Question about gravity tier systems with counterflow chillers

How do you separate the hot break from the wort in gravity tier systems?

I see two options:

1. Immediately whirlpool after flameout(hot side aeration?), wait a little then drain to chiller which goes to fermenter.

or

2. Or drain/cool it all and whirlpool afterwords before it goes into the fermenter.

The latter seems like a better choice but would require an additional tier between the kettle & fermenter. I plan on welding up something this holiday season and can't decide between a single tier w/ pump or a gravity tier. I like the simplicity and small footprint of a gravity system.

I set my 3 tier up so I could still run through my CFC with my boil keggle in place although it is just high enough to do this. I eventually put a small hand winch on with a couple pulleys so I can raise my boil keggle up about another 18" for some additional head height. Either way, no pump, gravity does the work.

Most CFC users don't filter the break before going to the fermenter because most people treat it as a one pass step.

If you've got a single tier with a pump, you can recirculate back into the BK until the entire volume is at pitching temps, whirlpool, and then transfer to fermenter.

I could do this now, but it's just an extra step that I don't really care about. Instead, I recirculate until the wort exiting the CFC with the pump at full throttle is 70º. At that point, I start the transfer to fermenter. Most of the break goes into the fermenter, but I don't think it's ever had any negative impact on the results.

I've done some more research and most people are saying either "I've heard too much break in the fermenter is bad so I seperate it" or "Can't tell the difference so it all goes in". I found this little experiment interesting. I'll probably go with a beer tree type setup using gravity.

If you aren't sold on the 3 tier, I'd have you really reconsider a single tier stand. I built both of the setups in this pic and I much prefer the single tier. It's so much nicer having everything nice and low. Notice the step stool required to stir the mash on the 3 tier and how high the HLT is. You can easily do everything you need without a step stool on the single tier.

Great pic. It really shows the difference between the systems. Your single tier is smaller than I had envisioned. The long&narrow profile would actually be better for my garage. How tall is it? Would you change the height if you were going to make another one?