I'm considering trying to piece together a propane HERMS system, inspired by the awesome-looking Blichmann Tower of Power. I know there are several well-known electric HERMS guides (e.g. The Electric Brewery and Brutus), but I want to stick with propane for now. Are there any good build guides? Where should I start?

For many years, I was getting efficiency at about 81% after backing into the numbers with Brewers Friend doing simple non-recirculated infusions at 2qt per lb with continuous fly sparge. About a year ago, I built a electric RIMS 240 volt, 5500 watt, PID controlled system, so that I could do some step mashes and manage temps better. I like the set up, but my efficiency has gone down to 61% with continuous recirculation and the RIMS firing as needed …

I am trying to find out if it's possible to have a PID controlled electric kettle style element in the base of the mash tun ( under a false bottom ); and just use the circulating pump for the purpose of getting a uniform temperature — instead of pumping the wort through a RIMS tube for heating. I haven't been able to find a system like this and I'm wondering why no one has done it; so I'm assuming I'm …

I used to use a simple drink cooler and screen for a mash tun, but was given a chugger pump, 10 gallon Blichmann G2, and false bottom which I now use in a RIMS setup. The first time I brewed a wheat on the new system I used 1# of rice hulls like I always did, but some of the hulls slipped through the false bottom and clogged my quick disconnects. Has anyone else experienced this? I brewed the same …

I'm looking into building an automated RIMS system. I think I understand the principles pretty well, but there is one sticking point for me. Since the heating element is container in the pipe, I would assume that you have to heat the original volume of water necessary for the brewing, before you add the grain. So how is this done? do automated RIMS systems usually have an extra hot water res that holds some of the pre - heated water, …

I want to secure my inline electric mash heater to my brew bench but be able to quickly break it down for cleaning purposes. I'm thinking the easiest way to do this would be some type of quick-release clamp or clamps that can handle 180 degree wort. It's basically a 1" copper tube with a water heater element in it, fed by a 1/2" NPT "T" near the base of the element, and a 1/2" NPT reducer at the far …

Is it possible to continously recirculate a mash through a Bazooka-style screen, or is that just asking for a stuck mash due to the relatively small surface area?

I built an inline heating element assembly using some 1" copper pipe, a 1" threaded female fitting and some 1/2" fittings. The idea is, wort comes in from the bottom 1/2" fitting, flows over the element, and exits the top fitting. In theory, this should work swimmingly. It's about 16" long, however, and it will be hot. I'd like to fabricate some sort of housing for it and the panel-mount thermostat controller, something that can handle the heat with no …

I'm building an electric RIMS system from an old barrel-style keg. I picked up a 4500W 240V HWD element from Home Depot, and built a 1" copper tube housing around it to let wort flow by. My understanding from various homebrewing forums I browse is that if I run the element at 120V, I should reasonably expect to get about 1100W of heat from the element (1/2 the voltage equaling 1/4 the wattage), effectively making the element a ULWD type …