Great job Bearded, but that outlet will not act like a breaker if you overload it with more than 20 amps. So it can only handle 2400 watts of power at 120 volts. It should work great for a 2000 watt heating element in a boil pot, but if you need more wattage to heat up faster or a larger pot, then you should consider using 240 volts. Your same setup at 240 volts could handle up to a 4500 watt element.
I like the video, Bearded. I just started a few brewing videos and I would like to get another one up by Friday. You guys inspire me to make a distilling video, but can’t do one for now
@@BEAVERDIY Dankie! I went with the tips you mailed to me and my still is also running the SCR you used in your built but I don’t know if you are still using it. Thank boet!
This!! I got a PID... Cause George. And it works. But it's sooooo slow. The vapor speed is so slow because the element is turning off more than its on when maintaining temperature at the head.
I used a PID twice. They're kind of dummy proof when you're just getting into things and the concept of cuts is daunting and confusing. I think that's why George used them so much. He knew he was teaching a lot of first timers and wanted them to succeed no matter what. But ultimately I think PID's better at controlling heat on things like brew kettles, mash tuns and malt kilns. George started switching to PWM's over the last year or so. They're digital and do essentially the same thing as the SCR. I'll upgrade to one of those eventually;-) If you still have your PID, you can use some of the components in that box to rebuild it into a PWM so it runs as a power regulator, and not a temp regulator. George has a shit ton of vids on how to do it.
@@BeardedBored hmmm. I've got an SCR in my amazon cart. Could I put the SCR in the relay loop to control the power the PID switching on and off? I could still use it at the beginning to take the fores but then turn down the power until it reaches a point where the pid is running the element all the time but at, say, 400 watts to maintain the head temp? Sort of a semi automatic set up? This way I have the control of power and temp?
Cool stuff brother, nice job on the build! For house wiring, when you look at the receptacle, you'll notice the contacts on one side are shiny, on the other side they are dull looking. So, shiny white (neutral) is better than dull black (hot), and green is ground the world around. Simple way to keep from big problems (and big bangs)! :) Hope that helps. Peace brother. Rev. D.
One note of interest. Since you have a GFI outlet in you box, if you plug into a circuit that has a second GFI somewhere in one of the wall outlets, they could very well trip one another. I suggest if you plan of plugging into a wall circuit that already has a GFI outlet, swap out the GFI in your box for a regular outlet.
A gfi can be plugged into another gfi with no issues. They will only trip if there is an issue. Modern hair driers have gfi's built into the cord and gfi outlets are required in bathrooms.
if you pull the nob off the front you should see a shallow nut under it.. I have used that nut and drilled a hole so the threads fit through the drilled hole and just used the nut to hold it in place or have gotten another shallow nut and have done it that way then just push the nob back on...
This was great! I built something like it after watching lots of Georges videos. Keep up the good work! My wife and I love this hobby craft Thank you a million Beard!!!
Great job Bearded!! Just finished building a George Duncan PID...turned out great!! By the way has anyone heard from George...very concerned about the old boy!!
Somehow this video slipped through my feed. Odd. Because You, Jessie and George are the triumvirate I want to never miss. Cool video. The size of my still (hypothetically) would require 220v… probably x2… Not outfitted for that so propane works. But I’ll add this to the library and look forward to my own dynamite 🧨 box. Best wishes to you and yours. Thank you for the knowledge.👍😊🥃
Update on my SCR based on this set up.... 😭 Powered up, element started heating then POP! mid leg on the bottom of the PCB melted down. Dead SCR. Heartbreaking. Was set up to do my very first vinegar run because my wash will be ready in 2 days. Glad i didnt test on run day. I also should have taken the SCR apart and double checked the soldering. Stay Tuned.
never heard of these, but seems to work pretty well. I went with a cooktop controller, but the electronics of the canner I use shut down below ~80% power supply. Going to put a switch right between electronics and heater element and a separate supply cord, so I can switch from "preserving cooker mode" to "direct dial in"... (just bridging the temperature switch didn't work, should have bought the cheaper basic version without the electronics...)
Great work dude. Very similar to my control box. It's so much smoother than using the SSR. I need to pull my equipment out and make some product. Just been too busy with other things this year.
@@BeardedBored yep I really need to. I'll be a few doors down from my local brew shop this evening. Think I may stop in and order some malted barley... cheers.
Cool controller. Maybe add a amp/watt meter. You should have better luck with making “essential oil’s “. Lol!! I really dig most of your recipes and ideas. Keep up the good work.
"Oh I'll be gentle, I promise." "i'm gonna give you a tip, and only the tip" Sorry, not a weirdo but I couldn't resist, asking if we would be gentle when giving tips is just too easy. Thanks for the fun vid on SCR. I made a PID for one element and this is my next project to add the SCR for the second element and then wire a 220v extension cord that has 2 separate 110 outlets so I can independently power both 110v heating elements in my thingy so I can heat quickly yet dial it back to put on "cruise mode". Thus using the 30A dryer plug so I don't have to use two separate circuits as a normal 15A is not big enough for the 2K elements. Kudo's to you sir!
very cool very creative I must say! Mine is in a project box but made it fancy with an amp meter/voltmeter like George's who I copied...not very creative (lol)
Those were a gift to the channel from Badmotivator Barrels. Definitely worth checking out. I'm letting them soak to get them sealed up and ready for some future projects;-)
@@BeardedBored must be a bad motivator, guess i will have to make a trip to Toshi Station....great name! Will definitely check them out. Can't wait to see what comes out of them.
