Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Talk about your equipment builds/modifications here
Post Reply
GCR
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:24 pm
Name: Greg Rogers

Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GCR » Thu Sep 19, 2019 12:46 pm

Grainfather stopped working, and we figured out that it was a problem with the thermal switch (which is there to prevent you from running it without any liquid).

So we took out the switch and connected the wires with electrical tape, which solved the problem for a few brews - but then it stopped working again... so I opened er up and saw that this connection had melted. Tried stripping the wires and connecting with a marette (see photo), but no dice. Tried stripping it a little more and using a different marette just in case - still no heat coming on whatsoever (neither mash nor boil switch works). Also tried connecting the plug for the heating element directly into an outlet to confirm it hasn't got anything to do with the control box - still nothing.

Any ideas? What else can I do?Image

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


User avatar
GAM
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 5402
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 2:50 pm
Name: Sandy MacNeil
Location: North End HFX

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GAM » Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:14 pm

Contact your supplier.

Mine was replaced. No questions asked.

S

GCR
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:24 pm
Name: Greg Rogers

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GCR » Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:30 pm

Thanks - already did that actually, and they sent a replacement - this is the old one I am trying to fix!

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


GCR
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:24 pm
Name: Greg Rogers

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GCR » Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:03 pm

I hate to see an otherwise perfectly operational machine go to waste ;)

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


User avatar
GAM
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 5402
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 2:50 pm
Name: Sandy MacNeil
Location: North End HFX

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GAM » Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:26 pm

Check the out put of the controller. Then check the heating coil.

I can check it if you want, but you seam to have a handle on it.

Sandy

GCR
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 442
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:24 pm
Name: Greg Rogers

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by GCR » Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:34 pm

I ended up bringing this to a friend and fellow brewer who is an electrician, and he figured out that there was a fuse in the wire that was preventing the current from being passed through (see first photo below).

We had thought just removing the switch would do it (and it *did* work for about a half dozen brews), so when it stopped working when the electrical tape melted, I didnt think to look in the sheathing of the wire to see if there was a fuse.

Once we cut it off, it worked fine - he ended up welding another little copper connector to the wire and screwing it in directly.

And now the ole girl is up and running again, making delicious wort like it's going out of style.ImageImage

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk


User avatar
danlatimer
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 275
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:45 pm
Name: Daniel N Latimer

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by danlatimer » Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:37 pm

Thanks for updating us on how it went. good to know if I ever need to fix some of the electrical on mine

Everwoodave
Registered User
Registered User
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:15 pm
Name: Ryan

Re: Grainfather element not working - bypassing the thermal switch?

Post by Everwoodave » Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:10 pm

Remember to that Grainfather has amazing customer service for any of their products.
Best way to contact them.

info@grainfather.com

Post Reply

Return to “DIY - Do It Yourself”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests