Plumbing Help

[NoH20]

I'm trying to make my brew day a little easier. I have a single tier set up, herms coil in the HLT, and 2 pumps. I use my pumps as "water pump" and a "wort pump". While recirculating after mash in, the water pump is just circulating water in the HLT to keep temp consistent. Wort pump is recirculating through the HERMS coil. For sparging, water "out" from the water pump is replacing the wort in on the HERMS coil. That switch is a bit messy. The wort in (was connected to "in" on the HERMS coil) then moves over to "whirlpool in" on the boil kettle. I know I can go crazy with T's and valves, but looking to do that in steps maybe as my process evolves. I was thinking a T on the wort out side with 2-way ball valves (1 to HERMS, 1 to boil kettle), and maybe a 3way valve on the HERMS inlet so I can let either wort recirculation or sparge water in. Does this make sense? Attaching pic of current recirc setup.

Thanks!!

 

[314alias]

I would move the valve on the wort pump to your germs inlet and put a 3 way in its place. It will make your transition to boil kettle seamless. Then don’t disconnect and save losses for when you whirlpool and then when done whirlpooling use same 3 way to push to your plate chiller. I’m rocking a setup nearly the same as what you have here and just made that changeover. Yes ideally you would want another 3 way at the HERMS inlet. But that’s just more money.

 

[illin8]

I would move the valve on the wort pump to your germs inlet and put a 3 way in its place. It will make your transition to boil kettle seamless. Then don’t disconnect and save losses for when you whirlpool and then when done whirlpooling use same 3 way to push to your plate chiller. I’m rocking a setup nearly the same as what you have here and just made that changeover. Yes ideally you would want another 3 way at the HERMS inlet. But that’s just more money.

I had parts for it so I made my own 3way. Helps a lot when you don't have to actually remove hoses to switch.

 

[NoH20]

Thanks for the feedback!!

I think on the wort side I would need a 3 way both in and out. On the in side I would be able to switch from recirc to whirlpool. On the out side I would switch from herms to BK in for whirlpool. Not sure how I would switch to chiller without disconnecting hoses.

Todd