@@ironmck9826 I know right! He goes by ThisR2Unit on reddit, LoL:-) The guy is a long time poster on the home distiller forum and just told everybody how to make them, has all the instructions on his website and his TH-cam channel, but if you want to buy them already done, he has them to sell. Really generous guy. These things age at big barrel speeds, so it's for long term projects.
Great video! I'm not electrical knowledgeable at all. The question I have is what gauge are the connecting wires are? I will be making mine 220v. Didn't know if you used 18, 16, 14 or 12 gauge to connect your devices. Thank you!
Say I wanted to add a temperature probe LED to this set up, how would you do that and get power to it? Additionally, would this power two 110V elements?
I have no clue, brother. George at Barley and hops channel did a ton of videos on wiring stuff up with probes and digital read outs, etc. He's a much better resource when you want to go past what I did.
Great that you did not electrocute yourself Mr Bearded haha, now Im very curious about those two barrels at the end of the video. Looking foward to finding out about them :D
Electrician here, that is a bit of a fire hazard. The gfi you are using has a 15a max current. 1800w max and if there is a chance of using it straight for over 3 hours you'll want to go with 1500w max. You need to make sure all wire you use is at least 14awg to handle the amperage. If you use 12awg and a 20a gfi you can get 2400w or 1900w if running over 3hrs but you will also need to be plugged into a 20a circuit in your house. Kitchen and garage circuits are usually 20a. It would also be a good idea to run a separate neutral wire to everything and wirenut them to the neutral on the cord. Lastly, give the gfi a couple wraps of electrical tape to help prevent anything from shorting out.
@@BeardedBored just found your channel after getting back into still'n and watching a bunch of Jesse's stuff. Thanks for all the good info and hard work.
Hey Bearded :-) Just the man I was looking for !! I was bored, the prune plums where ripe, so now I have a batch of plum brandy fermenting (hypothetical that is :-) Question: When you aged the Slivovitz on Birch, about how much wood did you use for how much Slivovitz ? Slivovitz 40 % ABV ?? And by the way. I have one of those SCR's to and a little amp/volt meter hooked up in the box, works like a charm ! And Thanks for all the funny things you do !! :-) !!
I used one stave per 750ml of 40%. The staves are .5"x.5"x6". Now I have a question for you. Do you leave the stones in your plum mash, or take them out?
would love to know as well... heard of mash with or without, with a few crushed ones, distilled with or without... the more/longer stones are in, the more hydrogen cyanide transfers to the product, especially from crushed stones. It's nasty stuff, so personally I would tend to "leave in for ferment, don't crush, don't put into still". Some prefer to have a little "bite" on their likker, but I just don't know enough to stay on the safe side...
@@BeardedBored Thanks for the answer ! Will try that ! Also on some elderberry shine I have left. And no stones at all, the Mrs and me cut all plums in half and took the stones out. I then heated them up covered with water in a BAP (big ass pot) 45 C° 20 min. to kill of wild yeast and soften them up a bit . Went with a recipe from a distillers forum. 1 kg. plums to 1 kg. sugar to 4 liter water. Adjust to OG1090 with sugar (not much), adjust ph up (was 3,8) with baking soda/powder (a lot) to 5,2 and pitch yeast. I used fresh Malteser yeast 50 g. for each 10 l. mash (our brand of bakers yeast) the company is owned by Lallemand. Here 3 days later its already dropped 32 points and smells amazing !!
@@lilinguhongo2621 No stones at all, the Mrs and me cut all plums in half and took the stones out. I then heated them up covered with water in a BAP (big ass pot) 45 C° 20 min. to kill of wild yeast and soften them up a bit . Went with a recipe from a distillers forum. 1 kg. plums to 1 kg. sugar to 4 liter water. Adjust to OG1090 with sugar (not much), adjust ph up (was 3,8) with baking soda/powder (a lot) to 5,2 and pitch yeast. I used fresh Malteser yeast 50 g. for each 10 l. mash (our brand of bakers yeast) the company is owned by Lallemand. Here 3 days later its already dropped 32 points and smells amazing !!
@@heymulen1840 sounds like that bit of extra work will pay off in the end. Thanks for the details! My actual ferment won't kick off, even the "rescue starter" lies like a winter lake... so I'm done with liquid yeast now, hope to get it going with dry stuff before it turns bad...
Nice! My 5 minute version: buy PWM controller. Buy short extension cord rated for 20 amps at 240 volts. Cut extension cord in half and separate and strip insulation back on all four wires. Screw wires onto terminal block on PWM. Plug both ends in. Done. Keep PWM AWAY FROM LIQUIDS! Einstein: “Things should be as simple as possible without being too simple.”
