Robobrew/Brewzilla Whirlpool arm modification

[clyne]

How powerful a whirlpool do you need? even with the standard whirlpool arm and the 'lazy river' style whirlpool I still am able to gather hops into a nice cone in the centre of the false bottom.

Maybe it’s just how powerful we like to see it. Some sort of visual stimulus that makes me feel like it’s working. But I have seen a difference since making the mod, but you’re probably right in saying running it as normal but for longer would result in the same/similar end result.

 

[dcbrookes]

I saw the video when it came out and thought it was a fantastic idea because the whirlpool arm is a little underwhelming.

But I don’t have access to a vice and so I’m going to use either some form of reducer or mess around with smaller diameter tubing.

You can flatten the end with a hammer if you are careful - it is not an exact science!

 

[The Baron]

I would rather restrict the pipe end with say some smaller diameter pipe to produce a jet rather than damaging the arm end so it can be reversed back to original if required also you can vary the restriction with different pipes to get the desired effect

 

[Hop_it]

I would rather restrict the pipe end with say some smaller diameter pipe to produce a jet rather than damaging the arm end so it can be reversed back to original if required also you can vary the restriction with different pipes to get the desired effect

Good point . . . . You could put a short length of silicon tube over the end of the whirlpool arm and then insert a short length of 15mm copper tube into that. This could be easily flattened to whatever size of opening appears to work best. Also, if it did get blocked with hop bits it could be quickly removed to clean it out.

 

[fgoulding]

I would rather restrict the pipe end with say some smaller diameter pipe to produce a jet rather than damaging the arm end so it can be reversed back to original if required also you can vary the restriction with different pipes to get the desired effect

That's my plan for my next brew on the weekend. I just need to rummage through my box of bits and pieces! I may just use some smaller silicon tubing...

 

[hoppyscotty]

I had previously considered that once my BZ is out of warranty to mod the pipework, as some others have, and put in a 3-way valve so that you can divert the flow to a dedicated whirlpool nozzle fitted through the side of the vessel. It seems to me that there must be alot of losses by pumping the wort all the way up, over the rim and back down again, so shorter and more direct pipework would make more out of the pump output. I would also like to install a desperate thermometer to confirm the wort temp below the malt pipe.

 

[fgoulding]

I've got one of these siphon hose clamps somewhere which might work

 

[sifty]

I would also like to install a desperate thermometer to confirm the wort temp below the malt pipe.

I measure temp at pump outlet when mashing, and have been toying with the idea of installing an analogue temp probe mid way down the body, to see how mash temp compares to both that and the controller display.

Might just buy a long one though I can use without drilling holes to avoid any leak/sanitation issues...

 

[hoppyscotty]

I got a long mechanical thermometer off eBay but now I have three different means of measuring temperature and none of them agree!