I did my first run today on my new, basic HERMS setup. Also first time attempting a fly sparge. I have a 15 gal Megapot (BK), 10 gal Igloo (MT) with a false bottom and an old 8 gal pot for the HLT. I have a single pump with 1/2" lines, full-port ball valves and quick disconnects. The HERMS coil is a 25' 3/8" coil with 3/8" line from the output to the MLT.
I doughed in at 1.5 qt/L and started recirculating the wort. Quickly noticed I could not fine tune the rate of flow. It was either too much, or if I turned the ball valve on the pump output line to a low enough level, it would slowly just stop. Then if I opened it a bit, it restarted like it was wide open. (It was only half open). The wort never cleared, I don't think the grain bed ever settled.
When I went to sparge, it was a similar problem. Now, the clear water could be fine tuned to a trickle, but the drain to the brew kettle would slow to a crawl, then stop. Open it a little bit and it would surge, puke grain into the kettle, then run clear. It did this multiple times.
My efficiency didn't turn out as terrible as I imagined given the issues, 72%. Any thoughts on why I'm having trouble with fine tuning the flow rate of the wort? I assume it has to do with the false bottom/grain bed not setting/ etc as it happened only with wort and not with sparge water. Thanks!
I doughed in at 1.5 qt/L and started recirculating the wort. Quickly noticed I could not fine tune the rate of flow. It was either too much, or if I turned the ball valve on the pump output line to a low enough level, it would slowly just stop. Then if I opened it a bit, it restarted like it was wide open. (It was only half open). The wort never cleared, I don't think the grain bed ever settled.
When I went to sparge, it was a similar problem. Now, the clear water could be fine tuned to a trickle, but the drain to the brew kettle would slow to a crawl, then stop. Open it a little bit and it would surge, puke grain into the kettle, then run clear. It did this multiple times.
My efficiency didn't turn out as terrible as I imagined given the issues, 72%. Any thoughts on why I'm having trouble with fine tuning the flow rate of the wort? I assume it has to do with the false bottom/grain bed not setting/ etc as it happened only with wort and not with sparge water. Thanks!