Hey man,your I love channel ! However,i got a 1650 watt internal element still (10 gal). Its a clawhammer supply self build kit. Anyways, I'm fixin to try and use it tomorrow but I dont have a way of controlling power atm so when i plug up,its wide open. It's not a huge element, so I'm thinkin itll be good,my wash is well strained but what do you think? If your still reading lol
*_NO!_* You *must* have a way to control the power flow. Be patient, wait until you can do it right, brother. You will boil out your mash and puke the still running full blast through the whole run. 100% is fine to get you up to first drips, then knock it back to like 50% to see if you still get drips. If not, dial it up 5% and wait a few minutes, repeat as necessary until you get drips.
Okay man,I'll do just as you told me, and I'll follow your how-to video. I've got other stove top china stills to get me through. I'll need to order the stuff and I'm sure you've got links in the video description. Thanks slot man!
Would the idea be that you could plug an electric hot plate into this and you could prevent the temperature cycling that would occur without the controller box interface? In other words, using this controller box with a hot plate allows you to properly hold temperature?
Thanks uncle! I used an SCR stolen from my ceiling fan. Great content again and informative! I saw Rudi also making the comment you should use the same gauge wire inside (black and white at your switch and SCR) Not sure the gauge but a 2.5 mm is the least you are allowed to use in this instance as it is basically an extension cord. Cheers 🍻
Hey Buddy, you did a great job! I too love the simplicity of an SCR. Definitely a Preferred Heat Controller. //// PS. I haven't forgotten about you, been watching the videos & smashing that 👍 Button, just wanted to check in and say Hi to you and all the community 😊⚡⚡⚡ Austin~
Great video as always! Been a while since I hollered at you on here and wanted to ask, Do you recomend installing 2 heating elements in a 15.5 gallon beer keg still if powered with the scr? Figured it would be faster that way. Thanks for what you do and you are very entertaining.
Bearded, please help! I have a corn and barley mash that has been fermenting for a week now. Checked in on it and did a taste test, and it seems salty? Have you ever experienced this, and is it anything to worry about?
Salty? Never come across that. Did you use brew shop grain, or did you source it from somewhere else? I'm just wondering if you used something like corn meal that may have contained salt? If it was all fresh grain, then maybe your water has a higher sodium content? Not sure man. But as long as it ferments out, you should be fine. Salt doesn't come through distillation, so my guess is that you won't taste it in a finished product...hypothetically;-)
On a low setting check to see if the GFI still works... I have never attached a low voltage to a GFI so I have no idea if it would still work. (test Button)
Scr doesn't reduce voltage. It reduces watts and amps. BTW the switch on a GFCI is not a breaker. A breaker trips when excessive amperage is being drawn. A GFCI trips when there is a ground fault.
Since you have made your build have you noticed a considerable amount of heat that just might require a fan? I have the parts for the build sitting in front of me which I picked up from your links. I do have some PC power supply fans and had the thought I could add one to the inside of the box. I am not an electrician either but maybe you would know, if you were to add a PC fan how would you do it?
I think you need to add a solid state relay so you can add a fan. Check George's channel for build videos. I'm going to add one eventually because it's the smart thing to do, but I haven't needed one. For a temporary fix you could set a small fan next to the box to blow through the gaps. I did that on an older build when it was really hot outside.
Just the other day, I turned to my wife and said... I really miss Radio Shack..... now have to wait for parts to come in............................................................................ Ohh, and the GFI does not have a circuit breaker in it... it trips for Ground Fault... not over load. carry on with the vid. Side note, this would be great for a Dremel tool with a single speed........
I like the look and the use, but my biggest concern is HEAT sink HEAT, wood burns. How hot is the Heat sink going to get will it burn the dry wood? If you had mounted the heat sink with some spacers keeping it away from the wood, I would be less concerned.
It gets about 100-110F when it's maxed out. Wood ignites at 500F+ so it'll be fine. Most people use plastic boxes with much lower melting points with no trouble.
Ok i have a question for anyone who built one of these. I watched the video and built as seen ... but when i connected a fan to test nothing happened until after 50% power is this how it should work?
@@BeardedBored That was a good one, I about busted a gut when you setup to test for a live circuit. Only thing better would have been editing to a childhood flashback testing a 9 volt battery.
You can litterally put a course threaded screw between the fins of the heat sink for mounting. Just find a screw that digs in slightly. I mean use common sense. They mount these all the time like this. Also thats how manufacturers mount fans to them.
T500 is what im using. PID works fine, but the cycling and temp chasing takes so long for a run. Im hoping to try the scr to see if I can better Taylor the needs of the setup.
It depends on whether you want the PID to control the power based on temperature or you want to control the power based on temperature. Once your column is balanced with either, small changes you make will result in small changes in your column. Until it is balanced either method of temp/power control will give you swings.
I like power/output speed control more than set temperature control, but it's just my preference. I feel like you can fine tune the run a little better.
