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Andrew S. Webster
Intermediate Member
Username: Tacomabrewer
Post Number: 311
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 209.180.203.162
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 12:44 am: | 
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So, I had my first brew day in a couple years, which all said and done now, took about 12 hours total. Yeah....a bit longer than usual. Of course, that includes the trip back to WalMart to get more propane, because the tank was empty.
It was nice to finally get to use my plate chiller, and to finally get to use my pump. We were able to pump all the runoff directly into the fermenter as a holding tank, then back again to the boil kettle, once the grain was out it. A 2nd converted keg would have been great here.
The best thing though, is that we pumped it through 40+ feet of hose, and it moved fast enough to be efficient. The length was necessary, so we could get it from the patio, all the way to the chest freezer, where the fermenter was.
It worked like a charm, until we started to chill. The pump got all clogged with hops (pellets), and the liquid wouldn't go anywhere. So lesson learned there, but overall, worked great! Glad to be brewing again! |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10866
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 01:25 am: |
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I use hop bags (women's sheer knee-high hose; I know, it gets some laughs, but they're cheap at the dollar store) with pellets, and I place a stainless scrubbie over the entrance to the kettle outlet. This catches 90 percent of the hop and hot break material, and I never have problems with the pump clogging.
It's a good feeling when you get back to brewing after being away from it. |
Catt22
Intermediate Member
Username: Catt22
Post Number: 273
Registered: 12-2000
Posted From: 216.14.78.130
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 05:20 pm: |
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I've never had a problem with hop pellets clogging the pump and I didn't use hop bags. The problem could be with your hoses and fittings rather than the pump itself. What size are your hoses and what type of fittings are you using? Take a look at the inside diameter of your connection fittings. The fitting ID's will be much smaller than the ID of the tubing and this could be where the hop debris and trub are clogging the path. It's also good practice to keep the suction side hoses as short as practical for optimum pump performance. |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 7292
Registered: 01-2001
Posted From: 67.139.233.130
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 05:32 pm: |
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Yeah, I just started using a pump and the pellets go right through it. |
Andrew S. Webster
Intermediate Member
Username: Tacomabrewer
Post Number: 312
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 209.180.203.162
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 06:32 pm: |
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Through the mash, and recirculating (vorlauf?), we had zero problems. I took out my screen when we emptied the keg of the grain, etc. Its basically a copper fitting, a U shaped copper pipe attached to that, and then a stainless mesh screen folded around it. Made fairly cheaply, but the screen does allow some of the grain to pass through, where its folded around the fittings.
I attempted to clean out all the grain, before I put it back in for the boil, but I eventually gave up, and decided to not chance putting it back in, because I didn't want grain in with the boil. Guess I should have taken a few more minutes, and gotten that grain out, and used the screen.  |
Andrew S. Webster
Intermediate Member
Username: Tacomabrewer
Post Number: 313
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 209.180.203.162
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 06:34 pm: |
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btw, the hose coming from the keg is fairly short, maybe 3-4 feet, and 1/2" ID, and the hoses from the pump to the chiller, and from the chiller back to the keg are 3/8" ID, I think. |
Catt22
Intermediate Member
Username: Catt22
Post Number: 274
Registered: 12-2000
Posted From: 216.14.78.130
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 10:00 pm: |
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"btw, the hose coming from the keg is fairly short, maybe 3-4 feet, and 1/2" ID, and the hoses from the pump to the chiller, and from the chiller back to the keg are 3/8" ID, I think."
The 1/2" ID hose should be OK, but I would not use anything smaller. The 3-4 ft suction hose should also be OK. Now I'm thinking that it was grain that plugged things up somewhere and not the hop debris. Might be a combination of both though. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10871
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 10:34 pm: |
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Pellet hops basically turn into powder; it's doubtful that enough of the powder would be in suspension to clog a pump. As Catt22 says, your problem is much more likely caused by pieces of grain and husks. |
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