Flowmeters

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korndog

korndog

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Hi guys
Having had my first stuck recirculation in my mash tun, I am extremely concerned about flow monitoring using direct fire. I have read a few posts about some simple meters from Dwyer. What would be a decent "bolt-on" solution just to make sure I am recirculating?

Thanks
KD
 
The 150 deg F. rating is at 100 psi, have used them up to boiling water temp at 1 - 2 psi with no problems for quite a few batches on the old system (~4 years). Only down side to these flowmeters is the 1/8" female pipe connections, you need to use 1/8" pipe nipples and adapter fittings to get to 1/2" tubing, or use a Swagelok SS-810-1-2 tube fitting.
 
kladue said:
The 150 deg F. rating is at 100 psi, have used them up to boiling water temp at 1 - 2 psi with no problems for quite a few batches on the old system (~4 years). Only down side to these flowmeters is the 1/8" female pipe connections, you need to use 1/8" pipe nipples and adapter fittings to get to 1/2" tubing, or use a Swagelok SS-810-1-2 tube fitting.
Click to expand...

I assume that the temperature dissipates rapidly through 1/8" pipe.

So you tee off the pump outlet; where does the discharge go?

Thanks
KD
 
I actually made one a few years ago out of pvc pipe fittings. It would be a lil harder with a small 3/4th inch cpvc pipe but I guess do able.
 
korndog said:
Dang; thirty bucks? That looks like a steel. Wonder if I can make it work? I like the alarm feature, but I wish it sounded when flow stopped.
Click to expand...

Only drawback that I can find is that it is that it does not have an internal battery, its meant to run off of the PC power supply. If I remember correctly you have a herms. so the power should be able to be drawn from your control box.

If the flow stops the the temp would change fairly quickly. set the temp alarm right below your sparge temp.
 
The flow and temperature device looks like a visual flow inidcator without a read out, and has a temperature display. If all you need to do is verify flow you cant beat the price, if you want to set and monitor flows then the dwyer is the device needed. The dwyer flow meters need to be in a vertical position to work correctly, better if they were frame mounted and flex hosed to the kettles.
 
kladue said:
The flow and temperature device looks like a visual flow inidcator without a read out, and has a temperature display. If all you need to do is verify flow you cant beat the price, if you want to set and monitor flows then the dwyer is the device needed. The dwyer flow meters need to be in a vertical position to work correctly, better if they were frame mounted and flex hosed to the kettles.
Click to expand...

Ideally, I would like a flow indicator with an alarm if there is such a thing, but weighing price and other factors, I think a simple paddle indicator will suit my needs. I am mainly concerned with my burner firing or not firing because of a stuck mash or pump cavitation.

Thank you for all of your help.
 
beerthirty said:
Only drawback that I can find is that it is that it does not have an internal battery, its meant to run off of the PC power supply. If I remember correctly you have a herms. so the power should be able to be drawn from your control box.

If the flow stops the the temp would change fairly quickly. set the temp alarm right below your sparge temp.
Click to expand...

Good points. I think I might just get one at that price and see if it will work.
 
If Your a DIY kinda guy, you could hookup a IR photo-tansistor and an aurdino to build one.. Then you could add a thermo couple and burner controller...
 
I do not think there is any easy solution to a flowmeter for brewing. All the commercial flowmeters are very expensive. I would like a flowmeter on my mashtun for recirculation and for fly sparging but after looking for a solution for quite some time have given up on that and just use a graduated pitcher and measure 1 minute and read the quantity and adjust the outlet flow to get what I want.
 
The paddle wheel turned out to work ok, but is not ideal. You need to kick up the flow pretty high to get it going sometimes. I think I am going to go for the inline meters like Kladue's since I have the bug to start fly sparging. Does anyone have an installation diagram or some advise on how to hook these up?

thanks
KD
 
On the old system the 60GPH flow meter is connected to the mash side pump discharge and the 0-12GPH flowmeter is in the sparge flow to mash tun. Recirculation mode the pump valving is adjusted to hold 60 GPH (1 GPM), when sparging the wort flow is dropped to 12GPH and sparge water flow is matched to hold level in mash tun while sparge water holds out.
 
kladue said:
How expensive is too expensive?
Click to expand...

