the STC. Just need to make a shelf for the bottom now which I can do when Im brewing to pass the time.

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Last job is the keggerator to sort but that can be done while the first batch ferments.