autosparge

[prolix]

just been looking at the brutus 20 2 vessel full batch recirculation systems over the water and came across this

here

very interesting reading on the two pot system and this thing looks good if it balances the sparge, no more fiddling will valves for 30mins.

 

[Vossy1]

That a ball cock...but shinier...if there are any plumbers on the forum I bet they're laughing their socks off :lol: (look in your toilet cystern or water header tank if you have a hot water cylinder )
If you like 'tech' float switches could be up your street.

very interesting reading on the two pot system and this thing looks good if it balances the sparge, no more fiddling will valves for 30mins.

Unless you use pumps a valentine arm does the same job, and may be of interest.

 

[prolix]

one tier system V so need pumps, was thinking of electric float switches to switch the the pumps off and on as I can't see in my vessels and so thought about to keeping the level automatically. Instead of lifting the lids every 2 minutes (thermopots) to check the balance of the pumps

 

[Vossy1]

I like the idea of the floats myself, tis a great idea. I thought about doing it with an autofeed HLT, but never got round to it. Like the idea of it in the mash though.
I got round mine by setting 2 ball valves at the same flow rate, permanently, one on the hlt pump and the mash recirc already has one, job done.

 

[tubthumper]

even easier option would be to use water sensors like on industial boilers . 2 probs water cutsoff when they make contact when level drops contact broken and water let in,
was thinking of doing my self but i dont want to automate my system just yet .

 

[Vossy1]

even easier option would be to use water sensors like on industial boilers . 2 probs water cutsoff when they make contact when level drops contact broken and water let in,

Is that just the same as a ball cock, but electronic instead of mechanical ?
How do the probes move ?

I got round mine by setting 2 ball valves at the same flow rate, permanently, one on the hlt pump and the mash recirc already has one, job done

The benefit of this set up is that it has no moving parts, which can go wrong.

 

[tubthumper]

they dont move they provide a contant level . so if you want your mash tun to have a level above the grain bed you need to mont them at that level and you can have water at level they are electronic and would open a valve let water flow ect

I might do a mock up and show but will take a bit of time and as its total automation I think it would take a bit of the fun with brewing away

this is something you can use sensor then mont it on a pice of metal with a fold on it and hang it from your tun/hlt/boiler , make the metal holding it with an adjustable hook and then you got it any level you want. much more adaptable than a ball cock

 

[EskiBrew]

What's wrong with a valentine arm then :wha:
Surely that is easier - simply set the incoming flow rate you desire and then forget about it. :thumb:

 

[prolix]

EB can't use a valentine arm or hartford loop on a single level, so have to balance the pumps, think I might try one of these as it can be set open/closed or closed/open (the one I want) and put it inline with the fill pump so it cuts out when full, that way I need no other electronics.

here

Have to wait a while for finances to recover, if I can get pefect balance before then, still might get one anyway :rofl:

 

[EskiBrew]

Ah - I forgot you said single level

When I get around to my HERMS (soon :party: ) I plan to have the HLT higher than the MT so that I will gravity sparge and then use a valentine arm emptying into an UnderBack from where I will pump into the Copper which will be on the same level as the HLT (ok, it won't be copper it will be shiney stainless ).

 

[unclepumble]

even easier option would be to use water sensors like on industial boilers . 2 probs water cutsoff when they make contact when level drops contact broken and water let in,

Is that just the same as a ball cock, but electronic instead of mechanical ?
How do the probes move ?

The probes don't move Vossy they work by sensing a small current across the liquid, you do tend to need a controller to use them, Its a bit dodgy otherwise.

[quote:117t7jsq]I got round mine by setting 2 ball valves at the same flow rate, permanently, one on the hlt pump and the mash recirc already has one, job done

The benefit of this set up is that it has no moving parts, which can go wrong.[/quote:117t7jsq] The controllers do tend to go wrong though, I am forever fixing or adjusting them at work, hence I took them off my vessels, before I brought them home.

UP

 

[RatAle]

My MT drips with gravity into an underback which is a stainless bowl on legs that they used to use to straddle beer barrels when putting the dregs back ! By having a SS float switch near the top, the underback pump switches on when the level reaches the switch. As long as the MT o/p valve is correctly adjusted it just oscilates the wort level. I use it for recirc to MT for clear runnings and to fill boiler, don't have Herms at moment. You could go a bit further and have two float switches to stop overflow/prime pump like Dave Porter ones, I guess some sort of and/nand gate and relay to pump. Also add the valantine arm to maintain MT level.

EB - I think you spotted one at Howard Town once ?

P.S: nice to see this forum doing so well, I've not been here for a while and not brewed due to personal probs. I'm still tinkering with the brewery bits.

 

[DeeterGroup]

Hello Everyone,

My name is William and I work for the Deeter Group, I just thought I would drop by and say thank you for looking at our products, if you have any questions please feel free to email or call us, we are here to help.

Deeter Electronics Ltd.,
Deeter House,
Valley Road,
Hughenden Valley,
High Wycombe, Bucks.
HP14 4LW.
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 566 046 - Fax: +44 (0) 1494 563 961
E-mail: [email protected]

Most Important, in my point of view, is this..

Thank you for all the great beer you Brew :-)

 

[Moley]

I hastily sidelined the above post earlier today because I thought it was ‘useful spam’ which ought to be checked out by Admin first.

If I had had more time to read the topic to which it was attached I would have realised that Deeter Group had already been recommended above.

Now that I have had time to review the post and the topic, with apologies to William and agreement from Wez I am now putting it back where I got it from.

Sorry William

 

[Monster Mash]

I have found the electronic float switches work the best, you can find them cheap on ebay. I use a low voltage power supply to activate a relay to turn on my pump....

 

[leedsbrew]

I have found the electronic float switches work the best, you can find them cheap on ebay. I use a low voltage power supply to activate a relay to turn on my pump....

I like the look of your sliding lid their matey! something you mad eyourself?

 

[Monster Mash]

I like the look of your sliding lid their matey! something you mad eyourself?

Yes, I had to sacrifice another lid but it was worth it!!

 

[leedsbrew]

I like the look of your sliding lid their matey! something you mad eyourself?

Yes, I had to sacrifice another lid but it was worth it!!

it's cool! What type of vesel is it? Any chance of a full length shot?

 

[Monster Mash]

it's cool! What type of vesel is it? Any chance of a full length shot?

It is an old pool filter housing that I cleaned up and polished. They were free as long as I supplied the pool guy with free beer.

Here is a shot without grain....

Here is what they look like.

Before conversion (150L size)

 

[leedsbrew]

Cracking! cheers! Would be great to get hold of a couple over here (I take it you are not in Blighty?) they look ideal!

:thumb: