Problems with SS hop strainer

[hairybiker]

I built a SS hop strainer for my boiler last week, from a piece of SS web from a 15mm tap connector.
Basically I have a 15mm tank connector on the boiler, a piece of 15mm pipe to an elbow then a further piece of pipe to the SS "tube" connected to the pipe with a SS jubilee clip.

But when I tried it "dry" it was fine, pumped to the start of the webbing. But yesterday when brewing with it for the first time I would continuously clog up with hops (whole hops not pellets) and would require a bit of back pressure to get a flow again (for a few seconds).

Anybody got any ideas or do I go back to my drilled pipe that I have been using for years?

 

[Mephistopholes]

I've also had similar problems with my new mesh wire hop strainer on its first two brews. it seemed to be the cold break that had really stuffed it up though when i finally reached in with alcohol rinsed hands and cut the bloody thing out.

How fine a mesh do you have?

I'd quite like to see a solution on this.

 

[prolix]

Hmm I was just about to order some fine mesh to make my hop screen finer, this is giving me second thoughts.

 

[Wez]

I used my yesterday without problems, I chill with a PHE so no cold break in the boiler :hmm:

 

[hairybiker]

I've also had similar problems with my new mesh wire hop strainer on its first two brews. it seemed to be the cold break that had really stuffed it up though when i finally reached in with alcohol rinsed hands and cut the bloody thing out.

How fine a mesh do you have?

I'd quite like to see a solution on this.

0
Well no idea on how fine the mesh is, it is the outer from the tap connector (like this one

I removed the ends (to get the 15mm -> barb for my new pump) and stripped the inner pipe from the tube leaving just the SS webbing. I closed the open end over to seal it.

 

[Mephistopholes]

Exactly the same as what i did. i even used a mash/hop bag to keep all the hops in but it was the break that stuffed me.

I'm building a new copper next week hopefully if i get chance and am looking at a false bottom and hop strainer combination so the bed can hopefully filter the break.

 

[markp]

I use a very fine mesh filter when I'm using hop pellets....the type that tubby shaw documented in one of his threads.
I don't have any issues with it myself; and I'm using an IC, so the break is in there.

Looking at the picture, I would say that my filter has at least 5 or 6 times the surface area of that pipe arrangement.
I just think it is the break material just blinding the strainer that is causing it to block.

 

[tubby_shaw]

As markp has said surface area is the key :thumb: the bigger the better :party:
You will also need to run off slowly so as not to compact the trub against the mesh

 

[hairybiker]

OK looks like I will be going back to my "old faithful" for the moment then.
I will investigate increasing the surface area via mesh outside of the tube.

 

[Sean_Mc]

I have a similar strainer and drain quite slowly, probably takes half hour to empty the the copper and don't have any problems :wha:

 

[hairybiker]

I was trying to pump it into the FV to save lifting the boiler, I got 3 gal over then took about 30 min to get the last 2 gals due to the blocking, compared with a normal 10-15min to drain using gravity into the FV.

Next time I will try with my old holy tube and see what the difference is.

Too many NEW variables in this brew. New MT, new pump, new hop strainer. Should have known it was going bad when I started to get grain from the MT, my "assistant" (SWMBO) must have been extra heavy on the malt mixing and dislodged the tube from the back of the o/p, I managed to move it gently back into position using my slotted spoon, but not before I clogged the pump/tubing with grain.

Still it tasted good when I transfered it to the FV :

 

[markp]

We all have days like that hairy :grin:
My last brew I had made a small modification to my mash tun....worked fine with water, but not so well with the goods when I started to sparge. I ended up jugging the mash in to buckets, removing the modification and then refilling the tun to sparge........beer seems okay though.

We all need a tester once in while to keep us on our mettel I reckon