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mcaustin · 06-20-2008, 09:57 PM

Ok, I'm brewing my second batch on my newly built Brutus type scuplture. BOTH batches, I'm having issues circulating my mash. Details:

1) Pump IS primed, it was pumping fine, then just came to a trickle, then nothing.
2) I DO have a hose clamp "pushing" the falsebottom down in the bottom of the Keg MLT.
3) FB is this one: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4468

So what's the deal? How do I get this thing to do what it's supposed to (flow)??

**Jaybird** · 06-20-2008, 10:04 PM

How fast are you trying to flow?? do you have a ball valve on the outlet side of the pump?
JJ

mcaustin · 06-20-2008, 10:06 PM

Yep, I have a ball valve on the outlet of the pump. Right now, I'm just trying to flow anything... I just pumped some water from my HLT through MLT outlet to try to clear it, but then it's not pumping again.

**Jaybird** · 06-20-2008, 10:30 PM

sounds like its plugged, or a stuck mash. What kind of pump? You cant run anything through it not even crear water without running it through your mash?
JJ

mcaustin · 06-20-2008, 10:35 PM

Seems like I had a hose that didn't want to fill the inlet to the March pump... I'd already cleared it with compressed air once, and it didn't want to flow directly out of the MLT output (even though the output was flowing fine out of it). I cleared it again with the air compressor and it seems to be ok now...

Guess I was just assuming it was the FB since I'd already cleared the lines once with compressed air.

Oh well, sparging now. Will need to get another beer for the boil!

**Jaybird** · 06-20-2008, 10:39 PM

SWEET!! I love it when a plan comes together
Good Job
JJ

WBC · 06-21-2008, 06:35 PM

If you pump from the mash tun too fast it will pull air into the pump anywhere it can get (loose fittings or clamps, etc) it which cavitates the pump. Make sure the inlet of the pump points toward the ground so that when air comes into the pump it moves upword which gets the air out of the pump.

**Bobby_M** · 06-21-2008, 06:41 PM

It might sound silly, but you should recirculate your strike water through the pump just before you dough in. This gets your siphon tube full of water and primes the pump ahead of time. When it's time to recirculate, choke the flow down to 50% and run it.

mcaustin · 06-23-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

It might sound silly, but you should recirculate your strike water through the pump just before you dough in. This gets your siphon tube full of water and primes the pump ahead of time. When it's time to recirculate, choke the flow down to 50% and run it.

Yep, had the strike water circulating prior to dough in too.

Also have the pumps mounted with the inlets pointing down/outlets pointing up. Probably need to run a couple of tests with each of my hoses and see if I can recreate the issue.

**Lil' Sparky** · 06-23-2008, 03:16 PM

I bet it was one of these. I've had a problem with both before.

1) compacted grain bed
-- stop the pump and break up the grain bed around the FB, try to recirculate a little slower, use more mash water if the mash is too thick

2) air getting in the pump inlet hose
-- stop the pump, let the air escape, double-check all fittings