ball valves or float switches

[mrsupraboy]

What are people doing for ballfloat or float switches,

im not keen on this one I have seen. http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/The-Liquid-Level-Doctor

are there others. I would prefer ballfloats over float switches.

 

[mrsupraboy]

Anyone

 

[JDW81]

Blichmann autosparge connecting HLT to MLT. Set the hight of the ballcock above the grain bed, open up the tap in HLT to full, open up MLT tap to achieve a flow of 1-2L per minute and let gravity take care of the rest. No electronics, no pumps, no worries.

JD

 

[mrsupraboy]

Thanks mate your a legend. I clicked a link before to this when I was searching and it come up with nothing so I thought nothing of it

 

[mrsupraboy]

Question also is say you put 2 In a pot, 1 for sparge level and the 2nd for your mash in/strike level. Would the higher level one cause any damage to the lower one. Meaning once our put Ur mashin water in, then drain. Your sparge water would be higher than the 1st float. So would it bend the float or anything or are they really strong.

 

[klangers]

I'd go with this:http://core-electronics.com.au/stainless-steel-liquid-float-level-switch.html


Just hook this through a relay setup (this in series with the positive end of a low voltage DC supply and the coil end of the relay) to switch pumps on/off or whatever and you're away.

 

[mrsupraboy]

A combination of both are looking good

 

[TheWiggman]

What's your concern? If you have the autosparge - which is on my wishlist - you have sparging covered.

Your mash-in/strike level will change with recipes. Bigger beers (higher %ABV) = more liquid required for more grains.

Don't bother with the level switch on the mash tun. I'd only use if in the HLT if you had an element or pump to protect if the water got too low. I bought the one Klangers linked and never installed it, because it's adding too much complexity to my electronics. Instead, I have an elbow on my bulkhead which I tilted up so it sits higher than the element. This doesn't protect the pump but some things are worth being in the brewery for and sparging is one of them.

You've been bitten by the bug badly, man.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

If you want a couple of float valves send me a pm with your address and I will send you two.

 

[Camo6]

Question also is say you put 2 In a pot, 1 for sparge level and the 2nd for your mash in/strike level. Would the higher level one cause any damage to the lower one. Meaning once our put Ur mashin water in, then drain. Your sparge water would be higher than the 1st float. So would it bend the float or anything or are they really strong.

Not quite sure I understood that but the float arm is fully adjustable and is easily set once you know your grain bed depth.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

As Camo said float valves are adjustable, you would get a 5 to 6 inch adjustment between the levels, but you would have to adjust each time, if you want to go this way using the adjustment let me know, either way you can have two if you prefer. They are robust so you will not damage them.

 

[Guysmiley54]

Are those food safe at mashing temperatures? I'd like to install some type of float control through the lid (already have a hole there!) of my round 44L esky. I am a bit dubious that the valve would work properly at that angle though...

Another consideration is that the downward facing outlet looks quite narrow, would it get enough flow through? It may be susceptible to blockage too...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

If you are only putting water through they will not block it is a 5 mm opening they are actually used on evaporative coolers and hydroponics and they are food safe, it is a ratchet mechanism for the adjustment so you can have them at any angle, the angle in the photo's are the extreme both ways.

 

[Guysmiley54]

Good to know, recirculating a mash isn't recirculating water though... Have you used one of these for that purpose? If you can vouch for them not blocking with grain I'd be keen to buy one off you (if you have a spare to sell)

Cheers

 

[wide eyed and legless]

As I said a 5 mm outlet, so if you are recirculating your mash whether the outlet will clog up will depend on the effectiveness of your false bottom. I was importing them from China I have sold a couple of thousand of them around the world and have about 40 left, I paid 48 cents for them and sold them for $14 each so they owe me nothing if you want to pay postage you can try it out.
Dicko has a similar one for filling a container overnight while running his water through a filter, brilliant idea, saves standing around waiting to get 25 litres of filtered water into the container.

 

[Guysmiley54]

Sounds very cool, I'll send you a PM

 

[Eagleburger]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301193470172?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I have one of these. While i have yet to use it, it is far better looking than the plastic one I got from china
.

 

[mrsupraboy]

If you want a couple of float valves send me a pm with your address and I will send you two.

Which valves are they. Are they blichman