Dip tube without a pump

I currently use gravity to get the wort from my brew kettle through my plate chiller and into my fermenter. At the end, I typically tip my kettle to get another .5 gallon or so of wort out, but i notice it seems to defeat the purpose of the whirlpool. Not a ton of junk gets into the fermenter, but some does.

I've read a few posts with conflicting information regarding putting a dip tube on the inside of my kettle...

I've read some posts that indicate the diptube will help draw more beer into the fermenter. Meanwhile, other posts indicate that without the suction from a pump, I'm never going to get into the plate chiller any more wort than the level above the highest point of the dip tube. Since the highest point of the dip tube is even with the current port, I'd get just as much wort into the fermenter, and wouldn't even be able to tilt the kettle anymore, as the port would be even higher then.


Suction-aside, I would agree with the second theory, but am wondering if my gravity-feed system creates enough suction itself to pull wort from the bottom of the kettle anyway.


Considering I'm not using a pump, if I get a diptube, will I actually have any advantage over today?


TIA!

As long as your dip tube is air-tight - meaning the joint between your dip tube and your kettle - then you should have no problem draining all the way to the bottom of your dip tube. Once the wort starts flowing, you have created a siphon in the dip tube which should drain below the top of the dip tube just as if you were using a racking cane and hose. Now, let me say this: This will only work if your wort chiller and carboy are completely below the inlet of the dip tube inside your kettle. That is necessary for the siphon to work. But if there's an air leak somewhere at the fittings in your kettle, then the siphon will be broken once the level of the liquid reaches the top of the dip tube.

Lots of brewers here use dip tubes in their kettle regardless of whether they have a pump. Typically the pumps we use don't actually create any suction anyway as they are not self-priming pumps. So, we're still relying on the siphon created by the dip tube to feed the pump.

Make sense?

You sold me...thanks!

chuckda4th said:

You sold me...thanks!

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Glad I could help!

Oh, and Go Pens! And Steelers! And (chuckle) Pirates!:rockin:

And the outlet of the wort is also below the bottom of the dip tube. IE - you need a hose on the other end of valve or the dip tube will lose suction as well.

LandoLincoln said:

And the outlet of the wort is also below the bottom of the dip tube. IE - you need a hose on the other end of valve or the dip tube will lose suction as well.

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Good call. I forgot to mention that.

I ran a test boil batch with my new keggles with dip tubes and counterflow chiller. Good thing I did cuz i didn't have a great seal, had leaks and not all the stuff got sucked up the dip tube. Once I fixed it, it worked great so i say go for it!

P.S. If your from Ardmore, im sure u'll join in me in telling tyzippers to suck it, GO FLYERS!

Pratzie said:

P.S. If your from Ardmore, im sure u'll join in me in telling tyzippers to suck it, GO FLYERS!

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Ha! Nothing like some wishful thinking!

I run mine to the side of the pot so it doesn't suck up any trub after whirlpooling.