I need to through my stuff together.. been getting the pieces together for years.. just haven't put it together.. I'm going the beer keg.. half keg thumper rout.. Haven't got the stuff to make it electric though
Click here to get a *FREE* Graphic T-Shirt - intotheam.com/Bearded10-TC Use Coupon Code *Bearded10*
Was just thinking I have not seen anything from Bearded and Bored in a while, went to youtube and bam, a new video.
Got behind on stuff, but finally got this one out;-)
Nice controller, never would have thought of the “power crate” solution, good air flow. Taping your electronics is genius. Thanks much, Bearded!
Thanks brother!
Thanks man. I think I can do that. Now I have to decide whether to cut a hole in my 8 gallon pot. Right now I am using a hot plate.
I just made this with a project box. It works beautifully for hypothetical purposes. Thanks BB!
Little create came together sweet man. Was that you playing DJ with the fan? Haha
Yes, the video of my DJing was an absurdly long time. Had to butcher knife it down to a few seconds:-)
What's happened to George? Barley & Hops ??!!
@@thebeaglebeat3615 He's fine, but has stepped back from TH-cam.
She's a beauty! Loving that "ol' timey" look. This is a great addition to George's videos, you covered a few things he didn't really touch on.
Wow, thanks!
Speaking about George , anybody heard from him ? I sure hope he is well .
@@Suzukidave He says he's fine, but I think he's stepping back from TH-cam.
@@BeardedBored I understand but he sure will be missed .
@@Suzukidave Yes he will.
Nice project. I just bought a scr on ebay rated from 1500 to 4000watt with a small digital output readout for $19, free shipping
Nice work!
You could add a computer fan to that box to help cool it all off, you can power it with a 9 volt battery or lantern battery.
Good job 👍 I built a 120V and a 240V PID I've got parts ordered for a 120V SCR after that a 240V SCR 👍 I enjoy your videos.
Great job Bearded, but that outlet will not act like a breaker if you overload it with more than 20 amps. So it can only handle 2400 watts of power at 120 volts. It should work great for a 2000 watt heating element in a boil pot, but if you need more wattage to heat up faster or a larger pot, then you should consider using 240 volts. Your same setup at 240 volts could handle up to a 4500 watt element.
Thanks Bruce! That's so helpful👍🍺
Would 2 1600 watt 115v heating elements boil water in 15 gallon keg? Or just 1, don’t want to burn the mash.
How will and not act like a breaker if it is overloaded then it will trip and not be usable until it is reset, just like a breaker.
So much nicer than my 3 year old "temporary " screwed to a 2x4 set up i currently use, makes me want to rebuild mine
Mine was in a small plastic tote until I stepped on it and broke the plastic. My foot made it necessary to upgrade the box to be a little beefier;-)
I like the video, Bearded. I just started a few brewing videos and I would like to get another one up by Friday. You guys inspire me to make a distilling video, but can’t do one for now
Good luck on your videos:-)
I love it when my wife wears my shirts. They smell really good then
Nice. That should power up a heating element perfectly. Love the nostalgic farmhouse vibe. That's super cool.
Thanks brother!
@@BeardedBored I have to say even after watching it a time or two I still tend to back up from my phone when you turn it on. He he he.
@@TheGrainBench Hahahaha!
Could you do a video on how to operate the SCR when using your essential oils distiller?
Super cool box, brother, made one the other day, think I need to place it in a wooden box,
LoL, you should!
@@BeardedBored love the rustic looks of the box
@@BEAVERDIY Dankie! I went with the tips you mailed to me and my still is also running the SCR you used in your built but I don’t know if you are still using it.
Thank boet!
This!! I got a PID... Cause George. And it works. But it's sooooo slow. The vapor speed is so slow because the element is turning off more than its on when maintaining temperature at the head.
I used a PID twice. They're kind of dummy proof when you're just getting into things and the concept of cuts is daunting and confusing. I think that's why George used them so much. He knew he was teaching a lot of first timers and wanted them to succeed no matter what. But ultimately I think PID's better at controlling heat on things like brew kettles, mash tuns and malt kilns. George started switching to PWM's over the last year or so. They're digital and do essentially the same thing as the SCR. I'll upgrade to one of those eventually;-) If you still have your PID, you can use some of the components in that box to rebuild it into a PWM so it runs as a power regulator, and not a temp regulator. George has a shit ton of vids on how to do it.
@@BeardedBored hmmm. I've got an SCR in my amazon cart. Could I put the SCR in the relay loop to control the power the PID switching on and off?
I could still use it at the beginning to take the fores but then turn down the power until it reaches a point where the pid is running the element all the time but at, say, 400 watts to maintain the head temp? Sort of a semi automatic set up? This way I have the control of power and temp?
@@yarkobroda That's way above my skill level:-(
What were those metal barrel things in the background during the promo and outro?
Google "Badmotivator Barrels"😉
Cool stuff brother, nice job on the build! For house wiring, when you look at the receptacle, you'll notice the contacts on one side are shiny, on the other side they are dull looking. So, shiny white (neutral) is better than dull black (hot), and green is ground the world around. Simple way to keep from big problems (and big bangs)! :) Hope that helps. Peace brother. Rev. D.
