whirlpool port position

Right now I have a copper tube wand that I toss into my pot during whirlpool, but it flops around, so its not perfect. I want o add a port. Of some type. Is there a preferred level to put the port at? Towards the top of the liquid level, mid level, or bottom? I'm just curious if anyone has already experimented here to save me the time.

Bump. Bump. Bump. Shake. Kick. Bump.

Hello,

I advise they be put in the bottom 3rd of the smallest batch size you do. 2-3 inches above your drain will work.

Ok. Thanks. Just wanted to reassure myself before I poke holes.

I put mine at the top and use silicone tubing to whirlpool. It works like a charm.

Do you have a valve on the top or is it far enough up the pot not to leak out wort?

BargainFittings said:

Hello,

I advise they be put in the bottom 3rd of the smallest batch size you do. 2-3 inches above your drain will work.

Click to expand...

I have my copper return arm attached to the top of my immersion chiller (I used a couple strands of copper wire to fix the two together). I found it takes a little trial and error to find the angle that generates the best whirlpool...and the angle can make a huge difference.

Not from experience, but I heard concerns somewhere about the return port on the bottom as it relates to whirlpool chilling. Basically, if the return port is too close to the outlet port, you may recirculate the same wort and slow down chilling efficiency. Naturally, if you are not whirlpool chilling, this is def a non-issue.

I'm curious, whirlpooling is done to concentrate the hop and break matter into a cone on the bottom. How do you guys deal with the suspended hops while whirlpooling? Just pump everything through the chiller and all?

Or do you use Hop bags, Spider or a Hop basket? And then whirlpool out whatever filtrated into the wort?

IslandLizard said:

I'm curious, whirlpooling is done to concentrate the hop and break matter into a cone on the bottom. How do you guys deal with the suspended hops while whirlpooling? Just pump everything through the chiller and all?

Or do you use Hop bags, Spider or a Hop basket? And then whirlpool out whatever filtrated into the wort?

Click to expand...

I've started using a large bag for hops. It helps to keep the kettle a bit cleaner. After you whirlpool you can let it settle out for about ten or fifteen minutes so the rest of your hops and break drop out. Then you pump to your fermenter. Right now I have a copper cane that I've used to whirlpool, but it flops around and I can't use a lid on the kettle, so that's why I'm thinking of plumbing it into the side of the kettle.

I whirlpool chill with an immersion chiller in a keggle, 11g typical batch size. Input to pump is close to bottom while the output from pump is 1/4 from the top of my batch size. Both ports on the same side of my keggle with street elbows only - no internal extensions. No problems that I can tell.

Islandboy85 said:

Do you have a valve on the top or is it far enough up the pot not to leak out wort?

Click to expand...

I put a valve on it because my pot is right at 20 gallons and the port is up about where 17gallons fills, so if I ever made a large batch it would be over the port. I didn't plan to originally, but I wanted to be able to max the kettle out and do 15 gallon batches which easily requires more than 17 gallons of wort.

IslandLizard said:

I'm curious, whirlpooling is done to concentrate the hop and break matter into a cone on the bottom. How do you guys deal with the suspended hops while whirlpooling? Just pump everything through the chiller and all?

Or do you use Hop bags, Spider or a Hop basket? And then whirlpool out whatever filtrated into the wort?

Click to expand...

I have been using a hop spider because I use pellet hops. It seems to keep me from having any trouble with clogging.

Well I finally put it together. I ended up putting the valves port at about the 13-14 gallon point on the keg, and added a 1/2" copper tube with a 90 at the bottom. It reaches down to the bottom of the 1 gallon mark. I'm going to have to shorten it up though because I had the worst temp stratification ever.