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**Biermann** · 12-16-2006, 06:42 PM

Ok, I have learned that a 14.4 gallon conical is heavier than $#it to lift, carry, and then put back up on the shelf. I think I actually strained a nut the last time I did this.

I have a March pump, and I was thinking that instead of using my counter flow chiller, I was going to use my 50 ft immersion (there is a fittings issue), and then pump the wort out of the boil kettle up into my fermentation room and into the fermenter.

--it should work--the concerns I have is that the pump is an impeller driven pump, and there are obviously sanitation concerns since I will be simply unplugging the pump from the HERMS/Sparge, and hooking it up directly to the boil kettle.

Does anyone else do this, and if so, any pointers??

Nate · 12-16-2006, 06:56 PM

Not sure exactly how you're setup but you could pump a little sanitizer through first and then discard the first small amount of wort.

**EdWort** · 12-16-2006, 07:30 PM

Don't know, but do you have that conical in a freezer for temp control? If so, what kind, make, model, size is it. It looks like a Fermentator conical. I've been eyeing one, but will have to graduate to 12.5 gallon batches first.

**Yuri_Rage** · 12-16-2006, 07:58 PM

With the pump, you can pump through the CFC and up into the conical. That's exactly what I do. Of course, it sounds like you might be pumping your wort a pretty long distance based on the description. A restriction in flow (like a CFC) might not help you out in that case.

**Biermann** · 12-16-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

With the pump, you can pump through the CFC and up into the conical. That's exactly what I do. Of course, it sounds like you might be pumping your wort a pretty long distance based on the description. A restriction in flow (like a CFC) might not help you out in that case.

yeah, that's exactly the case. I'm pumping it about 25 feet total. The hose I use has the same ID as a garden hose, which I feel would be feasible to pump that distance through. I don't want a lot of restriction such as I'd encounter with the CFC, hence the use of the immersion chiller.

As far as the sanitation issue goes, I use that same pump for the HERMS, and to sparge with, so it has constant 170 degree fluid running through it. This should pretty much be enough to keep it sanitized, wouldn't it??

Worse come to worse, I could always make up some starsan and dump it in the HLT and pump it through prior to pumping the wort, but I"m all about simplifying things if I can.

**Biermann** · 12-16-2006, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdWort

Don't know, but do you have that conical in a freezer for temp control? If so, what kind, make, model, size is it. It looks like a Fermentator conical. I've been eyeing one, but will have to graduate to 12.5 gallon batches first.

I use my conical to do ales. My fermentation room sits at about 65 degrees. If I make lagers, I use carboys. I don't believe my conical will even fit in my lagering fridge, which limits its use for ales. (and I'm too lazy to build a lagering box just for my conical).

And you are right, its a Fermenator 14.4 gallon.

dantodd · 12-16-2006, 11:56 PM

I guess you could gravity feed through the CFC into a bucket/kettle and then pump from there up to your fermentation room. How much volume are you going to lose in a garden hose running 25'? Perhaps you could even pull the water through the CFC and then push it up the hill, would that make any difference?

sounds like a bottle or two for testing/tasting.

**Biermann** · 12-17-2006, 04:34 AM

When I brew, I typically end up with 11-12 gallons, so I'm not worried too terribly about the loss. I think it would be a good idea to road test it with some water, using similar quantities.

**EdWort** · 12-17-2006, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biermann

When I brew, I typically end up with 11-12 gallons, so I'm not worried too terribly about the loss. I think it would be a good idea to road test it with some water, using similar quantities.

Ah yes, but that's where a 2.5 gallon corny comes in.

brewman ! · 12-17-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

I'm pumping it about 25 feet total. The hose I use has the same ID as a garden hose, which I feel would be feasible to pump that distance through. I don't want a lot of restriction such as I'd encounter with the CFC, hence the use of the immersion chiller.

I don't use a March pump, but my pump would and has handled something like that easily.

Quote:

As far as the sanitation issue goes, I use that same pump for the HERMS, and to sparge with, so it has constant 170 degree fluid running through it. This should pretty much be enough to keep it sanitized, wouldn't it??

Maybe. But why take a chance. I always use my pump for chilling. I hook it between the boiler and the CFC. To sanitize everything, I stop boiling and start circulating HOT WORT through the pump and CFC without chiller water. Do that for a few minutes and everything is hot. Then add the chilling water and move the outlet from the boiler to the primary fermentor.

I've never had an infected beer doing this. I never worry about my CFC being sterile. I do clean it thoroughly after using it. I capture the hot water that comes OUT of the CFC in the HLT, until it gets full. Then I hook the pump onto the HLT and push all that clean, hot water though the CFC and into the mash vessel. And then from there, into the boiler. At that point, everything is clean.