Thanks Preacher:-)
There’s always something useful from your channel👍
Glad to hear that!
Very helpful video. I've just started outfitting a keg and I'm definitely going to reference this video along with many of your other ones
Glad it was helpful! Good luck on your build:-)
Great content as always sir! I’m certain this will be helpful for many who are looking for better power control without spending a lot.
Thanks Rich!
One note of interest. Since you have a GFI outlet in you box, if you plug into a circuit that has a second GFI somewhere in one of the wall outlets, they could very well trip one another. I suggest if you plan of plugging into a wall circuit that already has a GFI outlet, swap out the GFI in your box for a regular outlet.
I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!
A gfi can be plugged into another gfi with no issues. They will only trip if there is an issue. Modern hair driers have gfi's built into the cord and gfi outlets are required in bathrooms.
Hi Bearded and Bored, I like your video, I am in the process of making a dual SCR plus a PID fitted! But tell me have you heard from George of late?
George is doing fine, but seems to be taking a break from TH-cam. Hope he comes back soon:-)
Great video again. Thanks. Think you should have used a 20 amp plug. 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
if you pull the nob off the front you should see a shallow nut under it.. I have used that nut and drilled a hole so the threads fit through the drilled hole and just used the nut to hold it in place or have gotten another shallow nut and have done it that way then just push the nob back on...
This was great! I built something like it after watching lots of Georges videos. Keep up the good work! My wife and I love this hobby craft Thank you a million Beard!!!
George is the king of this stuff:-)
@@BeardedBored Speaking of George. Do you know if he's okay? No videoes in months :-/
@@Blarsen1971 Yeah, he's fine. Just taking a break from TH-cam.
@@BeardedBored Phew :) People on his channel are really worried.
@@Blarsen1971 He didn't give me any info, just said he's fine. Sorry I don't have more details.
You need to stencil "TNT" on it. Lol. Love the lil' crate look.
I was thinking of something like that or "Danger: Angry Pixies Inside"
@@BeardedBored lol
Cool video man digging the box that's an awesome idea for re using pallets
Thanks Moe:-)
Great job Bearded!! Just finished building a George Duncan PID...turned out great!! By the way has anyone heard from George...very concerned about the old boy!!
Congrats on the build! George is doing fine, but stepping back from TH-cam unfortunately.
Somehow this video slipped through my feed.
Odd.
Because You, Jessie and George are the triumvirate I want to never miss.
Cool video.
The size of my still (hypothetically) would require 220v… probably x2…
Not outfitted for that so propane works.
But I’ll add this to the library and look forward to my own dynamite 🧨 box.
Best wishes to you and yours.
Thank you for the knowledge.👍😊🥃
Update on my SCR based on this set up.... 😭 Powered up, element started heating then POP! mid leg on the bottom of the PCB melted down. Dead SCR. Heartbreaking. Was set up to do my very first vinegar run because my wash will be ready in 2 days. Glad i didnt test on run day. I also should have taken the SCR apart and double checked the soldering. Stay Tuned.
never heard of these, but seems to work pretty well. I went with a cooktop controller, but the electronics of the canner I use shut down below ~80% power supply. Going to put a switch right between electronics and heater element and a separate supply cord, so I can switch from "preserving cooker mode" to "direct dial in"... (just bridging the temperature switch didn't work, should have bought the cheaper basic version without the electronics...)
Your an electronics wizard compared to me:-)
@@BeardedBored ah, wizardry... that might explain the smokey haze and scorched smell around here...
@@lilinguhongo2621 LOL!!
Love the rustic controler, keep up the good work 👍
Thanks!
Great work dude. Very similar to my control box. It's so much smoother than using the SSR. I need to pull my equipment out and make some product. Just been too busy with other things this year.
Thanks brother. Find some time to relax and watch liquid drip into jars for a few hours;-)
@@BeardedBored yep I really need to. I'll be a few doors down from my local brew shop this evening. Think I may stop in and order some malted barley... cheers.
@@ThinkFreely2012 Good man:-)
Awesome thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Cool controller. Maybe add a amp/watt meter. You should have better luck with making “essential oil’s “. Lol!! I really dig most of your recipes and ideas. Keep up the good work.
Great idea!
"Oh I'll be gentle, I promise." "i'm gonna give you a tip, and only the tip" Sorry, not a weirdo but I couldn't resist, asking if we would be gentle when giving tips is just too easy. Thanks for the fun vid on SCR. I made a PID for one element and this is my next project to add the SCR for the second element and then wire a 220v extension cord that has 2 separate 110 outlets so I can independently power both 110v heating elements in my thingy so I can heat quickly yet dial it back to put on "cruise mode". Thus using the 30A dryer plug so I don't have to use two separate circuits as a normal 15A is not big enough for the 2K elements. Kudo's to you sir!
You didn't even buy me dinner.
