- Joined
- Nov 8, 2012
- Messages
- 108
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- 43
Well I live in a duplex and not allowed to use propane for brewing so I went all electric. Adding bottom drain mash tun with rims and brew kettle with bottom drain for cleaning.
I know these aren't the best pics, but I just wanted to post some to show my new setup I just finished building. When I was doing my research I could hardly find a setup like it (maybe I just didn't look hard enough). I have to give credit though to High Gravity Brewing for the piping configuration. Their HERMS setup was really the only one I could find using a single pump. I brewed with this recently and I have to say I am very happy with how it performed. I hope that this shows anyone who cares that you can configure a setup with a single pump and it will work.
Here is my current build! Strut frame, chugger pumps. Waiting for a 3rd banjo burner for the MLT. False bottoms, and the cross style sparge arm (pic3) are all from Norcal Brewing Solutions ( good guys, awesome stuff).
I would be concerned with your pumps so close to the burners. Heat wash coming out from under the kettles will heat up your pumps and likely cause problems with them either stalling or not starting and will shorten the life of them. I'd move them to the bottom rail of the stand. This will also help in priming them as the head pressure from the elevation difference will help flood the pump head space. I would also move the casters a bit further towards the ends or at least centered on the end kettles.
Here is my current build! Strut frame, chugger pumps. Waiting for a 3rd banjo burner for the MLT. False bottoms, and the cross style sparge arm (pic3) are all from Norcal Brewing Solutions ( good guys, awesome stuff).
I love the float ball where'd you aquire that little thing?
Thanks. Looks nice, I guess I'd have to downgrade from 1/2" to use 1.
Thanks. Looks nice, I guess I'd have to downgrade from 1/2" to use 1.
The burner tier is covered in cement backer board. The studs above the backer board weren't even hot after a full brew day.
How does the cement board do when it gets wet? I have a similar design. As careful as I am I still get some wort or water on the burner tier.
Well after only one brew it seems fine. I did manage to get both wort and water on the backer board. I wiped the spills with a damp rag and haven't noticed anything wrong with it.
3/4" = 19.05mm. The listed I.D. of this float is 0.86" or 23mm. That's considerably larger. I saw this float as well yesterday in my search of Amazon. I decided not to purchase it right now, but if I had, I was going to use 2 hose clamps tightened very lightly on the hose to trap the float in place on the return hose. It will not stay put by itself on a 1/2" silicone hose.
3/4" = 19.05mm. The listed I.D. of this float is 0.86" or 23mm. That's considerably larger. I saw this float as well yesterday in my search of Amazon. I decided not to purchase it right now, but if I had, I was going to use 2 hose clamps tightened very lightly on the hose to trap the float in place on the return hose. It will not stay put by itself on a 1/2" silicone hose.
I thought about that as well. The 3/8" hose float ball is .09" larger diameter than the hose. The 1/2" float ball is .11" larger than the hose. I figured if the smaller one worked with smaller hose then the larger would work with larger and the extra .02" would not make a difference functionally in the low flow environment of a mash tun. Ill report back with results on my next brew day
I thought about that as well. The 3/8" hose float ball is .09" larger diameter than the hose. The 1/2" float ball is .11" larger than the hose. I figured if the smaller one worked with smaller hose then the larger would work with larger and the extra .02" would not make a difference functionally in the low flow environment of a mash tun. Ill report back with results on my next brew day
Tightening clamps down on a silicone hose without something inside of it, like a barb, would pinch/crush the hose.
I'm new to all grain brewing, but, what's the difference between using 1/2" tubing versus 3/8" tubing inside your MT? Don't you want a slow steady stream going back over the grain bed?
Finally have a rig to post. 5 gallon batches with 7.5gal hlt, 10 gal Home Depot MLT, and 11 gal Bayou Classic kettle. First all grain batch today, wish me luck!View attachment 231596
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Still fine tuning everything but I'm finally happy with the CFC setup. Also didn't want to make a control box so I'm using a wireless appliance remote control like the ones for lamps, etc. for the pumps and it works great. The only issue I've had is that I can't seem to keep the high temp paint from peeling everytime I brew. Also, NG conversion was the best upgrade ever.
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