Lauter Helix.

[markp]

Markp, looks good. Can you tell me exactly how you attached the elbow to the pump inlet? Does it just push on tight enough?

Graham

Graham using the original bazooka filter black silicone tube, I cut that down and the copper elbow sits snugly over that, hope that makes sense.
Cheers

 

[graybo]

Graham using the original bazooka filter black silicone tube, I cut that down and the copper elbow sits snugly over that, hope that makes sense.
Cheers

Yes, thanks Mark

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I think you should know, because the Grainfather uses the pump, that when you fill your vessel vent the pump as the helix will have air trapped inside, not sure if that is standard part of the operation of the Grainfather.

 

[graybo]

I think you should know, because the Grainfather uses the pump, that when you fill your vessel vent the pump as the helix will have air trapped inside, not sure if that is standard part of the operation of the Grainfather.

Not sure I follow. I generally dont need to"vent" the pump but sometimes it might lose prime which is usually fixed by turning it off and on again a couple of times. Is this the same as venting?

 

[markp]

Not sure I follow. I generally dont need to"vent" the pump but sometimes it might lose prime which is usually fixed by turning it off and on again a couple of times. Is this the same as venting?

Graybo
I just ran my unit to give the helix a clean before I brew with it and you do need to prime or vent the pump, I did this by sucking on the recirc tube just enough to get a bit of water in the pump, you could also run the pump for a couple of seconds before you connect the helix to it.
Cheers
Mark

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Whichever system you have the helix has to be vented, not so bad on the taps, I have gone through a full mash and the first pour to get the gravity going into the boil comes out clear, so I pour out 3 litres before I take the pre boil gravity

 

[graybo]

Thanks borth for the info

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I would like to know the height from the bottom of the Grainfather to the centre of the tap outlet, if there is enough room it could be more beneficial to use something similar to the Braumeister.

 

[Wobbly74]

Had my first run with it today, turned out into a bit of a horror. I recirculated for the mash and then whirlpooled after, but the flow was very low by the end. I thought the pump was getting blocked and didn't twig to the helix. I ended up dropping the wort to the cube via gravity but only got a trickle out. I ended up having to jiggle the helix about a lot to get it to drain which stirred up the trub and kind of defeated the purpose. Is there a trick to this I'm missing?

 

[Batz]

In case anyone is interested I bought one for my 50lt Braumeister. I've never used it. Happy to pass it on to another brewer somewhat cheaper than buying new. Send me a PM.

Batz

 

[graybo]

I would like to know the height from the bottom of the Grainfather to the centre of the tap outlet, if there is enough room it could be more beneficial to use something similar to the Braumeister.

It's about 2.5 cm

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I thought I had posted before about the problem and how I got round it, I bought one of these.

I have no idea why it fails to drain apart from there being air in the helix, open the spring with the tip of the paddle let it flow and it will keep on flowing.
Seems a bit like a Venturi system.

Copied from the Guten thread.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

I've tried 4 slightly different fitting methods over 6 brews with the helix and each time it has blocked up with the hop matter after a few seconds to a trickle. It has then taken me then over an hour to drain the 20 odd litres by holding it open with a mash paddle and still getting all the hop matter in the fermenter.

Next brew I'm just going to use the hop screen filter straight on the tap and see if that works any better.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Well I have had no real problems, yes it does get stuck once in a while, very rare for me, over 200 sold in Australia, so they can't be too bad. I was losing about 2 litres in the Braumeister now I lose about 500 ml, I brew at least once a week and I know it doesn't block up, thats why I think the problem if and when it happens is related to air in the system. This is todays result from the BM.

 

[markp]

I would like to know the height from the bottom of the Grainfather to the centre of the tap outlet, if there is enough room it could be more beneficial to use something similar to the Braumeister.

Probably not as favourable using a t piece on the grainfather as the thermo well is fairly close to the pump pick up and the helix won’t quite fit under the thermo well, also if a t was used there would end up being a kink in the helix to get it around the thermo well.
Cheers.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

In case anyone is interested I bought one for my 50lt Braumeister. I've never used it. Happy to pass it on to another brewer somewhat cheaper than buying new. Send me a PM.

Batz

I've got one for my 50L Brau too Batz.
I reckon it's a great bit of gear. The biggest benefit for me, is that It allows me to dump hops straight into the boil, rather than use a hop spider.
The wort drains nice and clear, leaving everything else behind.
Piece of cake to clean also.
I'd recommend giving it a try first before getting rid of it.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Probably not as favourable using a t piece on the grainfather as the thermo well is fairly close to the pump pick up and the helix won’t quite fit under the thermo well, also if a t was used there would end up being a kink in the helix to get it around the thermo well.
Cheers.

When I saw the distance I could see it could not use a tee piece, just wanted to be sure.
The photo I put up in post 214 there was no whirlpool, just end of boil and empty, it was a long day I did a double brew using the BM and the Guten, and the BM dragged its feet.

 

[Batz]

I've got one for my 50L Brau too Batz.
I reckon it's a great bit of gear. The biggest benefit for me, is that It allows me to dump hops straight into the boil, rather than use a hop spider.
The wort drains nice and clear, leaving everything else behind.
Piece of cake to clean also.
I'd recommend giving it a try first before getting rid of it.

Yes perhaps I should, just looked like a PITA to fit between the elements. The whole reason I bought it was to dump hops straight into the boil.

 

[Leyther]

Did a double brew day today, first was just a basic pale, only 20g of hops drained perfectly and super quick so very happy with that. Second was a double IPA , 200g hops straight in the boil, was a bit apprehensive but again drained perfectly and really quick.

I've concluded it's worse to use a hop spider as it gets in the way of a Whirlpool but I still dont understand the occasional time when it trickles, if I could get to the bottom of that I would be in brewing Nirvana!!

Was awesome today!!!

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Did you use the immersion chiller Leyther? My prime suspect would be the cold break, after chilling down rapidly that is the only time I have had a problem, one thing to try is getting a good whirlpool going and while everything is in the vortex open the tap.