@@BeardedBored hahaha. Dude, if I ever run into you, you can bet I'll buy dinner and drinks for you and your better half!
@@reevinriggin3570 Ok, then the tip is accepted, just the tip though.
ha ha ha love the opening shot the only thing better would have been putting a fork in a toaster
That tingles😂
very cool very creative I must say! Mine is in a project box but made it fancy with an amp meter/voltmeter like George's who I copied...not very creative (lol)
Thanks man! I wish I had added a volt/amp meter to mine. Might have to do an upgrade;-)
I like your box!!
Remember, It's one thing to admire another man's box just don't try and touch it. 🙂
😊
@Ray Fox Good advice 😂
Great stuff.
Thanks Rando!
Cool build. ... wwwhats going on in those tiny barrels in the background at the ends?....
Those were a gift to the channel from Badmotivator Barrels. Definitely worth checking out. I'm letting them soak to get them sealed up and ready for some future projects;-)
@@BeardedBored must be a bad motivator, guess i will have to make a trip to Toshi Station....great name! Will definitely check them out. Can't wait to see what comes out of them.
@@ironmck9826 I know right! He goes by ThisR2Unit on reddit, LoL:-) The guy is a long time poster on the home distiller forum and just told everybody how to make them, has all the instructions on his website and his TH-cam channel, but if you want to buy them already done, he has them to sell. Really generous guy. These things age at big barrel speeds, so it's for long term projects.
Great video! I'm not electrical knowledgeable at all. The question I have is what gauge are the connecting wires are? I will be making mine 220v. Didn't know if you used 18, 16, 14 or 12 gauge to connect your devices. Thank you!
Go with 12 or even 10. Overkill is fine, especially when you're dealing with angry pixies.
Say I wanted to add a temperature probe LED to this set up, how would you do that and get power to it? Additionally, would this power two 110V elements?
I have no clue, brother. George at Barley and hops channel did a ton of videos on wiring stuff up with probes and digital read outs, etc. He's a much better resource when you want to go past what I did.
Great that you did not electrocute yourself Mr Bearded haha, now Im very curious about those two barrels at the end of the video. Looking foward to finding out about them :D
Google "Badmotivator Barrels" ;-)
Electrician here, that is a bit of a fire hazard. The gfi you are using has a 15a max current. 1800w max and if there is a chance of using it straight for over 3 hours you'll want to go with 1500w max. You need to make sure all wire you use is at least 14awg to handle the amperage. If you use 12awg and a 20a gfi you can get 2400w or 1900w if running over 3hrs but you will also need to be plugged into a 20a circuit in your house. Kitchen and garage circuits are usually 20a. It would also be a good idea to run a separate neutral wire to everything and wirenut them to the neutral on the cord. Lastly, give the gfi a couple wraps of electrical tape to help prevent anything from shorting out.
Thanks for the helpful details 👍👍👍
@@BeardedBored just found your channel after getting back into still'n and watching a bunch of Jesse's stuff. Thanks for all the good info and hard work.
@@kyleo1236 Thanks brother:-)
Hey Bearded :-) Just the man I was looking for !! I was bored, the prune plums where ripe, so now I have a batch of plum brandy fermenting (hypothetical that is :-) Question: When you aged the Slivovitz on Birch, about how much wood did you use for how much Slivovitz ? Slivovitz 40 % ABV ?? And by the way. I have one of those SCR's to and a little amp/volt meter hooked up in the box, works like a charm ! And Thanks for all the funny things you do !! :-) !!
I used one stave per 750ml of 40%. The staves are .5"x.5"x6". Now I have a question for you. Do you leave the stones in your plum mash, or take them out?
would love to know as well... heard of mash with or without, with a few crushed ones, distilled with or without... the more/longer stones are in, the more hydrogen cyanide transfers to the product, especially from crushed stones. It's nasty stuff, so personally I would tend to "leave in for ferment, don't crush, don't put into still". Some prefer to have a little "bite" on their likker, but I just don't know enough to stay on the safe side...
@@BeardedBored Thanks for the answer ! Will try that ! Also on some elderberry shine I have left. And no stones at all, the Mrs and me cut all plums in half and took the stones out. I then heated them up covered with water in a BAP (big ass pot) 45 C° 20 min. to kill of wild yeast and soften them up a bit . Went with a recipe from a distillers forum. 1 kg. plums to 1 kg. sugar to 4 liter water. Adjust to OG1090 with sugar (not much), adjust ph up (was 3,8) with baking soda/powder (a lot) to 5,2 and pitch yeast. I used fresh Malteser yeast 50 g. for each 10 l. mash (our brand of bakers yeast) the company is owned by Lallemand. Here 3 days later its already dropped 32 points and smells amazing !!
@@lilinguhongo2621 No stones at all, the Mrs and me cut all plums in half and took the stones out. I then heated them up covered with water in a BAP (big ass pot) 45 C° 20 min. to kill of wild yeast and soften them up a bit . Went with a recipe from a distillers forum. 1 kg. plums to 1 kg. sugar to 4 liter water. Adjust to OG1090 with sugar (not much), adjust ph up (was 3,8) with baking soda/powder (a lot) to 5,2 and pitch yeast. I used fresh Malteser yeast 50 g. for each 10 l. mash (our brand of bakers yeast) the company is owned by Lallemand. Here 3 days later its already dropped 32 points and smells amazing !!
