Mash-In Temp too high with BeerSmith.

[SkyFlyer]

Greetings all ...

My settings for BeerSmith are closed to being dialed in.
Temps and volumes are close.
With the exception of the mash temp after the strike water has been added
My mash seems to consistently be 5-10* or so higher than the 154* that I am shooting for.
I usually have to add a quart or two of cold water to bring it down.
I'm looking for some suggestions on how to bring that number down a bit besides just not heating the water up as much.
I have my .bsm attached for my last batch for those of you who want to take a look.
I normally do NOT have the box checked for 'adjust temp for equipment'.
Like I said, most of the setting are good.
Any thoughts on bringing the mash temp down a bit?  Questions?

Thanks for the input.

[bonjour]

My first thought would be to check the box "Adjust Temp for Equip"
To understand what you are doing we would need to understand your brewing day from a thermodynamic point of view.
Grain Temp, Weight of grain, Mash Tun Temp, Mash Tun material, Target Mash Temp, actual Mash Temp achieved, Strike water Temp, Strike water volume, Strike water delivery method (to look at cooling issues).  When you measured the temps, how much stiring you did, when you did the stiring. 

Fred

[SkyFlyer]

OK.
I am new to this game.
Most of that info is in the .bsm.
I didn't know that I needed to write it all down.

And, I send the wrong .bsm.
Attached is another.

Mash tun weight=10.5lbs.
I finally ended up with Aluminum as the setting to get my temps close.  It is a 17.5gal cooler.
Temp of mash tun and grain is 65*
Grain weight=25lbs.
Target=154*
Strike water=172*
volume=6.2gal
I poured the strike water into the grains
Ended up with 162*
1 qt of cold water brought it down to 157*
Left lid open for a bit.  Down to 154* after 10 minutes.
Only stirring I did was when I added the strike water.  It was stirred quite well.
I have two floating thermometers in the mash. 

This is a start.
Thanks for the help.

[SkyFlyer]

I meant to add on my last post ...

When I click the box for adjust temp for equipment, the temp for the Mash-in step in BeerSmith actually goes up.  Something like 2* or so.
I need the temp to go the other way.
Thanks ...

[UselessBrewing]

My thoughts:
If your Mash in temp is higher, You should change your MT Material back to plastic (0.300). My understanding is the "Higher" the number the less heat is lost during the infusion of water. Having it set to Aluminum (0.215) means you are expecting more heat loss than the plastic. I don't feel this will account for the 5-10F.

In your recipe.bsm file you specify that your grains and MT are 65F. Are you sure that is the temp? If you are off on those numbers, it will throw your Infusion calculation's off. Since it varies 5-10F, I am more suspect of these temps than anything else.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Preston

[SkyFlyer]

My basement is a pretty constant 65 during the summer/fall.  My mash tun and grains all live down there in a corner away from heat, light, whatever.  So, I'm sure of the temps.  Unless grains are generally warmer than room temp.  I'll have to check both grains and tun again this Saturday when I brew next.
I had started with the MT material at plastic, but was not getting close to anything.  But, I was just starting AG and trying to make sense of BeerSmith.   Aluminum gave me the closest.  Now that most everything is under control, I've sort of got a handle on the AG process, I'll try dialing that back a bit.
I am still not sure about the floating thermometers.  I've tested them in boiling water and they seem fairly accurate.  They just don't seem to work well in the tun.  It seems to take longer to settle down to a temp.  And they a not always the same.  Might vary by a few degrees.  I'll pay a little more attention to the stirring to make sure it is well done.  And give them a few minutes before checking the temps.
Maybe explore getting a digital thermometer.