Connecting HERMS to Mashtun advice

[JonnyD]

Hi,
I've looked and can't find anything so sorry if it is covered. I am looking into building a HERMS so i can do stepped mash' but i don't know how to connect the pump/HERMS to the mash tun. I know i need to connect it in a way that it won't compact the grain bed (is this correct?) Could do with a little advice and some pics would help massively.

Cheers JD

 

[Vossy1]

Outlet in base of mash tun, preferably with little dead space, or use tap.
Pump somewhere it will prime easily, preferably below base of mash tun.
Then pipework to return runnings to top of mash, without disturbing mash bed.
If you make different size brews it's handy to have a height adjustable return.
Aim for up to 3ltr/min recirc, but you may have to slow this down to prevent stuck mashes, but it's system dependent.
Try not to 'knock' the mash tun during recirc, it can stick the mash.

Will try and find some pics to edit in

This was one of my 1st height adjustable return manifolds, and another with a fore runner plastic wort aerator to the last pic, but you could just use perforated tinfoil on the top of the mash bed with a hose returning wort to it. Underneath these 2 is my preferred stainless return now, as made by eskibrew on this forum, in winter the vertical is insulated and passes through a wooden insulated lid to reduce heat loss.

This is the pipework from my tun. You can ignore the outer ball valves, the inner one is the one that controls the flow rate for the HERMS. Note I use a magnetically coupled pump which should be restricted on the oulet. The far right elbow takes the wort to the heat exchanger.

 

[JonnyD]

Vossy thanks very much for the detailed reply, is there a link for the build of the stainless steel build?
And also would it be advisable to have a pt100 fitted at the bottom of the mash tun? Do you have a pid controller for it or just control it yourself?

 

[Vossy1]

Vossy thanks very much for the detailed reply, is there a link for the build of the stainless steel build?

No worries, that's what we're here for :grin: ...do you mean the pipework above? I have a 'naked' picture of that, no build though so to speak, but it'll depend what you want from your system as to whether it's relevant.
I also forgot to mention above, all that pipework is on a incline to the HE, so it drains freely to any of the ball valves after use...don't want too much standing water in there between brews.

And also would it be advisable to have a pt100 fitted at the bottom of the mash tun? Do you have a pid controller for it or just control it yourself?

The PT100 should go as close as possible to the HE outlet, though I always double check mine with a separate probe in the mash, though that's overkill, I prefer to do it that way rather than rely on it...overcautious with 6 hours of my time I guess :lol:

 

[JonnyD]

No worries, that's what we're here for :grin: ...do you mean the pipework above? I have a 'naked' picture of that, no build though so to speak, but it'll depend what you want from your system as to whether it's relevant.

What is the 'sprinkler' thing on the end of outlet?

When you say HE, what are you referring to? (sorry for these questions)

JD

 

[Vossy1]

What is the 'sprinkler' thing on the end of outlet?

It's a Stainless Steel Wort Aerator as made by eskibrew it deflects the returning wort sideways so it doesn't disturb the mash :thumb:

When you say HE, what are you referring to? (sorry for these questions)

A heat exchanger

 

[JonnyD]

Thanks for all the help vossy. Appriciate it.

Just to get this right, I'm running the wort through my ball valve below my false bottom, through the solar pump, into the HE, then back into the top of the mash tun through a sprinkler thingy, which both the pump and HE are controlled by a PID. Am i on the money?

JD

 

[Vossy1]

Just to get this right, I'm running the wort through my ball valve below my false bottom, through the solar pump, into the HE, then back into the top of the mash tun through a sprinkler thingy,

yep

which both the pump and HE are controlled by a PID. Am i on the money?

Not quite. The pid controls the element in the heat exchanger to maintain a set temp in the mash tun via a feedback loop, the PT100. The flow rate you have to set by either using a ball valve on the pumps outlet (assumes mag coupled pump) to restrict the flow rate to what you want, or by controlling the pump in some way by regulating voltage (difficult)

Have a nosey here at Phils site...he now runs a micro brewery.

 

[JonnyD]

ok thanks, I've got a god idea on whats needed now. when using HERMS do you circulate the wort all the time?

 

[Vossy1]

I do, but you don't have to, lots of folks just use it for the last 10-15 mins to get clear runnings...me, I like the sound of the motor, it's re-assuring in a way :lol:...and then there's the switch power lights

 

[paulpj26]

I do, but you don't have to, lots of folks just use it for the last 10-15 mins to get clear runnings...me, I like the sound of the motor, it's re-assuring in a way :lol:...and then there's the switch power lights

:rofl:

 

[tazuk]

here how i did mine :thumb: pt100 probe to a pid unit and solar pump easy to build i run mine start to finish :thumb:

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herms controler

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solar pump/ yeast stir controler
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[JonnyD]

thanks for that, some useful ideas. need to get onto the build now. i bold a 12/24v motor controller which I'm going to wire into the pump. what size pump should i get?