| Author |
Message |
    
Leland Dunn (67.113.151.59)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 06:35 pm: | 
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I am getting ever so close to actually getting together all of the equipment for my 10 gallon system that I have been meaning to get done since last year. I have decided to construct a 2 tier HERMS with mag drive pump. The mash tun is going to be on the upper level while the HLT and boiling kettle will be on the lower level. During the mash I am going to have the pump pulling wort from the bottom of the mash tun, running it through a copper coil in the HLT and them returning it to the top of the mash tun. I will have a burner under the HLT to keep the water warm (thereby maintaining a constant temp on the mash) as well as raising the temperature to strike out temps. Once the strike out temp is acheived in the mash I am going to use the pump to bring the water in the HLT up to the top of the Mash tun and then attaching a tube to the bottom of the mash tun to drain into the boiling kettle via gravity. I hope this isn't too hard to imagine what I am explaining here. One reason for the design was because I only have one burner. I am going to have to switch the burner from the HLT to the boiling kettle, but this shouldn't be too difficult. Please let me know how this all sounds. I have never seen another HERMS setup like this one is, but it sounds good on paper to me. I will need a ball valve after the pump to control flow. I am also going to be using mostly high temperature plastic tubing so I can switch the plumbing around. All I have so far is the 3 sanke kegs and ball valves. Today I am hoping to finish converting the kegs but I also want to purchase the rest of the equipment. What would you guys suggest for the mash tun? Phil's sparge arm? What about the manifold? Would a copper manifold be good for this setup? I just need some good opinions here. |
Leland Dunn (67.113.151.59)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 06:37 pm: |
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Oh, and I was trying to figure out the tubing sizes. The March pump comes with 1/2 " MPT fittings. So would I be using 1/2" ID tubing? What about the sparge arm, is it 1/2" too? |
Bill Pierce (24.141.129.137)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 07:16 pm: |
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You can use whatever size plumbing you wish for your whirligig (spiral, whatever), but keep the rest of the system at 1/2 inch. The soft copper tubing for the HERMS coil is actually measured by the O.D., while hard pipe is measured by the I.D., but the difference is not significant (although you will need to use adapters) as long as the tubing isn't any narrower than 1/2 inch. |
Tom Gardner (162.119.240.100)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 07:23 pm: |
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Never say Final! |
robert rulmyr (63.156.128.9)
| | Posted on Friday, April 16, 2004 - 10:07 am: |
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Opinions:
1. Get one more burner.
2. 10 Gallon batches are great.
WacoBob |
Bill R (198.81.26.14)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 03:24 am: |
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If your going to recirculate your mash back to the top I have an alternative to the whirly gigers, they look great in operation but they will add to hot side areation, I use an 8 port distributer head made for evaporation water coolers, It is mounted in the center of the top of the mash & sits just below the mash liquid level. It provides a gentle but full flow recirculation from the recirc pump, & being slightly below the mash liquid level, it will not aereate the mash! |
Bill R (198.81.26.14)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 03:42 am: |
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I forgot to add, I use the same distributer head to add sparge water when fly sparging, just a matter of switching hoses. Recic hose gets hooked to the boil kettle inlet, & the Sparge water out hose gets hooked up to the distributer head. Gentle recirc & gentle sparging. |
Bill Pierce (24.141.129.137)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 12:41 pm: |
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I have a spiral of copper tubing with tiny holes that I use for fly sparging, but for the return from the HERMS I merely place the end of the hose just under the surface of the mash. In my opinion complex return manifolds are totally unnecessary. |
Belly Buster Bob (142.177.94.211)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 03:06 pm: |
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as a new recirculator I have to agree with Bill. I have a copper manifold in the top of my mash tun that slowly drips the wort on top, really don't see the need for it at all. |
Brews and Views Archive 2004