Sawdustguy
Well-Known Member
I know I am asking for a lot but does anyone have a source for an inexpensive water meter that is resetable so I can meter the water from my HLT going into the MLT.
Resetable Water Meter Source?
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I'd think a sight glass installed in the HLT would be cheaper no?
I went the route of the water meter. Mine is not resettable and was pricey at 100 bucks. I did not want to go with a sight glass and I am very happy with how this works. The one I have is a high temperature model that is good for 190+ liquid. Not being resettable is not the end of the world. I just do some simple math for my water additions. I would have to look for the company name once I get home if you are interested. I know a piece at that price is not for everyone.
Mike
I'd like to better understand how a $100 unit that still requires deductive arithmetic was a better solution than a visual sight glass for 1/4 of the price? There had to be some kind of reason but it's just not apparent.
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Bling Factor is my guess.
Because I do not like sight glasses plain and simple. I want to go with a meter and that is what I did.
It is not very shinny so it was not for bling factor.
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Sawdustguy
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I have a sight glass on the keggle already. I just have $150 in my pocket from selling something on Ebay (non brewing item) and looking to spend it before my wife gets a hold of it.
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Sawdustguy
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I have seen alot of water meters that would do the trick but very few are rated at sparging temperatures.
wildwest450
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Welcome to brewing done as hard as possible. Most of those meters aren't super accurate. What type of system do you use? Why not pre measure out your strike and sparge water. Then just heat and transfer.
I wasn't calling you an a$$hole for choosing a meter but I was genuinely curious why it was a better solution for you. What does a sight glass NOT do for you? Maybe I want a meter.
Sorry, did not try to come across that way just one of those days.
I had a sight glass on my 5g system. I never got comfortable with it, always would second guess the measurement. Part of it may have been that the sight glass was calibrated with tap water and was not calibrated for the expansion of sparge water. With the meter I do not have to worry about the dead space below the sight glass and I also do not have to worry about breaking the glass off and having a flood. This method is not for everyone and is more expensive than other alternatives.
Very similar to what I was thinking. Man...you guys like to brew the hard way!
Not sure how it is the hard way? I just turn the pump on when the meter is at the correct value I shut the pump off. I have tested the meter with a graduated 5g bucket and have always been spot on. In the past I would fill the graduated 5g bucket and dump it into the MLT. This has eliminated some lifting.
camiller
Well-Known Member
What would be really cool is if it were electronic and something like the brewtroller could use it to measure liquid amounts.
Different strokes and all that. Accurate volume measurements have never posed a problem for me when brewing. I don't like, want or need a sight glass on any of my kettles either. Just seems to me a lot of cost and hassle for very little to gain if any. I'm not anti-meter or anti-sight glass, it's just that they don't fit my needs. Obviously others see the value in using a meter, so you are not alone. I must admit that it would be some cool bling to have load cells mounted under each kettle to provide continuous digital volume readouts. Sooner or later someone is bound to give that a try!
Sight glasses are dirt cheap compared to most brew-stuffs. I mean, yes, bias, full disclosure that I sell what I'd consider a pretty expensive sight glass but it's all stainless and a whopping $25. If you're moving liquid with a pump between HLT and MLT, it's the most cost effective way to gauge the volume of water movement. It sure beats draining into a measuring bucket and dumping it into the next vessel. Whether I sold them or not, I wouldn't brew on a 10 gallon system without a sight glass in my HLT minimum.
This is my next project....a brutus 10 like stand that is automated with HERMS. Meter choice unless I find something better is going to be a W.E. Anderson, SFI-800-1/2-A711 meter.
http://megadepot.com/product/w-e-an...one-1-2-2-20-gpm-5-vdc-8-28-vdc#specification
