Batch sparging with a pump on single tier stand.

Hi all. I know have a few threads going on brew setups, but this is a separate issue. So I am going to build a single tier stand in the next month. I will eventually go a HERMS/RIMS rig but in the meantime it will be a cooler mashtun which I use now and 2 keggles for BK and HLT as a standard batch sparge setup with the addition of a pump since gravity is no longer my friend.

I would like to use a single pump for the short term until I add HERMS/RIM and a 2nd pump. But on the single pump side, I have some questions regarding batch sparging.

So I assume I will heat my strike water and then pump it into my MT while stirring in my grain. Once MT is full, close lid and wait for my mash to be done.

Now how would I vorlauf? Use pump to pull some wort from ball valve at bottom and then back into the top of the MT?

Next I would connect pump output to BK and pump all wort out of MT into BK right? So no worry about sucking the wort through a pump and causing issues with grain bed compaction or anything? Thus far I have never had a stuck sparge with opening my ball valve full tilt.

Once this is done and I need to batch sparge now, I would reconnect pump to pull sparge water from HLT and push to MT and repeat as necessary. Am I missing anything here?

So simple, but I want to make sure I have the basics right here.

One more question, how fast does the march pump pull strike/sparge water into the MT? If I need say 4-5 gallons of strike water, how long will it take to pull this amount from the HLT?

Last question, does the temp of the strike water drop from flowing through the pump and tubing such that I need to plan on hotter strike water than I would if just dumping it from a pitcher as I do now?

Thanks for all the newbie help in the world of pumps and recirculation.

Gregg

ghart999 said:

Now how would I vorlauf? Use pump to pull some wort from ball valve at bottom and then back into the top of the MT?

Click to expand...

Yes. That is the R is RIMS and HERMS.

Next I would connect pump output to BK and pump all wort out of MT into BK right? So no worry about sucking the wort through a pump and causing issues with grain bed compaction or anything? Thus far I have never had a stuck sparge with opening my ball valve full tilt.

Click to expand...

Some people use a grant to hedge against this. I have never had a problem straight pumping.

Once this is done and I need to batch sparge now, I would reconnect pump to pull sparge water from HLT and push to MT and repeat as necessary. Am I missing anything here?

Click to expand...

No.

One more question, how fast does the march pump pull strike/sparge water into the MT? If I need say 4-5 gallons of strike water, how long will it take to pull this amount from the HLT?

Click to expand...

Depends on height, length of hose, size of hose, etc. About as fast as gravity would.

Last question, does the temp of the strike water drop from flowing through the pump and tubing such that I need to plan on hotter strike water than I would if just dumping it from a pitcher as I do now?

Click to expand...

Yes.

You certainly don't want to pump wort out of the MLT as fast as the March will pull it. I run it about about half volume. Once you start getting to the end of the runnings (say 1 gallon left) you may want to throttle it back to allow all the wort to get down under the false bottom before sucking air.

FWIW: since your batch sparging you could also use your grant to transfer from HLT to MT and leave the pump for MT recirculating and BK transfer.

It would save you from pump temp variables and multiple reconnecting (if your not fitted with quick disconnects).