Build your own sous vide immersion circulator on the cheap

[Anonymous Modernist 2767]

Thought I'd share this...

http://seattlefoodgeek.com/2010/02/diy-sous-vide-heating-immersion-circulator-for-about-75/

It ended up costing me a little over $100 because of different parts and shipping costs... but mine looks exactly like his and works great.

Just takes a little spare time

[Anonymous Modernist 708]

I also built one and it works perfectly! Here is a link to it.

[Scott Heimendinger]

I built one too. Then about a dozen more :-) So cool to come to this forum and see that you guys have done this project and are happy with the results!

[paulpegg]

After reading Seattlefoodgeeks article I built my own. I didn't care for all the electrics to be on top of the water bath so I put them in a remote box. I used a 1000 watt bucket heater and can put the heater, thermocouple and circulator in either a large stock pot or a beer cooler. I have cooked multiple courses for up to 150 people in this setup. It has been in constant use for a year and works great. Here is a link to an article I wrote about it. I really like the flexibility of changing to any size container I wish and also keeping the controls away from the water. I could add a second heater and probably cook in a bathtub!

[Anonymous Modernist 2906]

Can you braise tough cuts of meats for like 48 hours in such an immersion circulator ?

[Scott Heimendinger]

You sure can! I've done 72 hours in my original DIY sous vide machine, and it was ready to keep on going!

[paulpegg]

Absolutely. I have used both versions of mine to braise tough cuts such as short ribs for up to 72 hours with never a problem. The temperature stays rock solid at the set point. I check the temperature once or twice a day and ensure that the water level stays high. The cooler version had an insulated lid which keeps evaporation at a minimum. I float a piece of bubble wrap on the stock pot version and that eliminates almost all evaporation.

[Anonymous Modernist 268]

I built two (for simultaneous water baths at different temps) based on Tom Ordway's design(itself based on the Seattle Food Geek's design). Here's one with six duck breasts going.

Came up with a different mount, though… I didn't have capabilities for bending acrylic, so instead I mounted two of these drum mic clipson the bottom of the heater box. They can rotate slightly, allowing me to securely pin the box to even the curved side of a stock pot.

I've also done the 72 hour short ribs with no problem. The heaters pull a lot of current coming up to temperature, but then just a trickle. I've got a huge passive heat sink on the relay, and the controller box stays cool to the touch, even over that time.

[Anonymous Modernist 4120]

This looks awsome! I'm going to have to build one in the new year!

[Anonymous Modernist 7382]

Built my controller into a small pelican case made for digital cameras. Then used a food warmer for the heater. Works great. Been maintaining 131 for 48 hours with a .2 degreefluctuationat most. Veryhappyand all gear came toabout$200. Plus I can use the food warmer when I'm done or the controller with any other heating source. I also add a 6v out putin caseI wanted to use a high temp circulation pump. Think I'm going to make 2 more controllers but with project boxes for the housings.

[Anonymous Modernist 7751]

I've built my own temp controller with an outlet in a toolbox more than a year ago and let me say...it seems like the the temp controllers on the market (Auber, Dorkfood etc) are cheaper. The thing to check out is the thermocouple to make sure you get good temp reading. You can hook up a bucket heater to this and it will do the job just as well as any of the immersion circulators and is much easier and much much cheaper for those without the tools or time. The only downside is that it doesn't have a circulator, which can now be bought.

I'd like to hear what people think about this, last time I checked the commercial temp controllers were around 100$ which is about the same price you pay for making your own and more likely cheaper

[Anonymous Modernist 18702]

I've built mine based on the same pid controller, relay and sensor used on the seattlefoodgeek page, but didn't use a imersion heater or a water pump.

For the heating element I used one electric burner (just like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Durabrand-Electric-1100-Watt-Single-Burner-Hot-Plate-Portable-Cook-Range-NEW-/171062487225?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item27d41e68b9). Didn't like the idea of a imersion heater because if it is turned on by accident while out of the water it burns in seconds while the electric burner justs works normally.

Using the electric burner also let me use any pot I have to make sous vide, I just put it on top of the burner as I would normally do if I where cooking without sous vide. This setup allows me to not use a water pump because the convection already takes de hotter water from the bottom of the pan to de top, while bringing the cooler water down for heating (because the heat source is in the bottom, bellow the pot).

For a chassis for the pid, relay and power plugs, I used a tuperware pot.

All in all, it was a very cheap way of getting a very high quality setup.

[Anonymous Modernist 18961]

Using a burner like that is a great idea... Glad I saw your post.