Flow meters

[ChrisfromAbby]

I've never really eyeballed any of the fancier automated brew systems up close, but I am in the process of constructing a platform to make my brewing more efficient. I've always batch sparged, and often step mash. I was wondering how one goes about doing that when using a pump....

I'm looking into making a grant - a receiving vessel between the HLT and the MT in which I can make accurate volume measurements. However, I found this in my explorations

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G1-2-Hall-e...-/271314173265?ssPageName=ADME:X:eRTM:US:1123

Anyone ever try something like this? I had to ask the functional temperature range. Apparently it's -20 to 150 degrees C. And for under $40

Chris

 

[GeneticBrew]

Interesting find.

Besides the question of - is the flow-meter food grade, some problems I can foresee would be tiny bits of grain clogging the rotor, 1 L / minute may not be low enough to measure the flow from a grant on a homebrew system and calibration for liquids with Specific Gravity other than 1 doesn't seem to exist.

I have seen people use inline flow meters but they suffer from the same problems.

 

[ChrisfromAbby]

Hmm. Wasn't even considering it for wort, just hot water to measure out my mashing or sparge water. I assume from the picture that it may be something used in one of those units for making hot beverages? Seen things much like it in Japan, but not so much N. America, in restaurants. Sounds like someone with knowledge and ability could hook it up to a solenoid valve? I.E. if you were into automating. I was thinking more of putting a ball valve before it (after the pump) and shutting her down when I hit the volume I wanted.

 

[GeneticBrew]

It'll probably work for that, however most of those meters have an accuracy of +/- 2-3% with some as high as 5%. A better solution may be to use weight to make volume measurements. Water weighs 8.34 lbs / gallon at room temperature so figure out the weight of 1L and make your marks.

Let us know if you build it. I'd be interested to see how accurate it is.

 

[ChrisfromAbby]

I'm suspicious that 1L of water might weigh really close to 1kg...

;-)

 

[ChrisfromAbby]

Hmm. Inersting idea though - what about simply putting a scale under my grant? I could skip putting a sight glass in....