Brewing Systems
Should I use an insulation jacket?
The insulation jacket will have a positive effect on your energy usage as it prevents heat loss. We recommend using the jacket if brewing outside or in a cold environment.
Can I use the standard silicone tube for tap water?
No, the standard silicone tubes are not designed to withstand the tap water pressure. Use reinforced hoses where water pressure is present. Typically that would be:
Water into steam condenser
Water into counterflow cooler
I don’t have 16A circuit breakers. What do I do?
The system is designed to be able to limit the average power output to allow usage on lower current circuits. Check out the section about limiting the power output in the user manual.
Getting StartedThe max current settings are on the conservative side. I a lot of situations, the max current setting can be set higher than the circuit breaker says without causing a problem. Make sure to test it out prior to a brewing session to avoid tripping the fuse while brewing.
What is the maximum grain capacity?
The maximum grain capacity is found in the specifications and on the product page on our website. Pushing the capacity limits will lower your mash efficiency. Our recommendation is to do your own testing to find what works best for you. We do not recommend to test maximum grain bill on your first brew.
How do I avoid «stuck mash»?
Using rice hulls and the correct crush grade is key. We recommend resting the mash (not circulating over the grain bed) the first 20 minutes of the mash process.
Remember that poor circulation through the grain bed is not a reason for panic attack, but it might make it more difficult to control the temperature in your grain bed. Consider whether you will be better off by circulating around the malt pipe with no flow over the grain bed and putting the lid on.
As a help during events of poor circulation, we have made an overflow pipe which we offer for our laser cut filters. Using this will reduce the chance of overfilling the malt pipe which migh lead to exposing the heating elements to air. If the heating elements get exposed they will scorch.
Should I stir the grains during mashing?
It is important that all the grains are wet and mixed well with the mash water. If you get a stuck mash, you should stir lightly, but stirring will generally reduce the clarity of the wort.
How often should I tighten the nuts on sensors and heating elements?
It is a good idea to check the nuts regularly. Also check the TC clamps under the main tank regularly.
How do I update the system firmware?
When a new firmware version is available, the system will automatically download it and prompt you to install it. This requires a working WiFi connection and that the MicroSD card is installed. The MicroSD card is installed when the system is shipped and is normally not necessary to remove. If there is no MicroSD card installed, firmware will not be updated.
I cannot connect to WiFi. What is wrong??
Check that the SSID and password is correctly entered. Both are case sensitive. You can also try setting up an access point on your phone to test another network. The system only supports 2.4 Ghz networks.
The pump makes a noise, but no liquid is being pumped
You might have air in your system. Start and stop the pump a few times to vent it. Check that the bottom valve is correctly set. Check that the pump is installed as described earlier. Check for blockages in dip tube or elsewhere.
The pump doesn’t run
Check that the cable is correctly installed and that the pump speed is set to max on the control system. If nothing happens, turn of the pumps, disconnect the cable and remove the pump. Check that no particles is blocking the impeller or that sugars have hardened inside, locking the impeller.
Remember that the wort contains sugar. It is important to circulate using the pump as part of the cleaning process to ensure the suger is washed out and not hardens as it can cause the pump impeller to get stuck.
How do I avoid burning the heating elements?
Make sure the heating elements are always covered with liquid. If you do a manual step mash, use the «mash mode » to limit the power output on the heating elements.
Use the link below to read more.
BTOS Control systemSome grain types like wheat and flaked oats might increase the risk of burning the heating elements.
Grains crushed too fine or too fast will increase the amount of fine dust that increases the likelyhood og scorching the heating elements.
The heating elements are touching the edge of the tank. Is this normal?
No, there is normally a 10-20mm space between the tank wall and the heating elements. If you’ve run the heaters dry, they might have expanded, and the heating elements become more difficult to clean. The minimum distance is 5mm. If the heaters are touching the wall, the main tank might become discolored.
How to adjust the heating elements
The heating elements can axpand if turned on without beeing submerced. When the heating element expands, the distance to the tank wall decreases which makes it harder to clean proporly. To adjust the heating element, use a water pump plier. Wrap the jaw with tape to avoide scratching the heating elements. Tighten each curve of the heating element; 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 and so on. We recommend to start off easy and increase tension for each round until the heating element has a perfect curve. If using too much force, the result can be that the curving gets too tight and will cause conflict with the malt pipe. Adjusting back again is not easy.
The selected sensor is showing N/A
If the selected sensor shows N/A on the display, it means the system isn’t reading the sensor. Check the connection and restart the system. If the problem persists, contact the dealer or manufacturer.
Why is the tank and pump sensor showing different temperatures?
The temperature sensor in the pump outlet can be affected by ambient temperatures and will normally show a lower value than the tank sensor. You can correct for this in the software (see the online manual). If you think the sensors have a problem, leave the system in a room with a stable ambient temperature overnight, and check the sensors in an empty system.
I do not get any readings from my 4th sensor (500mm mash sensor)?
Make sure you are running firmware version 1.6.1 or newer.
Restart the system after the sensor has been plugged into the AUX port on the controller.
Open Manual mode and toggle the upper left circular button twice to bring up the sensor reading. Read more about the control system by clicking the link below.
What sensor connects to what socket on the controller?
Sensor 1: Tank sensor (inside the tank)
Sensor 2: Pump sensor (Right hand side of the machine. On pump inlet. Used during mashing)
Sensor 3: Return sensor (Left hand side of the machine. Used during whirlpool and cooling)
Aux I/O: Mash sensor (Long mash sensor, sold as accessory)
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