Mash Tuns

[barneey]

I think the way he has done his Sight tube does negate the U bend problem as with the tap open it will drain compltely empty.

I would question the need for a Sight tube in a Mash Tun though.

Hi Steve,

I was really asking incase I build one into a HLT either that or a stainless steel ruler might be easier an easier option.

[jubby]

You mean like This one I did earlier

Looks familiar

Just one other question for you Jubby, does having the sight tube on the same piece of pipework as the tap mean there is no longer a danger of a stale piece of water remaining in the set up? I have read on hear of the dangers of a bottom sight tube only = u bend which could trap water.

Thx


Clive

Steve is right. The tap is the lowest point, so no water remains in the pipework.

[Kev888]

In the past I had the sight tube on the same pipe as my tap (in a burco boiler I converted to a HLT), and whilst there was no trapped dead space I found that the sight tube was reasonably accurate whilst fly sparging slowly, but fairly misleading if the flow increased (such as running into the MT initially or batch sparging). I'm not sure if that was just my setup (me being me, I over-complicated matters as always!) or if its inevitable though...


I didn't expect it to work with the 22mm tap open but was fairly surprised how much the 15mm one could affect it. I added a service valve in line with the 15mm tap to limit the maximum speed and pre-set my usual sparge rate but it was a tad annoying so thats not an idea I used in subsequent designs.

The rest of it worked well though, and the sight tube went all the way down to (pretty much) zero which is something I miss with my current HLT; I think for me personally a design something like this but with separate feeds for tap and drainable sight glass is what I'll do with the next design..

Cheers
kev

[barneey]

Hi Kev more & more interesting ideas, beginning to think this hobby is more of 50/50% split of making beer to altering equipment

I think if I have a go at sight tube I would follow your suggestion of two feeds. The sight tube glass/plastic being joined not with and elbow but with a "Tee" and a simple drain off tap http://www.screwfix.com/p/drain-cock-ty ... 15mm/99939. The sight tube could then be mounted either bottom or side feed (bottom being a preferred option to avoid none measurement of dead space)
Regards Clive

[Kev888]

That sounds like a good idea to me!

I went with compression fit in the picture above, but with the latest design I changed to copper push-fit as (although mine was fine) someone was saying they had got gracks developing over time with compression on the plastic. I also used quite thick walled polycarbonate rather than the rather cheaper acrylic for similar reasons, though I've also bashed it a couple of times moving the tank around and am glad for that reason too!

Cheers
Kev

[barneey]

Hi Kev I followed the link given by Jubby http://www.theplasticshop.co.uk/polycar ... 568-0.html for the polycarbonate tube, sure does seem expensive over normal acrylic, always seems to be the very high delivery costs

I have also found http://www.plastock.co.uk/15x-9mm-POLYC ... -p521.html this give a 3mm wall thickness as opposed to the above 2mm thickness, min order £25.00 delivery charge £15.00

[Kev888]

Hi
Yes polycarbonate is more expensive than acrylic but its much more robust and also able to take boiling water safely should you want to; I know some people have chanced acrylic and got away with it but for me personally I didn't think it worth the risk/compromise.

If its of use I got mine from the one stop plastic shop - theres a minimum 2m but I happened to be passing close enough to their shop to pick up so i didn't find out their postage costs..

Cheers
kev