3-Tier AND Single-tier in one

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menschmaschine

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I'm pretty happy with my current 3-tier brewstand. But at some point I'll want stay off the ladder and build a single-tier. So, one day at work as I watched a siding crew using pump-jacks, the idea came across my mind to have the best of both worlds... a single-tier where the HLT and MLT sections can be raised with hydraulic or mechanical jacks (hand or pedal-pumped), so that it becomes a 3-tier stand. That way one can have the benefit of a gravity system with the height convenience of a single-tier system and without the cost/maintenance of March pumps.

Good idea? Bad idea? Someone already think of this? Anyone know of cost-effective jacks that would be fit to serve this purpose?
 
I think it's a great idea but I would think for the money and effort, you could just buy a pump... no?

You may be right, but I would want 2 pumps for my system... and then the maintenance of the pumps. I figure if I could find some suitable jacks for like $50 ea., it might start to look like an effective alternative.
 
I think it's a great idea but I would think for the money and effort, you could just buy a pump... no?

I think the idea is being flexible for brewing. If you travel to do group brews, you can't rely on the location having electrical hookup available. Gives you versatility of brewing in comfort at your home, but being able to adapt brewing with nothing but gravity and Propane. I think It's a neat idea.
 
You may be right, but I would want 2 pumps for my system... and then the maintenance of the pumps. I figure if I could find some suitable jacks for like $50 ea., it might start to look like an effective alternative.

I don't think the maintenance of a pump is arguable vs the maintenance of a hydraulic jack. March Pumps from what I understand are VERY little maintenance.
 
I would go with pumps. I pump my sparge water up to the elevated HLT cooler and sparge with gravity flow. As said above, mag drive pumps require very little maintenance other than keeping them clean and an occasional drop or two of lubricant. Why the need for two pumps? I get by using a single pump no problem.
 
I don't think the maintenance of a pump is arguable vs the maintenance of a hydraulic jack. March Pumps from what I understand are VERY little maintenance.

Fine, then I'll use mechanical jacks!:D

Seriously, though, these are all great points and is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping for.
 
The compromise, if you want to fly sparge, is a 2-tier with one pump. There's really no detriment to having an HLT up higher than you can reach. You can hook your water supply up to the outlet via QD and fill it that way. It really never has to be scrubbed out.

The MLT and BK would be on the lower tier and the pump would be used to move the mash runnings over. In fact, this tier can be as low as you want since a pump allows you to push wort UP to the opening of your fermenters.
 
I think gravity would be easier than pumps. We also have to consider cleanup of the hoses, valves, etc..

If I was doing what you say, I would construct two separate platforms on rails that would hold the HLT and MLT. Above the platforms would be a pulley connected to a boat winch that I could use to lift the two independently. You might also want to put pins in the rails to hold them in the up position.

Of course, this is probably way more expensive than a pump or two, but still sounds good.
 
This is where I got the idea. You foot-pump to go up, and hand-crank to go down. Obvisouly, pump jacks wouldn't work and are very expensive, but it gets the idea across.
PumpJack-main_image.jpg
 
I think gravity would be easier than pumps. We also have to consider cleanup of the hoses, valves, etc..

If I was doing what you say, I would construct two separate platforms on rails that would hold the HLT and MLT. Above the platforms would be a pulley connected to a boat winch that I could use to lift the two independently. You might also want to put pins in the rails to hold them in the up position.

Of course, this is probably way more expensive than a pump or two, but still sounds good.

No offense intended but pumping isn't hard at all and there's really no extra cleanup. I attach a garden hose disconnect to one end of the system and blow it out for a minute.
 
No offense intended but pumping isn't hard at all and there's really no extra cleanup. I attach a garden hose disconnect to one end of the system and blow it out for a minute.

None taken at all. I suppose it just 'seems' difficult. The way you describe it does make it sound easy.
 
Brewzilla, van alles over (zelf) bierbrouwen

#121 seems to be kinda what you are talking about. Right?

-OCD

Hmm... electric elevators with lots of bling. (Why did I just use that word? I hate that word!)

That was a bit more than what I was thinking. I could probably buy 40 pumps for what that system costs.:cross:

At the same time, I'm not thinking about this to save money on pumps. I just thought it was an interesting alternative. I like the relative simplicity of a gravity system. And I mean that in more of a philosophical sense. I know pumps aren't complex.
 
You could do something like what bernie did. He used a hand crank and a sliding rail (or something) and it looks pretty slick.

If you go with a two tier, I would suggest putting the MLT up ont he second level. I have a two tier now, and when fly sparging, it is much nicer in a pyramid arrangement. That way, the flow out of your MLT is constant (b/c the level stays the same) and your flow out of the HLT (below) is the same (b/c it is driven by the pump). It works out really nice this way.

I would just go with two pumps if I were you. That is where I am headed. The pumps are easy to use and make the brew day more enjoyable IMHO.
 
[stupidhalfdrukrespose]
What about a see-saw of some sort. Have two containers level and then see-saw them such that one is above the other?
[/stupidhalfdrukrespose]
 
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