Jimbo's Electric Conversion

[NattyBoh]

Thanks Jimbo. Just ordered it and once it arrives I will finally begin this new hobby that has been in the design/research stage since February.

[Stillernz]

Hi guys I'm running Jimbo's set up as I type. What's works better, lower voltage output and lower water cooling or higher voltage output with more water running to get it reflux

[BentJar]

For my off-set boka,and a 12 gal. boiler charge. I like to see a good bit of reflux thru the sight glass and vapor temp at 174-176. This is stabilization for me and I try to maintain that with a take off rate like a potstill, fast drip to steady stream. When vapor temp begins to creep up.(usually after 2 hours or so) I will go to full reflux with no take off for 15 minutes, then go back to my original setting and try to maintain that until vapor temp creeps again. Then full reflux one more time. By then it tails coming thru so I just let her rip till 30%.


Each still is a different animal and what works for one might not for another. Im running a controller built from jimbo"s information and it works slicker than bear fat. I mounted a pocket watch dial behind my pot knob and run at 17 to 20 min past the hour.

[corene1]

Had to post a picture of this since Jimbo has gone electric. I figured these will get the kettle boiling pretty quickly , or may just flash it to vapor in an instant.

480 3 phase 30,000 watts each total of 60,000 watts . Think I might need a bigger kettle.

PA140001.JPG

[Jimbo]

Booyah! !!! Those babies is sweet. Post up in the that take off rate catastrophe of a thread. Be runnin at 24 gallons an hour

[jedneck]

7500 watts @ 220 or 1875 @120 if math is rite. Mega low watt density.

[Red Rim]

Oh corene1, you really get my mash warmed up! Hot damn!

[corene1]

Those things are about 6 feet long , I think they are a little big for hobby status. Lets see 7 foot diameter and 9 foot tall boiler that would be around 2600 gallon pot. Guess you would only have to make 1 run per year. Hate to see the electric bill though!

[Jimbo]

I bet u run that bigass still with your socks and hat on eh Corene ?

[Red Rim]

I was thinking they could be bolted to a 55 gallon drum laying on its side. But at six feet tall, that is pretty fricking big!
It must have been an impressive boiler that they came out of. I can just hear the meter spinning and see the lights dim all the way up here when you fire that thing up!

Hey corene1, if you have the ability to hook one of those up, maybe you should drop in and give Tpee a visit, I see he still hasn't gone through with his electric conversion !!

[corene1]

They came out of the cookers at the Frito Lay plant. Yes we have 480 3 phase at the shop but I would be scared to see them fired up with no liquid around them.

Yes Jimbo with my socks and hat maybe some gloves too. Maybe some of those nice long satin gloves.

[Red Rim]

480 three phase without the cooling properties of water, would be a great Mythbusters experiment! Hell if you are going to go that far, you may as well get some ammonium nitrate and some aluminum flake and invite me over. I love things that go boom!

[Davel]

Hey Jimbo thanks for the simple design and setup. Glad to hear these ebay units fit the bill.

I'm currently looking to convert my 40 litre boiler from external propane to immersed electric and this thread makes the controller setup look quite simple. Running my still in the warmth of the house is a fine bit better than the cold fresh winter air of outside in Canada.

[The KYChemist]

Hey Jimbo thanks for the simple design and setup. Glad to hear these ebay units fit the bill.

I'm currently looking to convert my 40 litre boiler from external propane to immersed electric and this thread makes the controller setup look quite simple. Running my still in the warmth of the house is a fine bit better than the cold fresh winter air of outside in Canada.

YUP! You cant beat being able to run the still in PJ's and slippers, sipping a fresh cup of coffee, in the morning. I used this same SCR controller, and have no complaints. SUPER-EASY to wire up.

[Davel]

Thanks for painting such a warm & comforting picture KYchemist

...........now I really am motivated to get my boiler converted.

[jedneck]

Just got parts in the mail yesterday and wired it up. Running right now as I'm typeing. If you are thinking about going electric this is about as idiot proof as it gets. Put it in a box and wire it up. So easy a redneck hillbilly shiner can do it.
Jimbo you are the man.

