How to whirlpool with fitting, but no dedicated port?

So I picked up the whirlpool fitting from Bargain Fittings and I think it's great. I needed a dip tube anyway and I want to whirlpool so I think it's a great idea. At this time however, I only have my main ball valve installed. I would love to whirlpool with this fitting by feeding my March pump by hanging a tube over the side of the kettle and pushing back through the fitting, but can't see how I would start up the pump with prime. Anyone know how this is done?

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Maybe I'm not totally understanding what you are trying to do but.....

If you have a valve installed at the bottom of your brew pot, it would gravity feed into your pump. Take the output from the pump and have it going back into your brew pot. You could try and clamp it onto the lip of your pot.

mmonacel said:

So I picked up the whirlpool fitting from Bargain Fittings and I think it's great. I needed a dip tube anyway and I want to whirlpool so I think it's a great idea. At this time however, I only have my main ball valve installed. I would love to whirlpool with this fitting by feeding my March pump by hanging a tube over the side of the kettle and pushing back through the fitting, but can't see how I would start up the pump with prime. Anyone know how this is done?

Click to expand...

So you want to siphon out of the top of your kettle with a transfer tube, and recirculate back into the kettle through your single valve? It might be possible. You'd need to use a funnel or something to fill the transfer tubing with wort to get it primed. Moving the end of the tube down into the kettle without introducing an air bubble large enough to lose prime might be difficult. My LG pump has no trouble pulling large air bubbles through, but I know march 809's are much more sucseptible to losing prime. Would certainly be easier to just install another valve in the kettle though. If you add a port for whirlpooling, I'd suggest making it a little higher up than the drain valve you have now.

Wouldn't reversing the direction of the whirlpool defeat one of the main reasons for whirlpooling to start with? If you go from the bottom up, it seems like you wouldn't have the same settling action as if you fed in from the top of the kettle.

Not bashing your idea, just thinking that you wouldn't get as good of a result.

Here's what I use.. works great! This one is long for using with Keggles, they have a shorter version for smaller kettles..

http://morebeer.com/view_product/9147//Wort_Chiller_Recirculation_Arm_-_Option_Two

TRainH2o said:

Wouldn't reversing the direction of the whirlpool defeat one of the main reasons for whirlpooling to start with? If you go from the bottom up, it seems like you wouldn't have the same settling action as if you fed in from the top of the kettle.

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I'm not sure if it matters where it the whirlpool originates (maybe it does though...). In some initial tests (pumping hose water in) it created a great whirlpool flow and some debris that was in the pot seemed to come right to the center. To be determined though in a real test. The site however seems to indicate that a bottom placement is proper so I'm guessing I'll probably be fine.

JuanMoore said:

So you want to siphon out of the top of your kettle with a transfer tube, and recirculate back into the kettle through your single valve?

Click to expand...

You got it

JuanMoore said:

You'd need to use a funnel or something to fill the transfer tubing with wort to get it primed. Moving the end of the tube down into the kettle without introducing an air bubble large enough to lose prime might be difficult.

Click to expand...

Yeah - that's my thoughts as well. I was hoping there was a sure-fire method people tend to use for this.

JuanMoore said:

Would certainly be easier to just install another valve in the kettle though. If you add a port for whirlpooling, I'd suggest making it a little higher up than the drain valve you have now.

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Yeah - I was hoping to save some $ if another weldless valve wasn't necessary. I'm all for buying equipment, especially if it makes sense and makes my life easier, but I also don't want to waste money either.

Time to start playing around and see what I can make happen. I'll update here if I get success!

Thanks for the tips / help!

jakecpunut said:

Here's what I use.. works great! This one is long for using with Keggles, they have a shorter version for smaller kettles..

http://morebeer.com/view_product/9147//Wort_Chiller_Recirculation_Arm_-_Option_Two

Click to expand...

Yep - I actually built my own out of some soft copper. My concern here is that it will certainly chill faster with my IC, but I think my IC will get in the way of a good cone in the bottom. I could use it alone (which is what I think you might be suggesting). Maybe just clamp it to the side of the kettle. Should fit the bill. Nice call.

if you have a bottom valve and pump you need to exit the vessel via the bottom into the pump and back into the vessel via your whirlpool arm.

it really is that simple.

now that fitting you bought is meant to be a pick up tube is installed at the bottom, or a whirlpool arm if installed half way or at the top of the vessel.


-=Jason=-

Flomaster said:

if you have a bottom valve and pump you need to exit the vessel via the bottom into the pump and back into the vessel via your whirlpool arm.

it really is that simple.

now that fitting you bought is meant to be a pick up tube is installed at the bottom, or a whirlpool arm if installed half way or at the top of the vessel.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification. Sounds like the best set up is to use as a pickup tube for now and use the copper whirlpool arm for re-entry. Works for me. I think I'm going to un-connect it from my IC, and clamp it to the side of my kettle. Use the IC while whirlpooling to cool to pitching temps and then take out the IC and continue to whirlpool to get the best cone / settling that I can.

Thanks all!

I would be using both a pick-up tube fitted into the very edge of the kettle bottom and install another weldless fitting for the whirlpool. I added the whirlpool fitting and love having it for the pump. Works great with my CFC too.

Not sure if it applies to your situaton but this is what I built: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/removable-whirlpool-fitting-262340/

John

mmonacel said:

Thanks for the clarification. Sounds like the best set up is to use as a pickup tube for now and use the copper whirlpool arm for re-entry. Works for me. I think I'm going to un-connect it from my IC, and clamp it to the side of my kettle. Use the IC while whirlpooling to cool to pitching temps and then take out the IC and continue to whirlpool to get the best cone / settling that I can.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do. Works well enough that I never bothered to install a dedicated whirlpool fitting. Plus, when the wort is chilled and the cone has settled, you just move the copper arm over to the fermenter and fill.

RobbyBeers said:

This is exactly what I do. Works well enough that I never bothered to install a dedicated whirlpool fitting. Plus, when the wort is chilled and the cone has settled, you just move the copper arm over to the fermenter and fill.

Click to expand...

So what do you do to attach the whirlpool arm to the side of the kettle? I unattached it from my IC so I can pull out the IC and keep circulating, but it was difficult to balance / keep the tubing upright against the side of the kettle. Any tricks here? I tried a large binder clip but that didnt work out so well.

mmonacel said:

So what do you do to attach the whirlpool arm to the side of the kettle? I unattached it from my IC so I can pull out the IC and keep circulating, but it was difficult to balance / keep the tubing upright against the side of the kettle. Any tricks here? I tried a large binder clip but that didnt work out so well.

Click to expand...

I had the same problem. I couldn't find a way to clamp it down firm. Eventually, I just used an S-hook and a worm clamp.

Shown below are my whirlpool arm and my hop bag hanging from the hooks. If you're using a keg, it should already have some small holes in the top rim that are perfect for the hooks.

I think I figured it out. I'll look to give this a whirl this weekend. If you can't make it out, it's two binder clips one large and one small. I removed the large silver handles easily by squeezing them. I then opened them up a bit and slid them over the tubing and then reattached them. They're very snug, but still able to be moved up and down the tubing to be adjusted. I then had the small clip and the big clip "kiss" and then attach to the lip of the pot. It's pretty solid and I think is going to do the trick.