All Grain System Paths.

I actually put this drawing together to make a parts list to buy. But I just added paths to it for your critique. Please feel free to comment on anything! I'm very new to AG.

Why they are two drains at HLT and BK, also there are two incomes for MLT?
I am building similar system but with one drain and one input per vessel.

The autosparge is redundant on a HERMS system. You want a continuous vorlauf, and simply throttle input rate to match output.

diS said:

Why they are two drains at HLT and BK, also there are two incomes for MLT?
I am building similar system but with one drain and one input per vessel.

Click to expand...

What looks like a second drain on the right side of the HLT is actually the whirlpool input to maintain even distribution of heat. The BK also has a whirlpool recirc input. The MLT has an autosparge input and a straight input (for strike). I didn't really want to mess with removing the valve of the autosparge for strike.

I put a bottom drain on the BK only for cleanup. Because I whirlpool I'll still be using the side drain with pickup tube.

luhrks said:

The autosparge is redundant on a HERMS system. You want a continuous vorlauf, and simply throttle input rate to match output.

Click to expand...

I had no idea. I watched my buddy brew with AutoSparge and it seemed a lot better than trying to match valve flows. Why is it redundant by the way?

I've seen plenty of systems use it with HERMS. Even John mentions it in this video:

Because with HERMS

1.you'll be running a thinner mash naturally to account for the excess volume of the hoses, etc. (1.5-1.75 for me)

2. The continuous exchange of fluid is how you regulate temp in the mash tun.

I run mine pumping in as fast as it drains out. If I need to throttle back, I have one valve that controls everything, and I get 90-95% efficiency consistently.

luhrks said:

Because with HERMS

1.you'll be running a thinner mash naturally to account for the excess volume of the hoses, etc. (1.5-1.75 for me)

2. The continuous exchange of fluid is how you regulate temp in the mash tun.

I run mine pumping in as fast as it drains out. If I need to throttle back, I have one valve that controls everything, and I get 90-95% efficiency consistently.

Click to expand...

But isn't the autosparge designed to automatically adjust the flow on sparge water to the grain bed depending on the flow of the sparge drain? The only heat variable I can see is sparge water sitting idle in the hose at the closed autosparge valve. I imagine this would be minimal as water level will almost always be demanding the sparge valve stay open to maintain level.

Another thing, I only plan on using the herms to maintain strike temps. Once sparge starts it will be the maintained temperature of my HLT strike water(recirculating whirlpool).

The auto sparge has zero to do with HERMS recirculation. During HERMS/Mash mode, you'd adjust the float so that it opens the valve wide the entire time. When it's time to sparge, you'd adjust it so that it let's water in to hold a 1-2" foundation above the grain as the mash wort is run off.

Autosparge is about matching input/output flow and maintaining good foundation water during the sparge. It doesn't care if you used HERMS or RIMS, or nothing at all during the mash step.

Again, you don't need the Autosparge.

With HERMS or RIMS you're doing a continuous 45-90 minute vorlauf/sparge. The bed's already as compacted as it's going to be, and the wort is already filtered/vorlaufed.

Sparging for me involves stopping the pump, switching MT output to BK, and the HERMS input to the output of the MLT. I flush the pump, coil, and hoses with clean hot water into the MT and let the fluid rise about 2" before I open the output to the BK full bore.

I shut all valves down when I get my boil volume, and dump the rest.

Total sparge time about 10minutes, typical efficiency 90+ %

I guess I'm suspicious of a 90% efficient 10 minute fly sparge and that's all I'll say about that.

So any other comment/concerns on my plans?

By the way Bobby, I'm the guy who just ordered 2 more sight valves from you. Got the first one a few days ago and it was so much better than my other one I instantly ordered 2 more.