Current DIY Baths - 1 for Low T (Meat), 1 for High T (Veg)

Thanks for all the info here at Chefsteps ++

My current setup involves two half buffet servers with lids. The lids are perfect for keeping in the heat, and leaves an opening for probes or even an external element.

I used two elements similar to the camco, but purchasable at Canadian tire for us Canucks. I've used the camco as well, but the nice thing about the ones here is that it comes with a square flange and nuts/bolts. 1500 Watt Each. Some silicon and a dremel and the metal is easy to cut, and the elements to insert. These elements also curve down a bit, so leaves more space for your sous vide bags to float.

Current challenge: Water circulation. I am looking at the home depot type fountain pumps 4-6GPH like other users here suggest. Bubblers don't seem to do much. I'm worried about the vegetable bath temps (175-195) burning the motor.

So far so good with the SSR relays. I've connected them to a box and outlet; this way I simply just plugin the water baths (or anything else for that matter) to the standard plug for control.

The braided wiring PT100 probes are holding up nicely. Had to return one as it was off (by a lot).

Other interesting notes: The SS nuts on the high temperature bath start to show rust quickly.

Washes off with no hard scrubbing. Any ideas to protect? Silicone? Nail polish?

Double PID controllers velcroed to platform, Double SSR, feeding single 110V box.

Each side of the plug wired to each PID. SS Braided PT100 probes. Half buffet servers.

Lid not shown. *RAISED* from the granite so as not to dissipate heat into the

stone. I formed a crack while cooking at high temp (doh). Lesson learned.

Happy Cooking and thanks for the view + any comments!

Shane Chagpar

Find more posts tagged with

What About Tools?

Comments

Brendan_Lee_56950

I bought high temp sealant that was designed for water heater's to seal off my nuts and bolts when I was using my DIY.

Circulation is always going to be the biggest pain in the ass with DIY versions. You're going to burn through a lot of things trying to get it right. I never really found anything that really suited the various temperature ranges needed. The home depot style pump worked for a little while for me but it eventually burned out at higher temps. I eventually modified this pump (http://amzn.com/B000CCINOQ) to circulate which worked fairly well but it circulates A LOT of water so if you are using a smaller bath it may be too much.

shane

Jacuzzi! I will check it out - thanks Brendan, I will also get my hands on high temp sealant!

Manfred_18311

Just thinking……, as all you

really need for circulation is a ship propeller from a model ship integrated in

a 90° plastic tube, costs about $ 50, 00 to get all the units altogether. (Propeller,

motor, speed control). With an extended Prop shaft and a 90° curved plastic tube

you even could place the motor and all electrical units outside the water container.

Model Propeller

Johan_Edstrom_5586

Been there, done that.

Hard as hell to get right and the shafting is no fun at all.

I tried fan motors, boat props, paint whippers and so on.

If you look at the PS internal design (which probably is a big part of the patents)

the blades work differently on the impeller, the shaft is secured and part of a chamber that creates

a vortext that doesn't lift the unit holding the impeller.

Besides that fact that it is fun and educational, with prices in the range of $200,

I really don't see the whole DIY point anymore. Especially not if it is tested equipment

that can handle the electrical load.

Manfred_18311

Guess you’re

right @Johan…., it’s a time issue too if one isn’t a diehard DIY’er.

Johan_Edstrom_5586

@Manfred, well - all that above said, I thought it was fun, @Brendan and I had a lot of fun

discussions regarding what to do, I just got to a point where I couldn't do everything I wanted.

My wife was the happiest of us with that decision

Brendan_Lee_56950

Johan helped a lot and I spent way more than I should have trying to make circulation work well.

Marco_91709

I tryed a couple of diy bath, starting from the pot on a stove with pid control, then a circulator salvaging parts from an espresso machine.
Of course the pump didn't last a night. Now i installed the resistance and a couple of bubbler inside a beer cooler. The insulation is great at keeping the temperature so the water doesn't cool down so quick, lessening the need for the circulating pump. The resistance is placed inside a vertical pipe, ment to work like a chimney and helping the bubblers in circulating the water.
I check the temperature of the water with a couple termometer other than the pid and i'd say i'm pretty much satisfied.
With a couple of cons:1) i don't think the plastic container will resist the temperature needed for coocking vegetable. 2) the beer cooler closed lid doesn't allow me to see what i'm cooking. 3)i use this setup for long cooking time (24h-72h) and it stable even without the pump, i don't think this work that well with really short time, as the circulating pump make the setup reaction faster.