Beer temperature

Killercal · Jun 11, 2009

Hello all,

Ok, I am an amateur home brewer and need to control the temperature of the wort during fermentation. So I’m looking for a cheap temperature probe to connect to an Allen-Bradley 1746-IV8 card for a SLC 500 process to read the temperature and then turn on a heater when the temp falls below a set point, then turn off the heater when the wort gets to high set point. I put the fermeter in my basement, were it’s cool so I won’t have to worry about turning on a chiller….I hope!

My fermenters are a 5gal. pal and a 5gal. glass carboy.

Any ideas of what I'll need for this?

Thanks.

Ned_Flanders · Jun 11, 2009

I am not an AB user but isnt the card a regular 8 digital input module?

If so the cheapest way would be a typical tank stat - such as you use on a domestic hw cylinder. To do what you want you may need two.

The neatest way would be a pt100 probe - RS components? - but you would need an appropriate input card.

ctw3 · Jun 11, 2009

Hi, if you want the SLC to "read" the temperature, you will need an analog input card. you could use a NT4 with a thermocouple, a NR4 with a PT100 or a 4-20mA into a NI4 card.

There are plenty of other options, such as transmitters into a 4-20mA or 0-10V card, but the above should give you the idea.

A thermostat could be connected to a digital input card, but you might as well just hook a relay to your heater and not use the SLC at all.

I have an extensive brewing setup, I dont brew beer though if you know what i mean. My process goes beyond the fermentation stage. I use thermocouples into a 1746-NT4 card and then various outputs via a OW16

cheers

Killercal · Jun 11, 2009

markie said:
I am not an AB user but isnt the card a regular 8 digital input module?

If so the cheapest way would be a typical tank stat - such as you use on a domestic hw cylinder. To do what you want you may need two.

The neatest way would be a pt100 probe - RS components? - but you would need an appropriate input card.

Wow you are right....I just got a Digital input card sold as an Analog card...dumb me! Thanks for your response thought!

gbradley · Jun 11, 2009

Do you have an Analog card now?
Automation Direct sells a nice unit to connect your Thermocouple to the PLC,FC-T1 but if you don't have an analog input, then I guess that's not much help.

leitmotif · Jun 11, 2009

Killercal said:
Hello all,

Ok, I am an amateur home brewer and need to control the temperature of the wort during fermentation. So I’m looking for a cheap temperature probe to connect to an Allen-Bradley 1746-IV8 card for a SLC 500 process to read the temperature and then turn on a heater when the temp falls below a set point, then turn off the heater when the wort gets to high set point. I put the fermeter in my basement, were it’s cool so I won’t have to worry about turning on a chiller….I hope!

My fermenters are a 5gal. pal and a 5gal. glass carboy.

Any ideas of what I'll need for this? Thanks.

My brother brews beer also. Into it to the point he has converted a room to a brewery / kitchen. Temperature control of wort was one of several issues we discussed. We discussed a complicated system where he could control anything that included a heat pump to provide heating and cooling capacity.

We concluded that the final decision on all this should be
do you want to be installing machinery and controls or brew beer?

He is keeping it simple control and system wise and is going to use a temperature controller. Chilling will be done with ice bath.

You can get these from Red Lion Grainger etc with either RTD TC or thermistor. sensors.

Dan Bentler

Ken Moore · Jun 11, 2009

Something like this perhaps:
http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=CPP940_CBC990&Nav=temp11

CowDung · Jun 11, 2009

If you already have the temperature transmitter, a Horner XLe102 for around $300. The software is free and the PLC has 4 analog ins, 6 relay outs, and 8 digital ins.

It is a combined HMI and PLC unit, so you can actually display the current temperature and change the setpoints as needed. If you are really ambitious, you can even program temperature profiles for several recipes and select the one appropriate for your current batch...

I'm currently trying to design a way to do temperature control of my mashing process. A steam injection system would be pretty cool, but not exactly a safe setup for the kitchen...

milldrone · Jun 11, 2009

gbradley said:
Do you have an Analog card now?
Automation Direct sells a nice unit to connect your Thermocouple to the PLC,FC-T1 but if you don't have an analog input, then I guess that's not much help.

They also have a new analog version of the Click PLC that has two analog inputs. The PLC with the analog inputs and some digital I/O is only $129 and the software is free.

a11anjones · Jun 11, 2009

Hello, I know for a fact that the 1746- NT4 thermocouple input card will work for you. An then you could connect and configure a suitable probe

Shadrach · Jun 11, 2009

I only brew ales which ferment at room temp.
I also wrap a blanket around it to keep the temp a little more consistent. 8 years and haven't had a bad batch yet.

MikeGranby · Jun 11, 2009

> You can get these from Red Lion Grainger etc
> with either RTD TC or thermistor. sensors.

Perhaps this could be a new target market for us. I think that before I commit shareholders' funds, though, I really ought to perform a thorough hands-on investigation of the process and the resulting beverages...

leitmotif · Jun 11, 2009

MikeGranby said:
> You can get these from Red Lion Grainger etc
> with either RTD TC or thermistor. sensors.

Perhaps this could be a new target market for us. I think that before I commit shareholders' funds, though, I really ought to perform a thorough hands-on investigation of the process and the resulting beverages...

Mike

Come to Seattle - will introduce you to Brewmeister Markus. I am sure he can work out an equitable swap ratio of his product for yours. I will charge both of you a finders fee.

Dan Bentler

JeffKiper · Jun 11, 2009

Mike
I offer my services as an independant third party. I will DRAFT a complete report after the needed samples have been tested and re-tested (just for accuracy).
I do a complete stock rotation of my inventory on a weekly basis. I do my best to help Bud Light make a regular turn on there inventory as well.

Beer temperature

Killercal

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