Recirculation pumps

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HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:00 pm

OK then - so what procedure do you guys use for the re-circulating? Do you wait until the mash is over (say 90 mins) and then re-circulate until the wort runs clear? Or do you start re-circulating earlier at all?

Thanks, Gaz.

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:50 pm

Thanks Chris - I'm glad you explained that :-k

Scooby

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by Scooby » Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:06 pm

I've never tried to get completely clear wort, before the pump I used 2-3 jugs now I pump slowly for 2-3 mins (story of my life :lol: )

GARYSMIFF

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by GARYSMIFF » Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:20 pm

Bugger my post went into a black hole,


I was going to say how I do my brew session but in full but here is a cut down (very cut down)

Mash at mash temp whilst recirculating and using heat stick and PID to control temp for 1 hr
Pump Wort to Copper, start boil.
Fill MT with last 3rd from HLT recirc for 15mins then raise temp to 78 ( about 10-15mins).
Xfr to Copper with almost boiling 1st runnings.

Blah blah blah

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:55 am

Chris-x1 wrote:It only takes a 1 minute or two, possibly less to get a reasonably clear wort, I just start once the oven timer goes off to signal the end of the mash period, there's little point doing it any sooner.
This was the conclusion in a paper by the Journal of the Institue of Brewing regarding the issue of wort turbidity...
Do you just re-circulate for a couple of mins and then turn the pump off and open your HLT valve (assuming gravity fed) and start fly sparging? Do you use the pump at all for taking the runnings to the boiler or underback? Or do you leave gravity / to do its job for the run off?

Btw - the pumps that Norm has at the mo are Totton NDP's. The pic's on eBay are for other pumps he had.

Scooby

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by Scooby » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:40 am

HantsGaz wrote:
Chris-x1 wrote:It only takes a 1 minute or two, possibly less to get a reasonably clear wort, I just start once the oven timer goes off to signal the end of the mash period, there's little point doing it any sooner.
This was the conclusion in a paper by the Journal of the Institue of Brewing regarding the issue of wort turbidity...
Do you just re-circulate for a couple of mins and then turn the pump off and open your HLT valve (assuming gravity fed) and start fly sparging? Do you use the pump at all for taking the runnings to the boiler or underback? Or do you leave gravity / to do its job for the run off?

Btw - the pumps that Norm has at the mo are Totton NDP's. The pic's on eBay are for other pumps he had.
Chris does something very similar to me but with a diverter valve.

This is a pic of the complete system, as I said it's basic so you could include hard pipework, and a series of valves to save changing pipes.
The only reason I now use a pump is to save my back, work more safely and basically use less physical effort. Once I decided to pump I choose to batch sparge because it goes hand in hand with a pump and is so much easier.


Image

Ideally I would do this:

Gravity feed from HLT to tun.
Gravity feed top up for first batch.
Circulate the wort as in the pic in a previous post.
Change the outlet pipe to pump from tun to underback.
Gravity feed into tun for second batch.
While settling change pipes and pump from underback to now empty boiler, start boil.
Change pipes and circulate.
Pump from tun into boiler.

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:22 pm

Thanks Scooby. I think your setup and method is exactly what I'll progress too. I have a coolbox tun, and will need to source an underback and perhaps a nice temperature gauge that you have too. Where did you get that from? Either that or change the simmerstat on my Burco to a PID, but I don't fancy doing that!

Rgds, Gaz.

*EDIT - Need to think about my return manifold too...

Scooby

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by Scooby » Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:11 pm

HantsGaz wrote: I have a coolbox tun, and will need to source an underback and perhaps a nice temperature gauge that you have too. Where did you get that from?
Ross at craftbrewer he has a couple of weldless ones also.

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:23 pm

Scooby/Chris,

When you pump to the underback do you pump through the ball valve at the base of the vessel or are you just placing the outlet pipe under the vessels lid (e.g. filling from the top) and only use the ball valves for running liquid out?

Also, when batch sparging are you guys saying that you start the re-circulation immediately after adding each batch of sparge liquor? Rather than waiting the usual 15 to 20 mins?

Thanks, Gaz.

Scooby

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by Scooby » Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:12 pm

In and out of taps. Tun tap to underback tap to boiler tap.

Stir then about 5mins I guess but could be 15mins, I normally have some other task to do so don't religiously time it

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:20 am

Thanks guys. Will no doubt have more questions soon - especially once my pump has arrived :-), which could be today. There's been another good link on this board about the Totton pump connections - so that should help too. What I really want to do now is work out how to neatly fit a ball valve to my Burco without butchering the current hole.

Scooby

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by Scooby » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:59 am

My way of connecting using tap connectors with cornie post 'o' rings is cheap and effective if a little 'agricultural'.

Chris's solution with the hozelok type is much more elegant but still cost effective.

The other thread illustrates the possibly the best way but at a price. So there's plenty of choice :wink:

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:00 am

Hi Chris - that's not bad idea at all - thanks. Ideally I want to be able to control the flow from the Burco, so it may look a bit messy attaching a ball valve to that connection - but that's the best idea so far. Thanks again.

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:22 am

Power controller method.....? I'm intrigued.....

FWIW here's a piccie of the Burco's current tap hole (it's about 22mm across and 28mm deep):

Image

I haven't found any 28mm ball valves so now wondering if there's some sort of stepped (28 to 22mm or 18mm) threaded connection I can put on the outside (to attach the ball valve to) and then use a 22mm or 18mm (dependent on what tap size I buy) back nut on the other side....

HantsGaz

Re: Recirculation pumps

Post by HantsGaz » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:24 pm

Yes, I'm almost resigning myself to drilling a new hole.

**EDIT: Or wondering if the current tap has a threaded part that is burried/glued into the stem of the tap (e.g. hack the tap apart to find out - probably only to find out that it can't be used and then I need to buy a new tap :-)).

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