Urgent Help Needed - Siphoning

[chaitobar]

So I have a 22 gallon SS pot and a 55 gallon HDPE Barrel mash tun that I am getting ready to use soon. Im having trouble figuring out whether or not i will be able to feasibly transfer my mashed wort from my mash tun to my kettle.
So I know that I will be able to easily transfer my mash and sparge water from my kettle to mash tun. However I am not sure I will be able to transfer my wort to my kettle. Once filled my mash tun will be stationary weighing in at around 200 pounds and it will be on my porch 23 inches above ground, my brew kettle will be off the porch on the ground on top of my burner which is 15" in height. Both my mash tun and my kettle have ball valves and fittings for hose. So I figure that I will run my hose from one spigot to the other, the drop for the hose from the spigot on the tun to the spigot on the kettle will be 8". The problem arises when The wort in the brew kettle breaches the spigot on my mash tun, will my flow stop? Or does flow continue regardless of that as long as my hose at the kettle remains below the hose at the mash tun. I made a diagram to make this easier to imagine.

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

Logistics my friends. i've done this technique before and will work. Set up your equipment like you would on your brew day and fill your mash tun with water and hook it up to your kettle like you described and let her rip. If your mash tun empties with the water then it should empty with the wort. Just be mindful of a stuck sparge. Good luck.

 

[chaitobar]

Im only hesistant because I dont want to waste 20 gals of water

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

Sprinkle it on your lawn when your done.

 

[chaitobar]

I live in one of the rainiest places in the USA

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

You could also look into a March 809 pump, but it sounds like the gravity fed system will work.

 

[chaitobar]

I would love to get a march pump but im thrifty hence the HDPE mash tun

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

Oh well, just trust that God will make it work!

 

[CidCitrus]

just don't shower for a few days and try it with water

 

[phenry]

Sounds like cinder blocks or something else sturdy and stackable will be your friend in this endeavor.

 

[Nashbrewer]

If you have so much rain. Put the HDPE outside and gather 20 gallons of rain water.

 

[bellyboy2]

If I try to remember back to Physics class, the flow will stop when the water levels in each container are the same. So if your kettle level rises to the level of the mash tun before it is empty then the flow would stop.

 

[astropunk]

^ Yes, the liquid will continue to flow until they both reach equal height from the ground

 

[chaitobar]

so I figure that by the time the flow stops I will have drained enough liquid to be able to lift the mash tun up to set it on blocks or crates. with two men it shouldn't be too difficult. One way or another it shall be done.

 

[djfriesen]

With some mash volume numbers and dimensions of your pot and mash tun, we could do a quick-and-dirty calculation. As stated above, the flow will equalize at the same height above the ground. If we know the mash volume, we can figure out how high in the pot that will fill. If it is past the spigot, then we have to compare the amount of drop in the mash tun as compared to how high the level in the pot has raised. Sounds like a fun little math problem anyway. If you post numbers, maybe some folks can take a crack at it. I know I will.