Single tier brew system how many pumps?

I am currently in the process of building my single tier brew system. I have a question about the pumps though. Today I just ordered one march pump. Is this enough for the sytem?

What Im thinking of doing as suggested by some on here is to use quick disconnects on all my connection points. This should let me use the same pump for everything as long as I move around my plumbing tubes depending on what step of the process im in.

Can this be done with one pump and am I missing anything?

Here is a quick drawing of my idea.

Your sparge drawings are showing a MLT recirculation (to avoid scorching, I guess). First and second sparge should have HLT into the pump and MLT out. I assume this is for batch sparging?

If you only want to use one pump, consider elevating the HLT. With a good sight glass, fill valve, and thermometer built it's no biggie having the HLT raised. That was my solution, anyway.

If you are batch sparging, then you can use ONE pump on a single tier. Since you are not flowing from the HLT and the MLT at the same time... you can use the pump to transfer sparge water to the MLT, then use it to lauter and send wort from the MLT to the BK...

One pump is easy with a single tier with batch sparge, get a few QDs and you are all set.

I was just thinking the same thing, Pol. Great minds and all that...

If you're fly sparging, you definitely need two pumps on a single-tier: one to push the sparge liquor from HLT to mash tun, one to pull the sweet wort from mash tun to kettle.

I'd advise two pumps, anyway; you can have one running the vorlauf while the other recirculates the sparge liquor, f'rinstance (you mean you're not recirculating your liquor? Shame!). You can have one forcing ice water through a secondary chiller while the other whirlpools the bitter wort after the boil.

Two pumps really opens up a crapton of options!

Bob

Best pump(s) to use/buy? Recommendation?

March 809HS pumps are the ones most often used. You can buy much more expensive pumps, but for their price the March pumps are the best. I've tried 2 other pumps and if I had to do it over I'd get the March.

I have a single tier and use 1 pump and it works great. I don't have any need for a second pump, just something else to clean at the end of the day.

conpewter said:

March 809HS pumps are the ones most often used. You can buy much more expensive pumps, but for their price the March pumps are the best. I've tried 2 other pumps and if I had to do it over I'd get the March.

I have a single tier and use 1 pump and it works great. I don't have any need for a second pump, just something else to clean at the end of the day.

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Thank you Conpewter, good info.

If you don't mind being limited to batch sparging, than 1 pump will work killer. I would pose the question… why single tier if you want to limit yourself?. Raise the HLT and gravity feed the liquor into the system, your options are limitless. Orfy started a thread on my system some time ago https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/jaybird-brewery-38923/ I like to use gravity where I can. I use 1 pump and still can "batch" or "fly" sparge. I can also have 2 batches going at the same time, to speed up those long 24 gallon brew days. Just a thought. Why limit yourself when brewing is such a limitless hobby.

I agree there are advantages to going 2 tier with the HLT higher. I like my single teir because I can still look in to and clean the HLT when it needs it. It obviously does not get too dirty but I wipe it out before each brew, I get some salt deposits in it from my hard water.

For my single tier build with quick disconnects, I used two pumps.

As has been mentioned, this is needed if you fly sparge.

It also lets me do a couple of things at once.

I can recirculate the hot liquor while heating to eliminate stratification in the HLT.

At the same time I can sanitize the heat exchanger and fermenter.

A second pump will add to the cost but it will also save a bit of time and allow you more versatility.

Ok so after reading this posting I may just raise my HTL up and let gravity do its thing. Im planning on using an EHLT anyways so Ill just need to build that part of the stand a little higher no propane burners or plumbing to worry about.

So now if I use gravity to fill my MLT how would I go about fly sparging using the single pump?

xxdcmast said:

Ok so after reading this posting I may just raise my HTL up and let gravity do its thing. Im planning on using an EHLT anyways so Ill just need to build that part of the stand a little higher no propane burners or plumbing to worry about.

So now if I use gravity to fill my MLT how would I go about fly sparging using the single pump?

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Since you are using gravity to sparge in the MLT, the pump is available for transferring to the BK.

xxdcmast said:

Ok so after reading this posting I may just raise my HTL up and let gravity do its thing. Im planning on using an EHLT anyways so Ill just need to build that part of the stand a little higher no propane burners or plumbing to worry about.

So now if I use gravity to fill my MLT how would I go about fly sparging using the single pump?

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Good call on the EHLT, I just love mine! Fast and easy to maintain temps, great idea. As for the latter, you can use a grant, like I do so you can judge and calculate the sparge time or just go direct from the MLT to the BK through a ball valve. flow is simple EHLT gravity to the MLT and pump or gravity feed into a grant and pump from there.
Cheers
Jay

So how do you pump wort from the MLT to the BK? if it's your last runnings from the MLT to the BK how do you know when the wort level in the MLT is close to the bottom so you can turn off your pump? i think you would either let it run until air got in and then you've possibly ruined your pump....or you would just stop pumping prematurely leaving behind some wort.

...i would like to do the single tier system, but i'm worried that i have to raise the MLT above the BK to avoid this problem. help?

sccrgolee said:

So how do you pump wort from the MLT to the BK? if it's your last runnings from the MLT to the BK how do you know when the wort level in the MLT is close to the bottom so you can turn off your pump? i think you would either let it run until air got in and then you've possibly ruined your pump....or you would just stop pumping prematurely leaving behind some wort.

...i would like to do the single tier system, but i'm worried that i have to raise the MLT above the BK to avoid this problem. help?

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Running the pump until it starts sucking air isn't going to ruin the mag drive pumps commonly used for brewing. The LG pump I use can supposedly be run completely dry for 8 hours without damage.

where did you get your LG pump? do you have a website? i read that the march pumps are not self priming. doesn't that mean that if i let air run through it, it would ruin it eventually?

After seeing your diagram, I have two comments: 1.You will probably need two pumps for a single tier unless you want to batch sparge. 2. Have you thought about building a manifold for your pump? You could have multiple inputs and outputs to the pump, depending on what you are doing, and instead of clamping and unclamping, you would just have to open one valve while closing another to get the wort moving how you want it. If I'm not mistaken, 1/2" valves and copper pipe are way cheaper than cam-lock or triclover clamps.

sccrgolee said:

where did you get your LG pump? do you have a website? i read that the march pumps are not self priming. doesn't that mean that if i let air run through it, it would ruin it eventually?

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I got my pump on craigslist cheap. It's a Little Giant model 3-MDQX-SC. I wouldn't let any pump run dry for any extended period, but a few seconds of running dry shouldn't hurt anything on a mag drive pump. The rep for march pumps posts here (username WalterAtMarchPump) and if you're worried about this issue with a march pump I'm sure he'd be happy to discuss it with you if you message him.

thanks for the help! i appreciate it!