So I have this unused thermometer port in my Morebeer 15 gallon brew kettle. I thought to myself, "Self, wouldn't it be neat to have a whirlpool port so you could recirc your wort to aid in chilling and settling of solids?"
First problem: the inside of the port is not threaded. So I thought I'd use a 1/2" NPT to 1/2" tube adapter and slide the tube all the way through. No-go: there's a shoulder in the way.
5 minutes with a Dremel tool fixed that right up. Here's how I'll be going through the wall of the pot:
Next I soldered that fitting on, plus a second one on the outside for my valve:
I then soldered together the whirlpool arm that will shoot out the wort into the bottom of the pot. I hacksawed a slot in the top fitting to allow it to be clamped in place, since I'll need to slide that on after the through-wall fitting is in place:
Then I just screwed everything together and fit the arm in place:
Hooked everything up and it was time for a test! I love these tri-clamp fittings - since they're not gendered I can just connect them wherever I please. I was one short so I just connected my racking tube to the 'out' port on the March pump.
I threw a handful of rice hulls in so you could see the whirlpool effect in the obligatory video. I think I may solder in a smaller "nozzle" on the whirlpool arm to trade some volume for velocity to get a stronger whirlpool.
[youtube]_J2zxwOfD8c[/youtube]
Now the question: It'd be nice if this setup helps make a nice hop cone so I can get away from hop bags - one fewer thing to clean is always welcome on brewday. Am I going to have issues with the pump picking up solid matter that are going to make me wish I stuck with paint strainers?
Thanks!
-Joe
Whirlpool port in my brew kettle and a March pump Q
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