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**harley03** · 10-16-2009, 12:51 AM

Since I started building my new HERMS system http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/another-herms-designed-clock-135250/ I have been racking my brain on how I am going to accurately measure strike and sparge water volume.

The system is constructed of converted kegs and most of the plumbing is hard copper. Anyway how do you guys with single or two tier systems measure your water volumes? Do you rely on a sight glass, measuring with some other device or just estimate?

SporkD2 · 10-16-2009, 12:56 AM

I dont use herms, but the brewing buckets with measuring lines is what I use. I usually fill 2 of them up to the 5 gallon mark on brew day and use the water out of those

samc · 10-16-2009, 12:58 AM

sight glass/estimate = beer

can I religiously produce the exact same beer every time I brew - boring... that would be if I was in the business of brewing.

**harley03** · 10-16-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SporkD2

I dont use herms, but the brewing buckets with measuring lines is what I use. I usually fill 2 of them up to the 5 gallon mark on brew day and use the water out of those

That is the problem everything is hard plumbed into the mash tun and as or right now I did not incorporate a flexible hose into the system. Also and most importantly the strike water is going to come directly from the HERMS heater to the mash tun for strike water at required temperature.

What I need to figure out is that once I start filling the mash tun when do I stop adding water (how do I know I have the required ammount) for strike

**Bobby_M** · 10-16-2009, 06:58 PM

Sight glass on the HLT tells me when to stop filling it. When filling the MLT from the HLT, I watch the sight glass until the level dropped the volume I wanted to go into the MLT. It doesn't care if the transfer lines are opaque or not.

YouTube

How is your strike water going to come from your HERMS heater? Do you mean a RIMS heating element? If so, You'd want to have a sight glass on your MLT.

**harley03** · 10-16-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

Sight glass on the HLT tells me when to stop filling it. When filling the MLT from the HLT, I watch the sight glass until the level dropped the volume I wanted to go into the MLT. It doesn't care if the transfer lines are opaque or not.

How is your strike water going to come from your HERMS heater? Do you mean a RIMS heating element? If so, You'd want to have a sight glass on your MLT.

Bobby thanks for the reply. I am not using an HLT in this design therfore the water path essentally goes like this:
- water in from garden hose to pump1
- from pump1 it goes into the heater (rims)
- from the heater to the counterflow chiller
- from the counterflow chiller through a series of valves and onto the mash tun

I am relying on the heater to get the water to strike temp before mashing in. A closer look at the line routing can be see in the link below.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/another-herms-designed-clock-135250/
I do have two sight gauges sitting at home and thought I might use one of those to determine proper level. I do like the idea of watching the gauge on the HLT dropping to determine water level. That is not a bad idea but does defeat the purpose of using a heater because I would then loose all that heat while water is sitting in the HLT. I do have an extra keg because when I started designing this system I was going to go with a typical HERMS design with three tanks (HLT, MT and boil kettle) Therefore since I am still in the building stages it would not be a big deal to add the tank in case I need to use it.

What about a flowmeter. Has anybody used a simple flowmeter before? However a sight glass in the mash tun would probably be the simplest way.

**Bobby_M** · 10-16-2009, 07:40 PM

The flow meters that are accurate enough for our small volumes, and capable of high temps, are also really expensive. I don't have any handy links for you but I know that was my conclusion when I saw the price. Something like $200 vs. a $20 sight glass.

**GilaMinumBeer** · 10-16-2009, 08:00 PM

Graduated sight glasses in Quarts and gallons. Graduations marked in both directions on each Sg for additive or subtractive quick reference.

**harley03** · 10-16-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilaMinumBeer

Graduated sight glasses in Quarts and gallons. Graduations marked in both directions on each Sg for additive or subtractive quick reference.

Wouldn't a sight glass on a mash tun get plugged up. I guess if I am adding strike water first and then the grain I probably would not worry about it. When it comes time to clean just flush some cleaner or water through to cleanit out. Is this correct?

**GilaMinumBeer** · 10-16-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley03

Wouldn't a sight glass on a mash tun get plugged up. I guess if I am adding strike water first and then the grain I probably would not worry about it. When it comes time to clean just flush some cleaner or water through to cleanit out. Is this correct?

Only on HLT and Kettle for me.

My strikes are cold and not based on a static ratio. The graduations serve me only for Toatal water, sparging deduction, and then finally boil target volume.

My method is to provide foundation water, add grist, underlet to 2 Inches above grain bed, power mix, strike the heat, and recirculate to and through rest period. The Brew-Magic way.