@@heymulen1840 sounds like that bit of extra work will pay off in the end. Thanks for the details!
My actual ferment won't kick off, even the "rescue starter" lies like a winter lake... so I'm done with liquid yeast now, hope to get it going with dry stuff before it turns bad...
You referenced George wiring a PWM, is this SCR the same thing as a PWM or just a variable controller or something totally separate of those two?
What heating elements did you use I don’t see them in the description
Nice! My 5 minute version: buy PWM controller. Buy short extension cord rated for 20 amps at 240 volts. Cut extension cord in half and separate and strip insulation back on all four wires. Screw wires onto terminal block on PWM. Plug both ends in. Done. Keep PWM AWAY FROM LIQUIDS! Einstein: “Things should be as simple as possible without being too simple.”
Nice;-)
Hey man,your I love channel ! However,i got a 1650 watt internal element still (10 gal). Its a clawhammer supply self build kit. Anyways, I'm fixin to try and use it tomorrow but I dont have a way of controlling power atm so when i plug up,its wide open. It's not a huge element, so I'm thinkin itll be good,my wash is well strained but what do you think? If your still reading lol
*_NO!_* You *must* have a way to control the power flow. Be patient, wait until you can do it right, brother. You will boil out your mash and puke the still running full blast through the whole run. 100% is fine to get you up to first drips, then knock it back to like 50% to see if you still get drips. If not, dial it up 5% and wait a few minutes, repeat as necessary until you get drips.
Okay man,I'll do just as you told me, and I'll follow your how-to video. I've got other stove top china stills to get me through. I'll need to order the stuff and I'm sure you've got links in the video description. Thanks slot man!
@@adammitchell3462 Happy to help:-)
Would the idea be that you could plug an electric hot plate into this and you could prevent the temperature cycling that would occur without the controller box interface? In other words, using this controller box with a hot plate allows you to properly hold temperature?
No, the hot plate cycling is usually controlled internally. This is for water heater elements or wrap around heater bands that are simply on or off.
Thanks uncle!
I used an SCR stolen from my ceiling fan. Great content again and informative!
I saw Rudi also making the comment you should use the same gauge wire inside (black and white at your switch and SCR)
Not sure the gauge but a 2.5 mm is the least you are allowed to use in this instance as it is basically an extension cord.
Cheers 🍻
Thanks, I'll swap it out;-)
Great Scott!!! This is some 'Back to the Future 3' Shit!
*You had me at grinding dust 🤣
Hahahaha! Just need a coal powered steam engine for the next build;-)
@@BeardedBored "hypothetical" coal powered vapor machine. What could possibly go wrong? 💥👨🔬
@@StillDrew982 Nothing at all. I'm sure we'll all be fine;-)
Hey Buddy, you did a great job! I too love the simplicity of an SCR. Definitely a Preferred Heat Controller. //// PS. I haven't forgotten about you, been watching the videos & smashing that 👍 Button, just wanted to check in and say Hi to you and all the community 😊⚡⚡⚡
Austin~
Thanks Austin!
Great video as always! Been a while since I hollered at you on here and wanted to ask, Do you recomend installing 2 heating elements in a 15.5 gallon beer keg still if powered with the scr? Figured it would be faster that way. Thanks for what you do and you are very entertaining.
Bearded, please help!
I have a corn and barley mash that has been fermenting for a week now.
Checked in on it and did a taste test, and it seems salty? Have you ever experienced this, and is it anything to worry about?
Salty? Never come across that. Did you use brew shop grain, or did you source it from somewhere else? I'm just wondering if you used something like corn meal that may have contained salt? If it was all fresh grain, then maybe your water has a higher sodium content? Not sure man. But as long as it ferments out, you should be fine. Salt doesn't come through distillation, so my guess is that you won't taste it in a finished product...hypothetically;-)
On a low setting check to see if the GFI still works... I have never attached a low voltage to a GFI so I have no idea if it would still work. (test Button)
Good point.
Scr doesn't reduce voltage. It reduces watts and amps. BTW the switch on a GFCI is not a breaker. A breaker trips when excessive amperage is being drawn. A GFCI trips when there is a ground fault.
Since you have made your build have you noticed a considerable amount of heat that just might require a fan? I have the parts for the build sitting in front of me which I picked up from your links. I do have some PC power supply fans and had the thought I could add one to the inside of the box. I am not an electrician either but maybe you would know, if you were to add a PC fan how would you do it?
I think you need to add a solid state relay so you can add a fan. Check George's channel for build videos. I'm going to add one eventually because it's the smart thing to do, but I haven't needed one. For a temporary fix you could set a small fan next to the box to blow through the gaps. I did that on an older build when it was really hot outside.
