Pump & temp probe question

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I have a couple of questions regarding my electric setup. I have a HERMS coil, but I don't have the hardware to set it up yet. I want to do a run through without it. Can I put the probe for my HLT in a T pipe like shown below? The probe is longer, so it has to be inserted the way I'm showing it now. I figured as the water is coming out, the control panel can trigger the element to go on if the temp is too low. Is this doable?

Second, I have a center pump and I didn't realize the shelf on my table would be too close to the bottle of the table top. Can I re-orient the pump head so the out is horizontal like shown? Right now the pump is just turned on the side.

I hope that all makes sense.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1439940165.189002.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1439940176.394237.jpg
 
I would turn the pump 180 degrees the other way if possible. This should allow air bubbles to rise easier making for easier priming. Having the pump output vertical is optimal for this reason but it should still work fine.
 
Brad2287 said:
I would turn the pump 180 degrees the other way if possible. This should allow air bubbles to rise easier making for easier priming. Having the pump output vertical is optimal for this reason but it should still work fine.
Click to expand...

That is what I was asking. Can the pump work with the out sitting horizontally? I can come up with a way to keep it vertical, but a 180 turn would leave it horizontal still, no?
 
Hello said:
That is what I was asking. Can the pump work with the out sitting horizontally? I can come up with a way to keep it vertical, but a 180 turn would leave it horizontal still, no?
Click to expand...

Yes it will work but it will be more likely to cavitate and will be harder to prime. It will be worse when you are at or close to boiling temps.

Worst: Outlet pointing down
2nd worst: Outlet Pointing left
2nd Best: Outlet pointing right
Best: Outlet pointing up

If possible I would reconfigure to get the outlet pointing up. It might require buying a 90 degree elbow but it will make dealing with your pump easier in the long run. I have a picture attached of how I have mine. It is 9 inches from the base of the pump to the the handle of the valve which is the highest point. You could attach a 90 degree elbow directly off the outlet to make the pump very low profile.

20150819_055311.jpg
 
@Brad2287 I will likely keep it vertical and use an elbow. I'll still have to jimmy rig something, but it's not hard to do that.
 
Hello said:
I have a couple of questions regarding my electric setup. I have a HERMS coil, but I don't have the hardware to set it up yet. I want to do a run through without it. Can I put the probe for my HLT in a T pipe like shown below? The probe is longer, so it has to be inserted the way I'm showing it now. I figured as the water is coming out, the control panel can trigger the element to go on if the temp is too low. Is this doable?

Second, I have a center pump and I didn't realize the shelf on my table would be too close to the bottle of the table top. Can I re-orient the pump head so the out is horizontal like shown? Right now the pump is just turned on the side.

I hope that all makes sense.
View attachment 297388
View attachment 297389
Click to expand...

I have the same setup on my HLT with the valve, then T then the temp probe in one end (the temp probe on line is long as well) and cam lock on the other. The only difference is I have the cam lock at the bottom and the temp probe at the top, not side to side like yours for better draining.
 
Oh! That makes a lot of sense. I can easily turn it, then again, i'm using a pump, so it should suck it all up. :)
 
Hello said:
Oh! That makes a lot of sense. I can easily turn it, then again, i'm using a pump, so it should suck it all up. :)
Click to expand...

Not that water wouldn't come out the way you have it (all the pressure in the kettle from the water would push it out) but I think it makes a difference in priming and keeping it primed.
 
Not that it's at all necessary, but the way I'm going to plumb my outlets is to have a tee set up "the long way" in line with the valve so the probe is pointing toward the kettle, then on the side output of the tee I'm attaching a street-90 so the fluid outlet is in the same direction. Only because I like the look and I have the hardware.

I got the thought from Justin A's site www.onbrewing.com. You can see it in his "state of the brewery" post. I also decided on the external HEX instead of a hard-plumbed HERMS coil in the HLT based on his design.
 
^ that is basically what I ended up doing, sans elbow.

The longest side of the T is horizontal, but the foot of the T is downward with the quick disconnect, the probe points right into the kettle (or at the kettle) and the other side is obviously connected to the kettle. Worked very well yesterday. This is all temporary, I have a HERMS coil, but I need to buy the hardware. It adds up and I wanted to brew. Ergo, this temporary solution. I opened the valve and recirculated the strike water so the temp probe could register. the control panel needs the probe to be plugged in, so I had to use it.
 

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