Help me eliminate some valves...

[BigHefty]

Below is a schematic I put together showing the plumbing and valves for my system. Not sure I'm going to go this route and I'm looking for input. This basically automates all of the fluid movement from heating the water to filling the fermenter. I've looked at this for hours upon hours trying to figure out a more efficient way to do this and to eliminate some of the mechanical ball valves (12 seems like an awful lot).

All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!!

 

[muhteeus]

Have you considered CIP?

 

[BigHefty]

Actually, I hadn't considered CIP all that much. I have a bunch of silicone hoses with cam locks and figured I'd just wash individually. However, you've now got me thinking about hard piping this system and utilizing CIP. Thanks!

BTW, I checked out your build.... very nice!!

 

[muhteeus]

Actually, I hadn't considered CIP all that much. I have a bunch of silicone hoses with cam locks and figured I'd just wash individually. However, you've now got me thinking about hard piping this system and utilizing CIP. Thanks!

BTW, I checked out your build.... very nice!!

The people that made me reconsider are to thank. I am taking the hose route as well, but I will act as the valvekeeper!

Thank you! I have panels in my garage, but no vessels! Hopefully I get to plumbing in the next 2 years!

 

[BigHefty]

Yeah, the more I think about it, I'm probably not going to go the valve route. Just can't see myself putting that much into the system and hard piping it makes it more or less permanent where it sits. Although, I suppose I could put triclamps on them. Sigh... Been waiting to get this system going for far too long. Got the BCS-462 ordered today. I'm gonna aim for an inaugural brew on May 2nd, National Homebrew Day!!!

 

[crane]

I would eliminate valve 11 and the light blue line to the fermentor. You need this part of the system to be sanitized. In my system I run hot wort through the chiller and back to the BK for a couple of minutes to sanitize everything. Then I turn on the water and adjust flow rates to get the output of the chiller to 65F or as low as the ground water is. Then I pinch off the return hose to the BK and close the BK return valve (move valve 12 to the BK return inlet). I then disconnect that hose and place it in the opening of my fermentor. That way the everything is sanitized with the hot wort.

This way you can eliminate valve 9 by moving valve 12 right to the BK return inlet, and you don't have to worry about sanitizing valve 11. If you are using silicon hose you can just fold it over on itself to temporarily stop the flow while you move it to the BK assuming you are using quick disconnects.

 

[BigHefty]

Crane,

Thanks for pointing out that I have one area that's not getting sanitized. I can't believe I missed that!! More and more this is pushing me to just do this manually.

 

[EMPyre]

I've done it with 10, hard plumbed in stainless. Even tied into the house hot water, so 11 if you count the hot water hose bib, but I'm not hauling buckets of water anymore. Also I include the drain line you have that doubles for the fermenter fill/CIP drain. Just run some StarSan through the CFC from the BK while you mash, pump it out to the fermenter to sanitize it. Catch the last little bit in a bucket before the cooled wort hits the fermenter.