Show us your brewrig

[Zorco]

And a 'Cheers' scribed into the malt dust upon the glass.

Sensational Moad

 

[Adr_0]

It's alive! Just gave it a dry run with water and Phosphoric. The gas fired HLT heated 45 Ltrs of water from 20c to 78c in about 1 Hr. pumped into Mash Tun and held temperature within 3 degrees for over an hour by wrapping it up with a few towels. Should do for now until I sort out a RIMS. One thing I couldn't understand is why the chugger wouldn't pump the last 3 Ltrs of water from the Mash Tun to the Kettle. Just pumped away without transferring the water?

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Can you put an elbow on the mash tun, facing down, then 1/2 - or better yet, 3/4" - Ss tube straight into the suction of the pump? The pump would need to be mounted impeller housing up, which is....absolutely fine. (incidentally you should also mount a RIMS tube with the element down if you mount the tube vertically).

The main point of this is:
-vertical pipe allows air to rise up and back into the mash tun, while sloped or waving flexible hose can trap air
-keeps suction length short to minimise pressure drop. Pressure on the suction side is essential for pump performance and health. Lack of pressure or air will cause you grief.

For the RIMS tube, it ensures there in no air around the element which will create a higher temperature zone, possible charring and/or failure.

For your discharge piping it should go vertically for a little while if possible to keep back pressure on the pump and ensure the impeller housing stays filled.

Your LBP is mounted slightly precariously too... Not sure how long the suction thread will last with the weight on the motor and discharged connections sitting on it.

 

[Moad]

And a 'Cheers' scribed into the malt dust upon the glass.

Sensational Moad

It actually came on the false bottom like that, I thought it was a nice touch. For the price, It should say cheers and clean itself as well.

 

[Curly79]

Thanks Adr 0. I reckon the LBP will be fine it's got bugger all weight on it. I might shorten my hoses up a bit , they are too long.

 

[Adr_0]

Thanks Adr 0. I reckon the LBP will be fine it's got bugger all weight on it. I might shorten my hoses up a bit , they are too long.

I haven't ever had any issues with LBP threads, but have heard on others having breakage. I guess you have a valve so you can just shut it off.

If you can, try and get an SS elbow or two and some barbs. Silicone is ok if it's short and vertical,rather than long slopes.

You could almost use some saddles/clamps to keep it square with smooth bends.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

Chinese new year... and a new Chinese mash vessel.

SS food warmer: $55
Ball valve: $35
Bits and bobs: Recycled from old mash esky.

Drilling out the double wall hole for the valve was rather more involved than anticipated.. Note to self. Filing a 20mm hole with a round file from the inside of a vessel in the heat of summer is character building.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

A small side note for anyone else who might want to do this. As the wall is double sided, when you tighten up the ball valve - both walls decide to flex (compress) inwards making a seal difficult to establish (and much leaking into the wall void!).
Best to place a non-compressible chock inside the wall cavity so you have something to tighten against. .. Lived and learnt the hard way on that one!

 

[rude]

How much for postage g4

 

[The Judge]

Sorry, not a real post. Editing a bunch of gibberish that my son pedalled in... great rigs though everyone!

 

[mofox1]

Brew rig had got an upgrade.

Out with the old 46L esky and in with a modified 20 Gal SS Brewtech kettle to act as the new mash tun. 20 Gal mark is about 10cm below lip, so actual capacity is around 90L.

Add one 40 cm KK false bottom, a wort return port and sparge ring and voila - new mash tun. Currently insulated with a cheap yoga mat while I sort out something better.





Ed: little blue is stashed away top right hand corner of first image.

 

[ein stein]

Upgraded Crown 40L, now with added temp control and recirculation also featuring "malt spider" malt pipe.

 

[malt junkie]

Nice work!!
and you said malt twice in the same sentence :wub:

 

[SBOB]

Upgraded Crown 40L, now with added temp control and recirculation also featuring "malt spider" malt pipe.

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a what? more details please

 

[ein stein]

It's just a robobrew malt pipe but instead of attaching legs to the bottom I added stainless brackets as arms to suspend it, so it's like a hop spider but it's a malt pipe, hence "malt spider"

 

[mr_wibble]

Add one 40 cm KK false bottom, a wort return port and sparge ring and voila - new mash tun. Currently insulated with a cheap yoga mat while I sort out something better.

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Mofox1 - can you please give me some details on your sparge ring, did you make it yourself ?

EDIT: Ah I found it in another thread. SS Brewtech re-circulating manifold. Is there an AU supplier?
EDIT2: yes AU supplier - https://www.newerabrewing.com.au/ss-brewtech-recirc-manifold/ (currently out of stock).

thanks,
-kt

 

[malt junkie]

Mofox1 - can you please give me some details on your sparge ring, did you make it yourself ?

thanks,
-kt

It's an SS brewtech bit of kit.

 

[mofox1]

Happy to help

Give newera a buzz, the one I got was prior to listing. One of the other guys here let me know they had it in stock, just not listed yet.

FYI - the Brewtech models fit a 3/4" tube, which isn't a problem in sparge but depending on your setup may cause a flow restriction during recirc.

In a perfect world I would have gone a bigger tube with a 1/2" barb, but it was there and I couldn't be bothered faffing about anymore. This brewery has had had several hundred hours put into it to save some dosh... now I'm happy just to hand cash over for future improvements.

 

[Mr B]

They were out of stock when I went to get one too. So I did this:



Works quite well, and half inch hose fits nicely. Not sure if the bling will get me in the end.

Mofox do you find the brewtech one sinks into the mash? This one did so I made up the plate. Stops mash rising on ramp to mash out and sparge as an added bonus

 

[mofox1]

Happy to help
FYI - the Brewtech models fit a 3/4" tube, which isn't a problem in sparge but depending on your setup may cause a flow restriction during recirc.

Oops. Too many beers... I meant 3/8" tube.

 

[mofox1]

Mofox do you find the brewtech one sinks into the mash? This one did so I made up the plate. Stops mash rising on ramp to mash out and sparge as an added bonus

A little, not enough to worry about. If it looks like it has sunk when I get round to sparging I just re-settle it on top. By that time the grain had set a bit firmer and it will stay on top.