Lauter Helix.

[goatchop41]

Has anyone else had an issue with the end of their coil moving during their whirlpool? The end of mine got pulled a bit by the force of the whirlpool, and hence was slightly under one side of the trub cone.
Any suggestions for what I can do to avoid this? I'm using it in my 35L Guten, so the free end can't fit/tuck under the elbow that attaches to the tap outlet

 

[wide eyed and legless]

You could use a piece of copper wire to anchor it to the outlet, it did happen to me but just the once.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

So it doesnt get clogged at all with like an IPA made with a bunch of pellets?
i've been trying to figure out some way to get the most of the kettle without having to tilt it forward.
I have a 50L one and I always have to move forward because otherwise the control panel hits the table.
this sounds like a good idea.
WEAL, you only selling the coil/helix or the entire package?

You get the elbow washer helix and end cap as the package.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Got more Helix arriving tomorrow, those waiting if the shipment arrives early enough (morning) I will post out the same day.

 

[pirateagenda]

How do these affect pump flow for recirculating wort during the mash?

 

[rossbaker]

I've only my done a single brew with mine but I can't speak highly enough of it. It fits really snugly in the base of my 50l keggle. I loaded it up with late addition wet Hops and the wort that went into the cubes was the clearest I've had yet, with no drainage issues. Looking forward to throwing a heap of late pellet Hops at it tomorrow when I put an ipa on.

 

[clarkie54]

I switched back to the original braumeister tap for my latest brew. Much better result and consistent flow compared to the ball valve. Will be sticking with it.

 

[EalingDrop]

I switched back to the original braumeister tap for my latest brew. Much better result and consistent flow compared to the ball valve. Will be sticking with it.

Hi C54 is that with a 20L BM? If so, what's the estimated time to drain 20 odd litres?

After a whirlpool I let it sit for 20 minutes, then very slowly open the tap very slightly but regardless of how much I open even for a moment to see if it could flow faster it took almost an hour to drain about 3/4. The flow was so slow that it eventually stopped and I still had about 5 litres left.

It adds an 1.5 extra hours into brew day and I wonder if there's still something else that needs looking into. I appreciate the clarity going into fermenter, but I've got a conical now and don't need to worry about trub as much.

One last attempt this weekend with the Helix....

 

[wide eyed and legless]

When I drain my Braumeister ED it is less than 5 minutes, I have only have it stick once, I just wait for the thermal movements to subside whirlpool and when all movement stops drain, you can see by all the pics posted that with all that trub which is left in the bottom it doesn't block the helix.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Yeah, mine drains pretty quickly, even with the tap only half open. 1.5 hours seems like there's definitely something else going on.

 

[EalingDrop]

Yeah, mine drains pretty quickly, even with the tap only half open. 1.5 hours seems like there's definitely something else going on.

1 hour actually, the 1/2 hour is whirlpool and for the trub to settle.

My helix is under the element and it rests right at the bottom of the pot and forming a perfect ring, but the Helix isn't a snug fit going into the T piece could be reason? The wort is coming out clear, so the filtering is working. Maybe let the trub sit for longer before I drain. Currently I let it settle for about 30 mins after whirlpool (immersion chiller removed of course).

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Can you post a photo of how it's set up? There must be something causing it to block for it to drain that slowly.

 

[EalingDrop]

Sure thing, I'll post next week. Making a Witbier this weekend. Should be an easy job for the Helix.

Thanks all for looking into it!

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I have found that the helix is an ideal fit for the plastic fermeter taps so I will give that a go and see if the yeast gets past it.

 

[Coalminer]

Must be something else going on there
Mine is fitted to a 20L BM under the element with a 1/2" 3 piece valve and fills a 20L cube in about 5-6 min

 

[wobbly]

Must be something else going on there
Mine is fitted to a 20L BM under the element with a 1/2" 3 piece valve and fills a 20L cube in about 5-6 min

Hmmm

Must be something wrong with my set up somehow as I have mine configured the same as Coalminer in a 20lt Brau and have used it twice and it takes for ever to drain like maybe an hour.

I use about 100g of pallets free in the boil, add brewbrite 15 mins before end of boil, chill to under 30C with an immersion chiller, water temp permitting, whirlpool and then let stand for about 45 mins and then drain. First couple of liters maybe 5 flow OK but from then on it gets slower and slower to the point about half way though it is down to a trickle.

Maybe the spring is a tad long and staying too compressed. Will try stretching the spring next time unless others have other suggestions

Cheers

Wobbly

 

[EalingDrop]

DIdn't occur to me earlier that I could set it up and take a pic before brewday....

The Helix is a bit longer as you can see from the pic there is a kink near the T Piece. Also the Helix had to be forced quite into the T piece as it's just a bit too big and it's not the most secure, but it's never come off post boil.

Here are some pics.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Nothing obvious from those pics, other than the kink, which might be causing the spring to tighten a bit too much around the perimeter.

You might find that if you can push the spring all the way in it might be enough to get rid of the kink and open the spring very slightly.

I found that by twisting the spring tighter where it goes into the copper connectors, I was able to get it all the way in. Once it's in the connector, you release the tension and it grips tight.

When you need to undo it, just do the same thing.

That might be enough and I'd be inclined to try that before cutting the spring any shorter.

 

[EalingDrop]

Nothing obvious from those pics, other than the kink, which might be causing the spring to tighten a bit too much around the perimeter.

You might find that if you can push the spring all the way in it might be enough to get rid of the kink and open the spring very slightly.

I found that by twisting the spring tighter where it goes into the copper connectors, I was able to get it all the way in. Once it's in the connector, you release the tension and it grips tight.

When you need to undo it, just do the same thing.

That might be enough and I'd be inclined to try that before cutting the spring any shorter.

