2 tier or single tier stand

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Andysam

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Ok, I was set on building a 3 tier rig. However, now I am thinking about either a 2 tier or single tier. I would love to have one of these but the limiting factor is the pump. I can not spend $100+ on a pump that handles boiling wort. That being said, am I really going to pump boiling liquid? I use an immersion chiller, and would gravity feed to the fermenter anyways. So, I would just be pumping from the HLT to the Mash tank and from the Mash tank to the Boil Kettle. This liquid would be 180* tops. I think that there are pumps that can handle this temp way cheaper than $100 (someone please post if you know of one).

Is my thinking right? Or should I just go with the 3 tier? I was just thinking that the cost of all of the thick tubing for a 3 tier would make up for the pump.
 
3 tiers look nice, but they seem like a lot of work to me. I wouldn't want to deal with climbing up a ladder to do things. Also, cleaning would be a PITA.

I suppose if you did a decoction mash with a 1 or 2 tier system, you would have to pump boiling water, but it's not that often that you'll want to do one.
 
Also, cleaning would be a PITA.

Granted, using a ladder is a bit of a pain, but I dont think cleaning would be so hard...The top tier is the HLT, which is just water anyway. All you need to do is take the kettle down to clean whatever is needed. And if you mash in a cooler, removing that for cleaning is easy too.

Garvity is a nice, simple, and reliable to use. And if you are tall like me, you don't even need a ladder :D.
 
Call me a wussy, but I don't trust a pot of hot over my head.
I'll pay for a pump.
 
I just finished a 3 tier. I too didn't want to buy a pump. Before the build was finished I had bought 2 pumps and wish I had not built the 3 tier. I'm not sure why you would need a ladder for a 3 tier. I made a hook to hang my water supply to fill the HLT, MLT I can clean and stir w/o a ladder. I personnally would build a 2 tier and use one pump. I like the idea of drining into the BK. I also like the idea of using the pump to whirlpool. I like the way the Brew Magic is built, just a bit too high. I will be sending my 3 tier to the chop shop this spring to be a 2 tier for sure. Just my opinion. :D
 
I just finished a 3 tier. I too didn't want to buy a pump. Before the build was finished I had bought 2 pumps and wish I had not built the 3 tier. I'm not sure why you would need a ladder for a 3 tier. I made a hook to hang my water supply to fill the HLT, MLT I can clean and stir w/o a ladder. I personnally would build a 2 tier and use one pump. I like the idea of drining into the BK. I also like the idea of using the pump to whirlpool. I like the way the Brew Magic is built, just a bit too high. I will be sending my 3 tier to the chop shop this spring to be a 2 tier for sure. Just my opinion. :D

The reason I would need a ladder with a 3-tier is that...

1. I'm only 5'10".
2. I like my brew kettle to be high enough so I can drain into the fermenter without having to move it. This pushes everything else on the rig higher if you're wanting to use strictly gravity to move everything. Using sanke kegs, they're already fairly tall kettles. I'd have to get a ladder just to stir my Mash. Plus, I use store bought water instead of my local water, so I'd have to climb a ladder to dump it into my HLT.
 
All the more reason for a pump. :D I really wanted to use only gravity, but the advantages of a pump won out. You can find them cheap on Fleabay if you look long enough. I bout 2 pumps for $160 shipped.
 
No need to sell me on pumps. I've got two of them right now and continue to find new ways to use them in my homebrew setup. Well worth the money.
 
So, is there a pump that can handle 180* water/wort that is cheap?
 
So, is there a pump that can handle 180* water/wort that is cheap?

I bought this one off of ebay new for about 65 shipped. Its rated for 150F. However, if you read about the materials used, it should handle 200 plus without a problem. Mind you, I still haven't used it yet.
From another post:
The website list polypropylene as a max temp of 275F. The 2-MD is rated for 150 with the same material. It might also have to do with the PSI maybe? Im the type of person who is hands on. I need to see things work and what happens when things go wrong. I'll give the 2-MD some runs and if it $hits the bed...well Im out the money. But if it works. Heck, I win.


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I understand $100 is $100 and that means different things to different people, but a $100 pump for your stand that is versitile for whatever you need (like the march) isn't all that much compared to what you're going to spend on the rig as a whole. I say don't skimp, and spend the extra $$ and do it right. You won't regret it.

To answer the original question, if you're going to batch sparge, you'll be happy with a single tier stand and a single pump w/ quick disconnects - I love mine with that setup! If you want to fly sparge, and you don't want to buy a second pump, you've got to go with a 2 tier stand, though I think the stand built itself ends up being slightly more costly/complicated, though just slightly.
 
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