No Life
Posted 27 June 2014 - 10:24 AM
I underlet my wort into the Kettle. Just like I underlet strike water into the Tun. Those valves can go both ways you know. They dont care!
I have thought about doing it that way too. I have my set up with 3-way valves and if I ever figure out how to fly sparge I will end up underletting into the kettle.
Anti-Brag Queen
Posted 27 June 2014 - 10:28 AM
I have thought about doing it that way too. I have my set up with 3-way valves and if I ever figure out how to fly sparge I will end up underletting into the kettle.
the only reason i don't use the valve on the kettle to drain the wort into it from the MT is because I don't want to cook a bunch of sticky wort into it. something to consider depending on how your setup is configured.
Cheap Blue Meanie
Posted 27 June 2014 - 10:31 AM
the only reason i don't use the valve on the kettle to drain the wort into it from the MT is because I don't want to cook a bunch of sticky wort into it. something to consider depending on how your setup is configured.
don't you use the valve to get sticky wort out of it already?
No Life
Posted 27 June 2014 - 10:55 AM
the only reason i don't use the valve on the kettle to drain the wort into it from the MT is because I don't want to cook a bunch of sticky wort into it. something to consider depending on how your setup is configured.
electric baby. No cooking anything on the outside.
Cheap Blue Meanie
Posted 27 June 2014 - 10:58 AM
electric baby. No cooking anything on the outside.
ahh now I get it, nevermind
Anti-Brag Queen
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:02 AM
electric baby. No cooking anything on the outside.
I think I'd still want to give it a rinse with a spray bottle of starsan. it must get pretty hot since the kettle is full of boiling liquid - right?
No Life
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:07 AM
I think I'd still want to give it a rinse with a spray bottle of starsan. it must get pretty hot since the kettle is full of boiling liquid - right?
I guess. In my case I only touch the handle seeing a house is already connected and seeing a hose is connected there is no chance that anything gets anywhere but inside the valve.
Grand Duke of Inappropriate Announcements
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:09 AM
Matt, what do you think you have ($$$) in that thing?
Anti-Brag Queen
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:13 AM
I guess. In my case I only touch the handle seeing a house is already connected and seeing a hose is connected there is no chance that anything gets anywhere but inside the valve.
I'd just be concerned with having to clean it more often due to cooked on build up. maybe that's not an issue though.
No Life
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:32 AM
I'd just be concerned with having to clean it more often due to cooked on build up. maybe that's not an issue though.
I CIP it after every brew but it is really not an issue.
Anti-Brag Queen
Posted 27 June 2014 - 11:35 AM
I CIP it after every brew but it is really not an issue.
my CIP probably isn't as good as yours due to lack of a pump at my place. it just gets rinsed with hot water and then hot oxiclean but not recirculated for an extended period.
Moderately Accelerated Member
Posted 27 June 2014 - 01:00 PM
A quick guess would be about 3k. I got a lot of free parts to build the control panel and all the welding I got done for free.Matt, what do you think you have ($$$) in that thing?
Cheap Blue Meanie
Posted 27 June 2014 - 02:18 PM
A quick guess would be about 3k. I got a lot of free parts to build the control panel and all the welding I got done for free.
how much does your wife think it cost?
Moderately Accelerated Member
Posted 27 June 2014 - 08:34 PM
how much does your wife think it cost?
Right "around" there. 
Funny story, me and the wife stopped into a bottle shop tonight and ran into a guy from my homebrew club. He knew that I have been working on this system and was asking me about it. So I got out my phone and started showing him some pics. After the praises he just says "Man I wish I had about $500 I would build something like that" and just smiles. My wife is standing there listening to the whole thing and she just rolls her eyes and walks away. I guess I'm not fooling her.
Executive Director of Whatnot and what not
Posted 28 June 2014 - 04:29 AM
There are three prices to every man project:1. The price you paid. 2. The price you told her you paid. 3. The price you pay when she finds out the price you paid.how much does your wife think it cost?
Comptroller of le Shartes
Posted 28 June 2014 - 10:48 AM
Moderately Accelerated Member
Posted 29 June 2014 - 05:56 PM
Well the first batch is in the fermenter. It went fairly well. There are still a few things I need to figure out. Like fly-sparging. I think I ended up doing a half batch half fly sort of thing. I don't know what was going on. I went from brewing with no pumps to having 2, so I just need to get used to it and learn how the operate. Oh and ball valve handles everywhere, I was making a mess. One thing that went pretty well that I had no idea if it would work at all was the cooling. With about 15 min left in the boil I started recirculating through the HLT coil with the HLT empty to sanitize. Then at flameout turned the switch off I filled the HLT with water from my pool using the pool pump. When the level got above the coil I opened the drain and pumped the water back to the pool. I used used the valves at the HLT to keep it at the same level. When I got to about 95 I dumped about half the water out of the HLT and dumped in 20lbs of ice and just recirculated. Got from boiling to 64 in about 35 min, that's better than I'm used to.
One bummer factor was the rust already developing in the HLT. Basically where all the welds are on the inside there is light surface rust. The surface of the cheap SS has obviously been compromised from the welds. Also the base of the heating element is rusting as well. It is only in the HLT and none of the other pots. But in the BK everything is welded from the inside so there is not the same exposed surfaces. Even the BK heating element looks brand new. The only thing I can think of is the chlorine from the pool water is causing it. I'm not sure what a little rust is going to hurt but it's something I will need to keep an eye on.
So I will make a few tweaks and brew again in 2 weeks. This time probably 10gal. Overall so far I am digging the setup!
No Life
Posted 29 June 2014 - 06:48 PM
Comptroller of le Shartes
Posted 29 June 2014 - 08:47 PM
Those are issues of normal new rig/technique stuff you will need to get through. It will come easy enough.
Fly sparging, my current rig the HLT is top tier and my MT and BK are sidexside on the single plane. Gravity into the MT with sparge water. All my hoses are setup thru the pump. I have enough head pressure in the MT with sparge water to gravity out my wort into the BK until I have at least 7/8th of my preboil volume. I will then hit the pump for the final 1-1.5g going into the BK. So even though my MT and BK are on the same plane gravity and head pressure in the MT is what makes it happen.
On a single plane, you can use your water pump to get a few inches of sparge water above your grain bed. Have your MT out thru the pump and into the bottom valve of the BK. Once you figure out the rate of wort flow with the head pressure you should only be running your water pump during sparge and the wort pump shouldn't be running at all until your head pressure in the MT meets the level of wort in your BK. Thats the time I throw on the wort pump for that final 1g or so. If its easier to yak this out on the phone let me know, its pretty basic stuff actually.
As far as the rust, not sure if you saw all those posts over at HBT or not. I thought about going welded with my stuff but Ive been flawless weldless for 10yrs or so and considering going weldless in my electric rig because rust is not much of an issue.
Edited by BlKtRe, 29 June 2014 - 08:50 PM.
Ass. Comptroller of Ferthdays
Posted 30 June 2014 - 06:25 AM
damn,just beautiful
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