Great tip on the 'twist to reduce helix diameter', I've gone the squeeze and flatten sideways which isn't as good because only partially fits into the T piece at an angle.

If the extra Helix is causing the problem based on the pics posted, I'm keen to sort this out before Brewday by cutting it a bit short.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Once you get it started it's really just like screwing it in.

I had an off-cut and a copper connector laying around so I made a short video.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Hmmm

Must be something wrong with my set up somehow as I have mine configured the same as Coalminer in a 20lt Brau and have used it twice and it takes for ever to drain like maybe an hour.

I use about 100g of pallets free in the boil, add brewbrite 15 mins before end of boil, chill to under 30C with an immersion chiller, water temp permitting, whirlpool and then let stand for about 45 mins and then drain. First couple of liters maybe 5 flow OK but from then on it gets slower and slower to the point about half way though it is down to a trickle.

Maybe the spring is a tad long and staying too compressed. Will try stretching the spring next time unless others have other suggestions

Cheers

Wobbly

I wouldn't go stretching it wobbly, the tighter the coils the better, and that amount of hops would be no bother, when I empty mine the flow is more or less constant. On Ealing Drop's photo it looks like the spring isn't all the way in, but I don't know why that would make a difference.

 

[wobbly]

Once you get it started it's really just like screwing it in.

I had an off-cut and a copper connector laying around so I made a short video.

BDD's use in the video of a connector on the end of the spring that would then slide into the Tee piece would be a good option as a permanent addition as it would make installing and removing the helix a breeze

Wobbly

 

[wide eyed and legless]

BDD's use in the video of a connector on the end of the spring that would then slide into the Tee piece would be a good option as a permanent addition as it would make installing and removing the helix a breeze

Wobbly

That is just a reducer he is using to demonstrate, if you wanted an easier option you could try silicone tube which fits in both ends, but it is easy if you twist the coil the same way as it is wound to reduce the diameter.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

BDD's use in the video of a connector on the end of the spring that would then slide into the Tee piece would be a good option as a permanent addition as it would make installing and removing the helix a breeze



Wobbly, you could use a copper capillary connector and a short length of copper tubing to connect to the 'T'piece.

I had to cut mine to fit around the elements and re-joined it using 2 capillary connectors and some copper tube. the tube slips in and out very easily.

If I was doing it again, instead of cutting it, I'd connect using 1 capillary connector and tubing to the 'T' piece.

 

[clarkie54]

Hi C54 is that with a 20L BM? If so, what's the estimated time to drain 20 odd litres?

After a whirlpool I let it sit for 20 minutes, then very slowly open the tap very slightly but regardless of how much I open even for a moment to see if it could flow faster it took almost an hour to drain about 3/4. The flow was so slow that it eventually stopped and I still had about 5 litres left.

It adds an 1.5 extra hours into brew day and I wonder if there's still something else that needs looking into. I appreciate the clarity going into fermenter, but I've got a conical now and don't need to worry about trub as much.

One last attempt this weekend with the Helix....
]

Yeh BM20. I was having results similar to yours, not quite as bad tho. More 40 mins. So I took it out in frustration but thought I’ll try it again with the original tap. I have a conical too so was prepared to go without.

I mainly hop stand with my immersion chiller. Brew brite at 10 mins. So chill to 80, take out IC then whirlpool with hops for half hour, add the chiller back and everything is settling while chilling.

A few things. When I installed the helix back in I did make sure it wasn’t too tight as I think that could be a problem. E.g I raised it a cm or so opposite to the tap to lengthen the diameter a bit, insert it as far as I could into the copper join etc. When whirlpooling stir around the middle stalk as close as possible, not out as far as the electric coil. The tap I think helps so it doesn’t suck the whirlpooled trub back to the coil.

All up 5 - 10 mins to fill the conical, even tho the original tap doesn’t flow as much as a ball valve. My 2c and hopefully I keep getting the same results.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Good that you've got it sorted.
I don't know what difference the original tap would make compared to a ball valve though. Sure, the flow is slower with the original, but if you only half open the ball valve, that would be similar. I use a ball valve with mine and it works fine.
Where you stir whirlpool shouldn't affect it either, I wouldn't think. As long as you get a strong vortex, the trub should settle in the centre.

 

[EalingDrop]

Yeh BM20. I was having results similar to yours, not quite as bad tho. More 40 mins. So I took it out in frustration but thought I’ll try it again with the original tap. I have a conical too so was prepared to go without.

I mainly hop stand with my immersion chiller. Brew brite at 10 mins. So chill to 80, take out IC then whirlpool with hops for half hour, add the chiller back and everything is settling while chilling.

A few things. When I installed the helix back in I did make sure it wasn’t too tight as I think that could be a problem. E.g I raised it a cm or so opposite to the tap to lengthen the diameter a bit, insert it as far as I could into the copper join etc. When whirlpooling stir around the middle stalk as close as possible, not out as far as the electric coil. The tap I think helps so it doesn’t suck the whirlpooled trub back to the coil.

All up 5 - 10 mins to fill the conical, even tho the original tap doesn’t flow as much as a ball valve. My 2c and hopefully I keep getting the same results.

Thanks for that. I've just gone and cut it bit shorter, so it's a much smoother circle. The basics from what I gather is to reduce any straight sections as we need as much curvature as possible.

 

[Matthias HOSSFELD]

Hi there downunder!
This is Matthias, (the "Matt" from "MattMill"). I am new in this forum.
I am the inventor of the Lauterhelix Läuterhexe and I am "delighted" to see my babies here again.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Meister des werbungen/marketing! Na, Matthias!

Ich mag's

 

[Matthias HOSSFELD]

Sorry for appearing marketing-concentrated!
But I am just happy, my babies seem to find friends on the oposite side of the globe! Some years ago, I'd never believe in this.