Huky500 / Q & A / Tips & Tricks

[hankua]

I recently picked up a used Huky500 that came the propane stove, exhaust kit, MET thermocouple, two fans/screens, solid drum and 72rpm motor. The roaster build was 12/2013 and has the latest improvements. The previous owner had done 6 roasts and decided it was not for him. The Huky is more of a kit setup than a complete machine and can be ordered in different configurations.

GCBC has members successfully using the Huky500. How is your Huky set up and what kind of profiles are you using?

[JW]

Hank,
I am quite surprised you picked one up considering you have a mini 500. I have put around 800 pounds through my Huky in the last 2 years. The one I am using is #109 and is completely stock, except for a small STACO variable transformer I use for fan speed control and dual thermocouples ( BT and ET, no MET) connected to artisan. I also have the venting kit. I have both motors but prefer the slower one. I think the beans spend more time in the air in the drum with the slower motor. I don't know it for a fact, but it seemed that way to me when experimenting early on with both motors (the faster motor seemed to keep the beans in contact with drum longer due to centrifugal force.

I roast in my basement when humidity allows. I have personally noticed quality issues when roasting with an ambient humidity over 70%. I have ventilation set up over my roasting station. I use a stock butane stove from Kuanho as I didn't want to keep a propane tank in my basement.

Things I have noticed when talking with other people who have Huky roasters. Drop temp varies depending on location and the individual roaster. I am quite sure ambient temperature plays a role. I primarily just roast 1 pound increments.

My basement is usually around 60F - ~45%RH and my drop in temperature for 1 pound is 450F creating a 195F to 205F turnaround temp at 1:40 seconds consistently.  I have my fan OFF and the damper shut until 250F at which point my fan is turned on low with the damper half open until drying is finished ( I use 300F as my drying point end). I shoot for a 5 minute to 6 minute drying time depending on bean. At 300F my damper is fully opened and the fan is usually left alone ( it is running at around 50 volts at this point). Middle development phase ( from 300F to 1C) varies also according to bean from 3:30 to 5 minutes. Finishing profile also depends on the bean but usually 2:15 to 3:00 minutes. I did not include my burner pressures because ours are probably different, but I don't run my burner over 3.5 Kpa and much lower at points during the roast.

JW

[jano]

Jonathan pretty much covered it all, I've tried to write an additional response on several occasions now, but each time, discovered, I don't have much to add. 

My setup is like his, solid drum and slower motor, except, I use propane.  I've had a third temp probe located at the top, between the exterior plate and the drum, and log all three temp probes, plus the fan voltage with a tc4 arduino bluetooth setup.  Up until a couple weeks ago, my roasts would be mostly like a first-time boat navigator in a harbor: lots of wiggling side to side but generally on coarse, with the occasional "LOOK OUT" as you slide up along the dock or a love-tap a large yacht.  The last 10 roasts, I tried using fan at the 50V range, with heat in the 3.5kPa range like JW above, and wouldn't you know it, the control improved, and results are becoming more consistent.  Before, I'd kept the fan at 40V or lower, and had to max the IR burner at 4-4.5 kPa in order to get roasts fast enough, first crack in about 9-10 minutes.

I've had most success with drying time of 5.5 to 6 minutes, likely because of the higher humidity where I live, versus the usual 5 minutes.

[vesteroid]

So when you say drying time, and let's use 5 minutes, does that start after the turn around say at 2 minutes.   In effect are you shooting for a bean temp of 160 c in a total run time from charge of 5 minutes or 7?

If I understand me li's instructions I am charging at about 220 c.  Seeing turn around near 100 and not seeing 160 c until a total run time of 7-9 minutes.


Just trying to figure out if I need to up my temps or fan or something.