How Many Pumps Are Really Need Don A 3 V System

[ledgenko]

I have been seriously looking at the number of pumps required for a 3 vessel system ... albeit a 50lt system or a 100l system ??


Is it a pump to recirculate from the HLT to the MT and back ??? followed by a pump to move from the MT to the Keggle ???


Once you out on a Hybrid Cooler ... is it another pump ???


I will admit I am a bit confused ...


does the % of beer ALC content change with the amount of pumping around ?? do you get better efficiency ??

Cheers



Matt

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

Sorry! :icon_offtopic:

But I'd be asking the question: "how many threads do i need on..... How many pumps do i need........."

:icon_cheers:

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

I have been seriously looking at the number of pumps required for a 3 vessel system ... albeit a 50lt system or a 100l system ??


Is it a pump to recirculate from the HLT to the MT and back ??? followed by a pump to move from the MT to the Keggle ???


Once you out on a Hybrid Cooler ... is it another pump ???

Cheers



Matt

I'd say you only need 1 pump only, just sort out the plumbing, throw in a heap of ball valves and once you have your regime down-pat you won't even have to think about which one to turn on.
as for the hybrid cooler???? couldn't you just run it gravity feed?

 

[bconnery]

You don't need any
There's this pump called gravity...

 

[wakkatoo]

I run 1 pump and two hoses. At the start of brew day they get connected to the pump and primed once the HLT reaches temp. Then its just a matter of swapping around where the other end of the hose connects to. I thought about ball valves but wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Maybe that is a future upgrade...

So to answer your qn - One pump does the job quite well and is all that's needed on a simple system.

edit - + what bconnery said, you don't need a pump, but they are helpful!

 

[AndrewQLD]

I use 1 pump on a 4v system, only need to change a hose once and that's when the recirculation is finished and I am transferring to the boiler.

Andrew

 

[QldKev]

0 pump.
If the HLT is highest, Mash tun middle level and Kettle lowest, and no recirc, and no heat exchanger (HERMS, RIMS). Great way to get into a 3V system cheap. Many good beers have been done this way for years.

1 pump.
Allows all vessels can be on the same level, unless you want to fly sparge then the HLT would need to be higher. You can recirc to clarify the wort, and help improve the efficiency. Also allows the use of a heat exchanger, but you need to swap hoses over manually (it's not that hard to do) To me a very worthwhile upgrade.

2 pumps.
Allows the HLT to be recirc to ensure even heating (this is not a big issue in the real world), allows less swapping over of hoses, allows fly sparging with vessels on the same level. IMHO Not really needed unless you really want to chase the efficiency of fly sparging, but it seems like a lot of effort to save a hand full of grain.

QldKev

 

[Wortgames]

Unless you need to pump in two different directions at the same time I think multiple pumps is probably overkill. I use one pump and a couple of silicone hoses with quick disconnects and I've never felt I wanted more pumps.

IMO the flexibility you get using a couple of QD hoses would take several ball valves and metres of copper to achieve, and unless you are brewing several batches a day I can't really see the advantage in hard plumbing.

Except that gleaming copper is somewhat arousing of course...

 

[komodo]

I have two.
I currently only use one.

I need none