i added a Whirlpool tube to my keggle

I bought this whirlpool fitting from Bargain Fittings. just did a dry run, and it seems to create a pretty good whirlpool. we will see on my next brewday

btw- I know my Keggle needs a good polish. thats a future project

I'd say the inside needs a bit of a cleaning too. I hope that isn't the color of your 'clean water'

I recently got that fitting as well, but still need to get a pump to make any use of it. Cool to see what it should turn out like, and looking forward to hearing your impressions of it from a brewday.

Looking good. You might want to play around with the angle a little. I've found that I get a better whirlpool by pointing up slightly.

bitmask said:

I'd say the inside needs a bit of a cleaning too. I hope that isn't the color of your 'clean water'

Click to expand...

No. that is just heat discoloration from the flame on the underside of the keggle

Curious to see how the whirlpool runs for you TC.
I see what looks to be a return fitting in the top of the kettle? How is this used and the copper pickup tube that rests on the bottom of the kettle are there any issues with it clogging after the boil?

Cheers;
BeerCanuck

BeerCanuck said:

Curious to see how the whirlpool runs for you TC.
I see what looks to be a return fitting in the top of the kettle? How is this used and the copper pickup tube that rests on the bottom of the kettle are there any issues with it clogging after the boil?

Cheers;
BeerCanuck

Click to expand...

The return fitting is used to as an 'inlet' where i pump the wort from the mash tun, to the keggle to start the boil.

The copper ring works quite well, no clogging. it is slotted on the bottom like a copper mash tun manifold. I had not seen anyone with something like this so i thought I would give it a try. only drawback is it's 1/2" tubeing, which is smaller Dia than 1/2" pipe, so drain volume is slower. I'm actually working on one right now made from 3/4" copper. it's more difficult to work with though, more prone to kinking.

What's nice about this hobby, is you can find more ways to innovate

So the whirlpool tube is return or is it an alternate spigot for the boil or something?

Thundercougarfalconbird said:

So the whirlpool tube is return or is it an alternate spigot for the boil or something?

Click to expand...

Its a return. At flameout, you pump from the main spigot to the whirlpool return, spinning the wort, which allows all the debris in the keggle to settle into the center forming a cone. This helps beer clarity by leaving as much trub in the keggle as possible

Gotcha, I've just been using my whirlpool tube on a 90 degree elbow on the main spigot with little success.(I don't have a pump yet though so it doesn't matter much. That makes a lot more sense =P
Is there a comparable manifold for sale commercially? How does that hold up to hop pellets?
You'll have to post pics of the cone one day. I feel like all that stuff poking out all over the place would effect the whirlpool.

I love the copper ring idea! I am looking to implement a whirlpool immersion chiller. Everything I read said to avoid the regular wire mesh filters because they will clog with the break material that is created while cooling. I'm assuming yours does not do that. Do you ever have issues with pieces of hops, from flowers or pellets clogging? How do you connect the copper to the spigot, anything special there?