@@BeardedBored thank you
@@silly6004
I would like to see someone do a true 1900s moonshine recipe and distilling
There are a lot of old recipes. Did you have a specific one in mind?
Just the other day, I turned to my wife and said... I really miss Radio Shack..... now have to wait for parts to come in............................................................................
Ohh, and the GFI does not have a circuit breaker in it... it trips for Ground Fault... not over load.
carry on with the vid. Side note, this would be great for a Dremel tool with a single speed........
Thanks John:-)
Hey Bearded this don't have nothing to do with this video but how about making some Bock beer?
That's on my list;-)
You inform me and make me laugh. Come back soon brother
Very nice sir, plz send circuit diagram
Greetings, how does someone reach george i bought one of his boxes that doesnt seem to be working correctly.
You can try emailing him. He's taking a long break, so his response time is slow.
Is that GFCI really 20A? I thought all 20A's had a T slot on the neutral side.. but, I'm not an electrician
Would a dimmer switch work?
I'm a bit concerned about the wire guage ,it seems pretty small.
On the switch? Yeah, I think I'm going to swap that out.
@@BeardedBored If you are unfamiliar with sizing wire, if it is going on a 20 amp circuit, you need 12 ga. wire. 20 amps x 120 volts = 2400 watts.
Ahahaha I used the same one but I took off from OEM heat sink and put in on a ssvr heat sink
I like the look and the use, but my biggest concern is HEAT sink HEAT, wood burns. How hot is the Heat sink going to get will it burn the dry wood? If you had mounted the heat sink with some spacers keeping it away from the wood, I would be less concerned.
It gets about 100-110F when it's maxed out. Wood ignites at 500F+ so it'll be fine. Most people use plastic boxes with much lower melting points with no trouble.
Ok i have a question for anyone who built one of these. I watched the video and built as seen ... but when i connected a fan to test nothing happened until after 50% power is this how it should work?
What size is your still? 15 gallon what watts of heating element?
So you're the guy I seen stuck to a light pole last winter.
Darn. Thought I got away without anyone seeing😎
@@BeardedBored That was a good one, I about busted a gut when you setup to test for a live circuit. Only thing better would have been editing to a childhood flashback testing a 9 volt battery.
@@Nobody-ld7mk Missed opportunity. Cool username!
You can litterally put a course threaded screw between the fins of the heat sink for mounting. Just find a screw that digs in slightly. I mean use common sense. They mount these all the time like this. Also thats how manufacturers mount fans to them.
i want to switch my pid to an scr.
will this work for a T500 with the alembic setup?
Yes:-)
@@BeardedBored Thanks, I was pretty sure it would but I am new to the craft and your channel. I believe we might almost be neighbors. Dallas Ga. here.
T500 is what im using. PID works fine, but the cycling and temp chasing takes so long for a run. Im hoping to try the scr to see if I can better Taylor the needs of the setup.
@@putitupinya SCR will help a lot!
I built the PID from George do I need this
It depends on whether you want the PID to control the power based on temperature or you want to control the power based on temperature.
Once your column is balanced with either, small changes you make will result in small changes in your column. Until it is balanced either method of temp/power control will give you swings.
I like power/output speed control more than set temperature control, but it's just my preference. I feel like you can fine tune the run a little better.
Could I use a dimmable growlight ballast to control this? Cuz I have a few
I'm not sure, but I don't think those will control the power well enough and might burn up. But I'm definitely not an expert.
@@BeardedBored thanks man. Love your channel
Mate, where George? Is he ok? Any insight? Worried.
He told me he's fine, but I think he's taking some time off TH-cam.
@@BeardedBored Thanks, send him our best next time you talk. And you, keep up the great work! It’s all appreciated.
@@vrtsgme Thanks Mark. Will do:-)
Your knob only goes to 10. They should all go to 11. (Thumbs up if you get the reference).
Big Bottom is one of my favorite songs;-)
Between you and me, I considered printing out a little dial that went up to 11, but ran out of printer ink.
Doh, you beat me by 3 hrs on the 11 reference...
LMAo...essential oil maker
That's what they're for, right?
@@BeardedBored absolutely *wink*
first!!!
👍🍺
I need to through my stuff together.. been getting the pieces together for years.. just haven't put it together.. I'm going the beer keg.. half keg thumper rout.. Haven't got the stuff to make it electric though
No offense but you shouldn't use 10 gauge wire it gets hotter than you think
👍🇺🇸🍺
🙏👍🍺🍺🍺
, 👍
🍺🍺
What, yours doesn't go to 11 ???
Do I spy some badmotivator barrels hiding on your kitchen counter?
I wish I had one that went to 11 because that's one louder. Yes, you did spy some BadMo Barrels on the counter. He sent me a couple to test out;-)
Cool build but it’s not even close to 10 kilowatts of power. Even if you used 240v it wouldn’t be over 5 kilowatts.
True. But the scr can handle that much before burning out. I tried a 2K and it got too hot, so I opted for overkill.
Sc
Those cheap controllers have poor quality and underspecced components. Will fail in a couple of months, if not before.
So far, so good.