Auto Sparge Water Top-up

[Adam_Langman]

Hi all,



I'm considering an auto sparge water top-up for my next system. I find that I have often let the grain bed get exposed/run dry when sparging. I know better concentration would fix this but an automated alternative would be good... just in case

This is my current idea:



The pump and valves are used so that the relative levels of the tanks are not an issue. The pump runs continiously so that the water in the lines doesn't cool down. The float switch toggles the solenoid valves.

I considered a float valve but I'm a bit nervous about having 100-200L of hot water above head height and I also worry about leaks over time leading to a flood.

Any comments or different ideas?


Thanks,



Adam

 

[gava]

this might be helpful.. I haven't read it but looks like something you might want to check out..

http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The-Liquid-Level-Doctor

 

[alford_j]

Adam,

I saw this the other day:

Blichmann

Might be useful,

Alf

 

[Beerbuoy]

Interesting, I've been thinking of starting a new thread - Tightarse autosparge?

The Blichman ones look good but I'm more of a DIY tightarse.

 

[gava]

i see the "advantage" they list is "not to let your mash tun run dry" is this such a big deal? i always let it run dry then top up..

 

[Kleiny]

i see the "advantage" they list is "not to let your mash tun run dry" is this such a big deal? i always let it run dry then top up..

Gav

you batch sparge right, its not a big deal with batch spargeing.

With fly spargeing if the grain be runs dry you get cracking and channeling of the bed, so the rest of the sparge water will run through the grain bed, this means the sparge water will not run through the bed evenly but use the path of least resistance and miss a lot of the extract. If you ever get the chance to see a fly sparge close up you will notice that the sparge water on top of the grainbed is clear water so if it doesn't pick up the extract by contact with the grainbed it passes through and you are leaveing alot behind.

With batch spargeing we add sparge water and then stir reset the grain bed and then drain of the wort extract. Once the bed runs dry we just do the same process again. Its doen't overly matter about the grain other than we dont want to drain to fast under a pump pressure or we may not filtr the extract to the best degree. The process allows us to reset the bed inbetween batches of sparge water and most extract is already rinsed into the runnings during the stirring and resetting of the bed.

Kleiny