airlock question

Does anyone else have problems with airlock in the high spots of their systems? I am talking about where the dip tube in the kettles come up a couple of inches and through the bulkhead fitting then into the hose that goes to the pump. At the top it collects air and needs to be purged before the pump will start pulling. I ended up putting valves facing up on the outside of the kettle on the exit side so I can open them to release trapped air. Am I the only one with this problem and how are you all dealing with it? I haven't seen anyone with a purge valve like I have so I think I might be doing something unnecessary. I don't like the added harware and I would much rather have a cleaner looking rig in the end..

Thanks

 

try opening the valve as the kettle is being filled. As soon as you see wort coming out as your filling, close the valve.
Should work.
Cheers
Jay

 

I just slap mine open quick then closed real quick to get liquid up in the dip tube. Then hook up the hoses.

 

Ok, I will try this, but I am still not understanding where the air in the pump line is going to go? Will it go up and settle again in the highest location or does the pump pull the air out first before it has a chance to get back up there?

 

I'm finding the same problem, I have dip tubes that do the same thing. Do valves fix the problem? I thought you had to raise the house higher than the water to start the siphon effect

 

If you have QD's just purge the air before attaching the hose. If you have your system hard-plumbed you may need a priming valve for purging the air, but it should be placed right next to the pump, not at the kettle valve.

If the liquid level starts out higher than the bulk head fitting it will drain without any siphon. Siphoning action only happens with the small amount being pulled from below the bulkhead, and if it's already flowing you don't need to do anything to start the siphon.

 

so i would need to open the ball valve to at least let some of the fluid into the line before i hook up the other end to the pump? if i hooked up a "T" connection with another ball valve just before the pump, would opening up that extra ball valve be enough to get the air out, or would that location not be ideal for that?

 

The output side of the pump is a better location for a bleeder valve as it will also fill the pump body with fluid. I just open the kettle valve for a second before attaching any hoses to replace the air inside the dip-tube with fluid. Then when it comes time to move the fluid to another vessel I attach the hose between the kettle and the pump, open the valve on the far side of the pump (without the hose attached to the output) and let gravity fill the hose and pump. I then attach the hose from the output of the pump to wherever it's going, and turn the pump on. If you decide to install a bleeder valve you'll be able to fill the hose and pump with the outgoing hose in place, otherwise it should be the same operation.