[The KYChemist]

Just got parts in the mail yesterday and wired it up. Running right now as I'm typeing. If you are thinking about going electric this is about as idiot proof as it gets. Put it in a box and wire it up. So easy a redneck hillbilly shiner can do it.
Jimbo you are the man.

Exactly why I did this, instead of the SSR that everybody else does.

[Muney]

Hi everyone, I am getting parts together for my electric conversion and spotted another thread in these forums with this controller http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-AC110V-2 ... 3a7fc93e37
Would this pretty much be the same as your controller jimbo? with a built in fan?

Also do you guys reccomend a metal or plastic box for installing the components in?

Thanks in advance!

[S-Cackalacky]

Hi everyone, I am getting parts together for my electric conversion and spotted another thread in these forums with this controller http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-AC110V-2 ... 3a7fc93e37
Would this pretty much be the same as your controller jimbo? with a built in fan?

Also do you guys reccomend a metal or plastic box for installing the components in?

Thanks in advance!

Looks like they've made some improvements since I bought mine. The way the terminals are setup I think you could probably wire it up and run it without installing it in a box. One thing about the Chinese controllers is - they are notorious for using little or no heat sink paste. It's a good idea to remove the SCR, clean the two surfaces, apply new paste, and reinstall it.

[goinbroke2]

Had to post a picture of this since Jimbo has gone electric. I figured these will get the kettle boiling pretty quickly , or may just flash it to vapor in an instant.

480 3 phase 30,000 watts each total of 60,000 watts . Think I might need a bigger kettle.

PA140001.JPG

Holy smokes Corene, I guess that takes the wind out of the sails of my little controller.....

[goinbroke2]

Oh, and instead of playing with all the "got the ssr from fleabay, the box from home depot, the wires from..." I just went here, bought it, wired it (with instructions) and done!
http://stilldragon.com/index.php/diy-co ... r-kit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I have a thread on here somewhere about the whole thing, took 5 days from Texas to Canadian border, 9 days from Ontario to Nova Scotia....

Total cost was like $45.00 Can including shipping/exice tax, etc.

Too easy.

[sasquatch83]

Thank you so much for sharing

[Antler24]

Can anyone say for sure if the newer style ebay controllers need to go in a box. Looks like a pretty neat complete package they have now but want to know for sure

[ELT]

I'll be building a "box" more or less to organize the ammeter, voltmeter, 3 position switch (on FULL / off / on SCR) and SCR controller.

[HDNB]

seen a lot of guys going with 3 position switches lately. seems like a good idea, but i have had too much heat at over 17A on mine. I don't think I'd be switching to switching to a full 21.1A draw for more than the first 5 minutes anyway.

But i have not burned thru my first 50A scr. Does anyone have a lifespan reading on these electronics?

[The KYChemist]

I've got a little over a year, of one to two runs a month, on mine. I've opened it up once, to use a micro-vacuum, to get the dust the PC fans suck in. Mine gets used for about 10hrs, on a Boka, for each of those runs. Not a single hiccup.

[Jimbo]

I been beatin mine up for quite the while now. I brew beer and make hooch with the same setup. Done more batches than I can count of both, and not a hickup. This is pretty non-typical for cheap ass chinese stuff like this. So lets count our blessings, and keep a spare on hand.

[ELT]

I use something similar to maintain my mash temperature when brewing beer. Been screwed a time or two by an automation component without a manual method to override the fancy stuff. Lesson learned was to have that override switch installed.

[Haus]

So is it safe to say this is what I want?
Just got my hands on a 15.5 keg and am collecting parts.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-110V-220 ... 0898617178" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[S-Cackalacky]

So is it safe to say this is what I want?
Just got my hands on a 15.5 keg and am collecting parts.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-110V-220 ... 0898617178" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Yep, that be it. The one you linked to is the newer version which is a step up from what Jimbo used for his build. There is a thread here on the forums that specifically talks about that controller. Several members are now using it and are happy with how it performs.