What is wrong with my MLT?

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Berlbrew

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So I did my third AG batch this week and encountered a problem I have been having each time. I'm using a FluyGuy round cooler MLT with a steel braid. When it comes time to collect the first runnings and I open the ball valve, vorlauf, then I have a solid flow for about 30 seconds. Then the wort slows down to the point where it stops flowing altogether. I can only get about half a gallon (at best) from the first runnings. I've tried stirring and jostling the steel braid and I just can't get it to flow well.

So basically I'll try to get what I can then before adding the sparge. Once I'm sparging I can keep a good flow, but I think that has to do with the increased pressure coming from the sparge water sitting on top of the grain. In the end I do get 6.5 gallons of wort but have been missing my post-boil OG by about .015. This week it was an amber with an expected OG of 1.061 and an actual OG of 1.044. I did mash 3-4 degrees too high but yesterday I measured 1.011 so I must have extacted enough fermentable sugars during the mash.

Is my low efficiency related to the fact that I can't collect my full first runnings? What should I do to try to improve the suction and flow of my MLT?
 
get a bazooka screen, OR add .25 pounds of rice hulls to your mash to increase the flow. it may also be your SS braid is collapsing, so you can cut a million holes in a rubber food grade tube and slide it in.
 
Sounds frustrating. When you first start your flow, are you doing it very slowly, so that it runs slowly for the first minute or two? This will help keep the flow going if the problem is that your grain bed is becoming too compacted, perhaps.
 
Rice hulls are a good idea. The braid isn't collapsing because I actually did the whole cut holes and re-insert the tubing thing when I built it.

When I first start the flow I just throw the ball valve open, kind of like a tap. You're saying I should start it slowly- I think that's a good idea, I'll have to try it next time around.

Also, what's a bazooka screen?
 
especially the first runnings should be slow. it should take at least5-10 minutes to drain the first runnings. even the vourlaf should be p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y slow. this will let the grain bed naturally settle and give you a good filter so the braid doesn't have to do all the work. it also lets all of the heavier, sugar laden wort drain out into the kettle.
 
Take the tube out from the inside of the braid. If it is a real genuine SS steel braid, IMHO you don't need the tube and it won't collapse.

IMHO the tubeinside the braid is an example of over tinkering and an attempted improvement that is only a hindrance!

If you really think you need something inside the braid, coil up a piece of copper wire on a pencil.
 
bazooka screen fits inside the cooler. i have one on my 10 gallon cooler and it works great! and i have the ss braid on my 5 gallon cooler tun aswell. check out northern brewer.com and look at the mash screen.
 
I used FlyGuy's instructions to put a ball valve on my 3G cooler to do partial mashes. I used it for the first time today and got my first stuck sparge too.

I started the tap slowly and got about 3,4 quarts before it stopped. I tried blowing into the tube, stirring up the grains and scraping the braid with my mash spoon. Nothing worked.

In the end I scooped out my grains and took the braid off the barb. At first I was going to cut more holes into the vinyl tube inside the braid but instead I just took it out and attached the braid using ss clamps. Then everything was just great. No flow problems.

Maybe i didn't cut enough holes into the tube, or maybe they weren't big enough but i think that the tube was restricting flow and causing the stuck sparge.

I agree with WilserBrewer, the tubing isn't necessary. FlyGuy only used it becasue his clamps weren't all stainless steel and they rusted after a few brews. As long as you can find all ss clamps the braid sufficient.
 
Take the tube out from the inside of the braid. If it is a real genuine SS steel braid, IMHO you don't need the tube and it won't collapse.

IMHO the tubeinside the braid is an example of over tinkering and an attempted improvement that is only a hindrance!

If you really think you need something inside the braid, coil up a piece of copper wire on a pencil.
You dont need anything inside the braid, the tubing is causing your problem, take it out, I mash 25# of grain all the time, and the braid has never collapsed, good luck.:mug:
 
I have a barb on the inside of my tun nad I cut a piece of tubing that just cleared the barb and slid the braid over the top of it. It locks on very well cause it turns into chinese finger handcuff and it holds very well no need for clamps or anything else to rust
 
Agreed, make sure you have a ss braid. I use the same exact system and have nothing in my braid and I run my first runnings and vorlauf at full bore and my sparge at full bore and I never had a problem yet. Infact, it clears up in about 2 quarts and then it is straight into the kettle, full bore. My last 3 eff, have been 76,75,77. So I am good with what I have dialed in.
 
It also sounds like the OP might be trying to fly sparge with a braid since he said "Once I'm sparging I can keep a good flow, but I think that has to do with the increased pressure coming from the sparge water sitting on top of the grain."

If you're batch sparging, there wouldn't be any water on "top" of the grain. If I'm correct, that would account for your low efficiency (maybe).
 
I have been using nylon zip ties to secure the braid w/ good success. Cheaper, easier, and fixes the braid securely. Those things are pretty tough!
Sorry but I feel I need to repeat...DON'T PUT A PIECE OF TUBING INSIDE THE BRAID! IT IS NOT NEEDED.

HPIM0607.jpg
 
Wow, okay that tubing is coming out ASAP!!! I do have tubing on the outside of the ball valve to create a siphon so it's not that.

I am not trying to fly sparge but because my first runnings aren't draining I end up sparging on top of the mash. I will take the tube out this weekend and try my porter. Hopefully everything will go smoothly! Thanks for all the help (HBT is the best).
 
I did my first all grain this weekend and had the exact same problem. Opened my valve got about 2 gallons and then as I was adding my sparge water it came to a complete stop. I had all this liquid at the top. I think the one of the posters called it by saying the braided tube probably collapsed. I needed up get a pasta strainer and draining my cooler that way.

I’m going to try and put a coil of some sort inside and see if that helps.
 
krc333...any chance your braid is plastic and not stainless??? Sounds to me like an imposter??? IME a stainless braid would not behave this way.
 
Not sure, I’m worthless when it comes to building things. The braid I bought had two connectors on the end for a faucet and a plastic tube inside. I cut the ends off and took the tube out, but I’m pretty sure it’s stainless.
 
Plastic braid....NO GOOD...the plastic is a coarse weave...the real stainless is a very fine mesh. A real stainless braid will have very sharp ends that can poke your fingers...a plastic braid will soften at mash temps and be worthless! Beware, Home Depot sells both, but you have to hunt a bit for the real Mcoy. I believe the stainless ones are labeled "flood Safe"

My latest braid installation I used a washing machine supply...the braid seems a bit heavier and larger.

PLASTIC
plasticbraid.jpg



STAINLESS
Stainless_steel_braid_hose_for_mixe.jpg
 
No question i have the plastic. thanks for the info i'll be switching that out this weekend. I'm starting to think i should have just got a strainer flipped it upside down and put that in the bottom of my cooler. At this point it would have been much easier, thanks again for the info.
 
To get back to that earlier question I'm using the mill at my LHBS which has an excellent crush so I really doubt that is contributing to my low efficiency. I am still perfecting the art of hitting my mash temps and have been missing by a few degrees... perhaps that would contribute to the efficiency. I will re-work my braid this weekend and test it with a SMaSH APA. Thanks for all the help!
 
I used ss wire and made a coil by wrapping it around a sharpie, this made my braid stronger although it's probably not necessary. Braided stainless is proven to work well so I'd figure it's your mash needing rice hulls (is there flaked stuff or wheat?) or too fast on the drainage.
-Ben
 
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