HERMS pump questions

[Springer]

HERMS set-up gets closer, as I have took the plunge and bought a Totton GP20/12 from Norm. Not quite ready to go into action yet, but trying to plan it out in advance, I hope :?
The pump came with John Geast fittings, rated at 65 degrees, which I assume are not usable for mash tun to boiler pumping, so what is the best alternative?
The pump does not have a drain down fitting so how do you leave it after cleaning at the end of a brew day or sanitising at the start of a day, does it pump its self dry for a short period without kippering the seals ?
Thinking of making up a counterflow cooler with copper pipe running through a garden hose, anyone having success with this set up?
That should do for now :?
Not got around to thinking about a PID set up yet, but plan is to get the rest working under manual control to raise temperatures of mash if required.

 

[Vossy1]

The pump came with John Geast fittings, rated at 65 degrees, which I assume are not usable for mash tun to boiler pumping, so what is the best alternative?

It will quite happily pump to 85 deg c. I have tried it with boiling wort, recircing to the copper to sanitisze it. It was slightly noiser than normal but perfectly acceptable for the few minutes it took to sanitize the pump and hose. It also accepts pumping after heat off to recirc to the kettle whilst cooling.
I wasn't too keen on the JG fittings, they swivel round in your hand, especially if you fit a ball valve to them (see my blog link at footer, post in Oct 09)

Thinking of making up a counterflow cooler with copper pipe running through a garden hose, anyone having success with this set up?

I did. You can always prime the cfc by gravity exiting to pump, hot wort issue solved :thumb:

The pump does not have a drain down fitting so how do you leave it after cleaning at the end of a brew day or sanitising at the start of a day

I tip it upside down to drain the water out. I use mine for pumping the HLT water to the mash so that cleans it on the next brew, but TBH, unless you leave wort in there it won't get dirty

does it pump its self dry for a short period without kippering the seals ?

Not really sure what you mean. I always run it until empty then turn off if that's it :hmm:

I will add this pump to the pump reviews post

 

[Muddydisco]

I to run them fittings perfectly fine

Regards cleaning I just run the spare sparge water through the system and turn off the taps once running clear locking the water in the system, then on brew day fill my tun with some Hlt water and run the pump and wash out the old water.
Don't forget you don't need it to be fully sterile until after the boiling has taken place :thumb: if using it after the boil just run the boiling wort around the system for 10 mins to sterilize everything.

The pump won't run itself dry there's always some water left in it

 

[Springer]

aaarrrrrrhhh feel much better after those replies
only one more,
If I am using a counterflow chiller, hose pipe and copper pipe, is it likely to be good enough to give it the boiling wort treatment and not bother with a suitable steriliser :?
: both

 

[unclepumble]

aaarrrrrrhhh feel much better after those replies
only one more,
If I am using a counterflow chiller, hose pipe and copper pipe, is it likely to be good enough to give it the boiling wort treatment and not bother with a suitable steriliser :?
: both

I clean out with oxy flush with water then recirc boiling wort for a few mins, not had any problems yet.

Shane

 

[Springer]

Thanks S

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

My next project. I dream of a HERM's system nightly whilst knocking Zzzzzd's out .....lol

Is this acceptable behaviour from a 42 year old??

 

[jamesb]

My next project. I dream of a HERM's system nightly whilst knocking Zzzzzd's out .....lol
Is this acceptable behaviour from a 42 year old??

It certainly sounds better than dreaming of Dale Winton covered liberally in baby oil.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

My next project..... :hmm: I dream of a HERM's system nightly whilst knocking Zzzzzd's out .....lol
Is this acceptable behaviour from a 42 year old??

It certainly sounds better than dreaming of Dale Winton covered liberally in baby oil.

He's my assistant brewer in the dream!

 

[highwayman]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Springer]

I have "a friend" who used to have such dreams, ....................... :lol:
So I, decided to do something about it. :lol:
I decided to up scale my brewery from 25 to 75 litres and didn't have enough brewery height to use gravity, so it was either a pumped system or a lifter system required. Once I had decided to pump, the HERMS was not much more expensive to add.
Should be firing it all up soon, without HERMS initially. Will post progress.
S

 

[Vossy1]

:lol: ...you guys

 

[Wez]