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Grainfather Version history
Started by Jeff Nov 13, 2018. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Hi all.I've re-discovered home-brewing over the past three years having previously made some awful stuff in the early eighties with a bunch of mates whose common thread was having a mortgage and no…Continue
WORLD Brew Day - Sat May 5th
Started by Chris Carter. Last reply by Chris Carter May 6, 2018. 3 Replies 0 Likes
HIJust wondered if any of you are partaking. Sounds like good excuse to brew another beer and have a bit of fun along the way.I'm housing a brewday with a few folk who are keen to learn about AG…Continue
Grainfather Beer Quality
Started by MrC. Last reply by MrC Apr 30, 2018. 9 Replies 1 Like
There is plenty of information on the web about the brewing experience with the Grainfather and to honest it looks very appealing and I'm tempted to get my credit card out right now and buy one.…Continue
Tags: Quality, Beer, Grainfather
Reiteration mashing
Started by Mark Weusten Apr 3, 2017. 0 Replies 0 Likes
I did an Imperial stout in the weekend and mashed two lots of 5kg grain to get the required abv. Week 74 Grainfather blog tells me to…Continue
Comment Wall
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Comment by Peter Smith on October 8, 2014 at 7:34am
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I habve the 48L (40L) one same model, its ok but cheap, had for over a year used at least 10 times maybe more , heats up fast enough. Thermo stat not super accurate , stc-1000 woul fix that
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Comment by David M on October 8, 2014 at 7:56am
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I got the 38L one to use with my Grainfather a couple of weeks ago. Is good for the price as I didn't want to spend $200-300. Does the job I got it for fine.
The 38L has a 500W larger element than the 28L (2500 vs 2000 I think) = faster heating. I suspect the wattage ratings are overstated so no prob running it on a standard 10A plug. Haven't timed it but think it heats water faster than my Grainfather.
Thermostat is a little variable - slow to respond and not totally accurate but I just use a normal thermometer - clip it on the side with the probe in the water and just manually adjust the thermostat dial and add cold water if I need to get temp down. Works fine.
Won't win any build quality awards but for the price is fine and was better than I expected. Stainless thickness is enough and it doesn't leak or cause me any concerns.
The 38L is not much bigger physically than the 28L - also the capacity is overstated. There is quite a lot of deadspace below the tap (3-4L remain in the urn with the tap open. The 38L urn's capacity is below 30L although I haven't measured it.
For the $10 difference get the 38L.
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Comment by Mark Weusten on October 8, 2014 at 8:17am
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I would go the bigger one. I went the 28 litres but because of the element and tap height I only have around 24 usable litres. They are what they are, cheap and thin but heat water.
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Comment by John H on October 8, 2014 at 8:50am
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I have the 38L unit. I upgraded it with an STC-1000. As stated by others - its cheap and it works for what I want it to do.
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Comment by Dene McDonald on October 8, 2014 at 8:58am
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Does the STC-1000 over shoot the target temperature by much?
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Comment by Crusader-Rob on October 8, 2014 at 9:33am
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How have you input the STC-1000 into it? Thermocouple or just in the liquid? Or taped to the side of it??
If I did it, I think my preference would be to use a thermo couple.
the taps on the side are they removeable for a ball valve at all?
the 38l one is probably the one I'd be looking at.
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We could have a pimp my urn competition...
My ultimate low budget Urn would have a little brown pump for recircing up through the top to even out cold spots. A cheap $15 PID controller from Aliexpress would be great. A 3 way ball valve to switch between the pump and a sparge outlet to the grainfather would be a must.
It would actually be cheaper (and more fun) to use a $40 pot from Trade Me, butcher a warehouse kettle for the element, add an Aliexpress ball valve, sight glass and silicon hosing. Element dies, no trouble - get another kettle from the warehouse!
Anyone have inside contact at MJ to see if they would put up a prize for pimp my urn comp!
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It looks a bit like this...
Probe is cable-tied to the handle and hangs into the urn, probably about 3-4cm above the element. It is the type that have the plastic blob on the end so it looks waterproof-ish.
Thermowell is on the "one day when I want to do it properly" list
It does overshoot a little, but as it is quite close to the element it works out fine. It looks over, but once you stir up all the water it is bang-on. I did give it quite a small deadband (0.5deg C from memory) so it doesn't need to crank up the element for too long to maintain the temperature. It is only sparge water after all - a degree either way is probably going to be fine.
The tap is a weldless so you could unscrew and put in a ball valve if you wished. I hook on a plastic hose and hold on with a hoseclamp which works for me.
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A thermo well drilled up through the bottom would be great!
DO these have sight glasses?
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cool stc1000 upgrade love your work, got me thinking....
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