E-HLT (HERMS) water agitation necessary?

[rudy0498]

When designing my E-HERMS build, I read about the desire (not sure "need" is the appropriate word) to agitate the water in the HLT to get a consistent temperature to control the mash. I saw POL's motor/paddle build and thought that for a comparable price I could just get a 2nd pump and whirlpool in the HLT. I figured it would also give me the flexibility to build a single tier stand since I would have a 2nd pump. In retrospect, it might have just been an excuse to buy a 2 pump and go single tier

Now that I'm ready to pull the trigger, I'm second guessing myself. Is there really a noticeable benefit to agitating the water in the HLT. Will the temperature loss created by pumping the water out and back into the HLT offset the benefit of agitating the water? Could it perhaps be a detriment to controlling the temperature in the HLT?

I have a somewhat limited brewing budget, and am starting to think that this money could be better spent somewhere else. Should I ditch the 2nd pump and go with a 2 tier stand? I could use on some spare cornies, a grain mill, or some other things that could potentially be a greater overall benefit to my process.

Thoughts?

 

[Walker]

I don't think it's necessary. I don't have one in my HLT and I hit and maintain temps just fine with my HERMS.

note: my temp probe is at the output of the HEX and not directly in the HLT water.

 

[rudy0498]

I don't think it's necessary. I don't have one in my HLT and I hit and maintain temps just fine with my HERMS.

note: my temp probe is at the output of the HEX and not directly in the HLT water.

Makes sense. If are measuring at that point, it doesn't really matter if your temp throughout your HLT varies by a couple of degrees.

I know I'm hijacking my own thread here, but how do you initially heat your strike water with your temp probe in the HEX? Do you start out with your strike water in the MLT at room temp and then recirculate until it hits your strike temp?

 

[Walker]

I put all the water for the whole brew session into the HLT and heat it up to about 8*F to 10*F over my target mash temp (I circulate hlt water back into itself so that I can use the probe and PID for heating). Then I pump what I need for the mash into the MLT, add the grain, drop the PID set temp to the mash temp, flip some valves and and start circulating mash through the HEX and back to MLT.

The system balances out to the right temp in just a few minutes.

 

[kernal74]

Thanks for that info Walker, thats what I am going to do with my system. I have been going back and forth trying to figure out the best way to do all this.

 

[rudy0498]

(I circulate hlt water back into itself so that I can use the probe and PID for heating)

That's what I was looking for. Having the temp probe there makes a lot of sense, and the 2nd pump is probably overkill for what I need.

Thanks again Walker!