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Huskies
Boop More Snoots


Registered: 03/22/16
Posts: 1,510
Last seen: 40 minutes, 12 seconds
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Alternatives to All-American Electric Sterilizers?
#27798861 - 05/30/22 10:03 AM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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So I have a Presto 23 Qt, and not the most convenient oven space.
I have always loved the idea of Electric Sterilizers. Doesn't overtake the kitchen, is plug in, and as long as I follow the instructions and vent, grain prep should be faster and in higher volumes.
I would love to not have to shell out almost 1k, although Im sure there are used ones.
Are there alternatives to this model that work in North America? I came across a Cole-palmer model but it has been discontinued, and is also only 25L.
On ebay you can find these, and while I'm sure they would work just fine, they are 220v, and I don't feel safe using a converter on a pressure cooker
1-Anyone got tips or recs except browse used ones?
2- For those who have gone the electric sterilizer route, did it facilitate your prep or did you regret the investment? Less contams? Are grain jars more likely to accidentally turn into mush?
3- Are proper mycobags going to survive inside that? Do you need to use rings for spacing them away from the edges? I've never done bags except some fails with turkey ones way back in the day. The melting left me a bit traumatized.
4- For those who have the huge one, did you ever start sterilizing substrate such as coir in bags?
Accept this pretty cat picture
-------------------- I call them Huskies cause they Mush!
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PBJ710
Strangler


Registered: 07/05/19
Posts: 3,301
Last seen: 5 hours, 31 minutes
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Re: Alternatives to All-American Electric Sterilizers? [Re: Huskies]
#27798931 - 05/30/22 11:14 AM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hopefully I'll be proven wrong, but I think the AA 25/50/75x line is the only readily available step up from Prestos unless you get one custom built which would cost even more than an AA. Most of the time you will get what you pay for - new AAs are no exception. They are very high quality American made gear that will take some abuse without failing. Getting lucky and finding one used happens occasionally and is probably your best chance at saving money.
I'm very happy with the 75x. I still use my 2 Prestos for agar or LC since they heat up/cool down alot quicker, but being able to sterilize ~100lb of grain a day is pretty awesome.
The bags survive fine as long as they don't come in direct contact with the heating element or get pinched in the lid. No problems at all with direct contact with the much thicker walls since the submerged heater doesn't overheat the bottom of the PC walls like a stovetop could. I place trivets (14" perforated aluminum pizza pans work great) under/between/above the bag layers and pack them in pretty tight. Since there's more mass that has been heated up, it will take longer for the PC to cooldown which gives any trapped air more time to escape bags without being forced out as quickly.
The only reason I could think of to sterilize coco would be trying to make all in one bags which would work fine in any PC but it would obviously be more efficient in a larger one. Normally I just dump hot water on my coco and let it soak up the moisture for a couple hours before using it. It seems to absorb water faster if it's hot, but it's not needed for any kind of pasteurization/sterilization function.
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Huskies
Boop More Snoots


Registered: 03/22/16
Posts: 1,510
Last seen: 40 minutes, 12 seconds
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Re: Alternatives to All-American Electric Sterilizers? [Re: PBJ710]
#27799304 - 05/30/22 04:59 PM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thanks for the input. I guess scouring mode has officially begun.
Do you use it in your grow room? should i make sure it is used in a well ventilated area to avoid steam/humidity potential issues?
-------------------- I call them Huskies cause they Mush!
Instant Pot Agar
Gnocchi Water Agar
Let's Talk Cowtek
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PBJ710
Strangler


Registered: 07/05/19
Posts: 3,301
Last seen: 5 hours, 31 minutes
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Re: Alternatives to All-American Electric Sterilizers? [Re: Huskies]
#27799344 - 05/30/22 05:36 PM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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It doesn't produce any humidity at all after the vent cycle, but it definitely adds heat to the room. The heating it does is probably comparable to cooking spaghetti for a few hours so could your room handle that much heat? In general more ventilation would be better.
When shopping for used, make sure to the metal/metal seal where the lid mates to the vessel is clean with no nicks/gauges on the faces and look for excessive corrosion around the heater/thermostat. The rest can be fixed pretty cheap if theres any issues.
Edited by PBJ710 (05/30/22 05:44 PM)
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sandman420
Saint PP



Registered: 06/17/04
Posts: 5,387
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Re: Alternatives to All-American Electric Sterilizers? [Re: PBJ710]
#27799444 - 05/30/22 07:20 PM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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Don't buy those chinese pieces of shit.
I still laugh every time I see the gasket on that turd.
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