I would pay up to $60.00 but I would want a pyrex glass and stainless construction. No plastic. The scale could read pints per minute or liters per minute. 1 to 10 on the pints scale.
 
kladue said:
On the old system the 60GPH flow meter is connected to the mash side pump discharge and the 0-12GPH flowmeter is in the sparge flow to mash tun. Recirculation mode the pump valving is adjusted to hold 60 GPH (1 GPM), when sparging the wort flow is dropped to 12GPH and sparge water flow is matched to hold level in mash tun while sparge water holds out.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kladue.
 
I haven't picked one up yet, but here is the one I'm going to get when I do. It has two 1/2" NPT female threads and is rated from 1.5 to 12 GPM and a max temp of 212 degrees. Not bad for $48...

http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=3277902

3277900.jpg
 
What you need is a flowmeter not just a paddle type indicator if you want to know what the flow rate through the mash is. Flow rates above 1 gpm usally lead to compaction and flow problems, that is why I use a flow meter with max of 1 gpm. Sparge and runoff rates should be such that runoff and sparge times are at least 30 - 45 minutes for max efficiency. Coarsness of crush is a big factor to recirculation rates and efficiency, it is something that one has to work with to get a balance between flow and efficiency.
 
I've read the theories and agree how a high flow rate could lead to compaction in a lot of setups, but it has just never been a problem for me - and I've never really tried to balance flow. I set the valve to around 50% and average 80% efficiency - can't complain.

My only concern is to know the wort is flowing, but I honestly don't even need that as all I have to do is give the silicone hose on the pump output a quick pinch to tell... I guess it just seems cool to have an at a glance visual that all is well.
 
All the posts so far are flow indicators not flowmeters. A flow meter has a ball in a cone shaped interior at the fluid pushes the ball up the taper so it has more room to flow and the ball is sitting in this flow at the height that its weight can attain. There are graduations that have been calibrated along this taper showing the quantity per unit of time. This model has too big of flow. I need a meter that would show in pints/milliters per minute.

http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/large_image.asp?img=3246108.jpg
http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/Product_view.asp?sku=3246000&pfx=K&referred_id=2268
 
kladue said:
Are you looking for this kind of a setup, here is a link to a picture of the flowmeters on the old system. http://picasaweb.google.com/kevin.ladue/Flowmeters/photo#5237048447683664962
Click to expand...

I sure am. I wanted pyrex glass because I was afraid the heat would ruin the plastic. Are you using these plastic flowmeters for sparging flow? My flow needed is .933 quart per minute or 14 gallons an hour. In pints I would want to be able to flow from 1 pint per minute up to 25 pints min. If in Milliliters, from 500 ML to 10,000 ML. As long as the flowmeter covers this range it would fit my needs.
 
The flowmeters have not shown any signs of distress after 4 years, max temp on pump side was 175 deg on the pumped wort side, the boler side is cold water. Flow rate scale on the flowmeters are 60 gph on pumped wort circuit and 12 gph on boiler feed water circuit. Something to keep in mind is the pressure drop across the flowmeter, head pressure in a gravity system may not be enough to reach desired flow rate with out help from a pump. When the system is in sparge mode both flows are set to 11 gph and level stays fairly steady in the mash tun until sparge water runs out.
 
kladue said:
The flowmeters have not shown any signs of distress after 4 years, max temp on pump side was 175 deg on the pumped wort side, the boler side is cold water. Flow rate scale on the flowmeters are 60 gph on pumped wort circuit and 12 gph on boiler feed water circuit. Something to keep in mind is the pressure drop across the flowmeter, head pressure in a gravity system may not be enough to reach desired flow rate with out help from a pump. When the system is in sparge mode both flows are set to 11 gph and level stays fairly steady in the mash tun until sparge water runs out.
Click to expand...

I am using a pump anyway so flowmeters will work great. I think it will be a great tool for sparging rate although holding a graduated container for 1 minute under the outlet will give you a good idea of flow the flowmeter is much easier to use.
 

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