Flow trouble

[Beenym88]

So I’m currently brewing on my ss brewtech electric system and I cannot get wort to flow out of the kettle down to the pump it’s making me insane. This keeps happening and now I’m dealing with super hot liquid. I’ve been told it’s due to aid so how do I fix it and prevent it.

 

[khannon]

Is it open on both sides? If the valve after the pump is shut there is nowhere for the air in the tubing to go.

 

[Beenym88]

Everything is open it just will not flow. I wanted to run the boiling wort through my CFC to sanantize it and nothing I do works I just don’t understand how it won’t come out.

 

[9Kegs]

You must first bleed the line from your kettle to your pump. Gravity is your friend so get the pump positioned lower than the kettle. Make sure the pump valve is closed and temporarily disconnect the hose going to the CFC at the CFC. Hold the open end of the hose up to where it is above the liquid level in your kettle. Slowly open the pump valve until you see it exiting the pump and climbing up the open hose you are holding. Reconnect and turn your pump on.

 

[Beenym88]

I had to bail out and use the immersion chiller today. I have not had much luck being successful with the CFC I keep running into this problem

 

[9Kegs]

The key is to get all the air out from the kettle to the pump

 

[day_trippr]

It can be difficult to pump literally boiling wort as it can cause pump head cavitation.
Consider sanitizing the CFC on the way up to the boil, or on the way down just prior to chilling...

Cheers!

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I usually whirlpool my wort for about 5 minutes, and let it sit for another 5 minutes, and I've never had a problem with the flow.

Mind sharing a picture of your system? Might help us diagnose.

MC

 

[Mad Mann]

Is your CFC clear? Will your wort flow if it is not connected to the CFC?

 

[Beenym88]

No it’s the red exchillerator even after I was done with the brew day I tried messing with it and still had a ton of trouble with it.

 

[sicktght311]

No it’s the red exchillerator even after I was done with the brew day I tried messing with it and still had a ton of trouble with it.

If able to use the pump without the CFC attached, but not with, then you have a clog somewhere. I suggest soaking it in a tub of HOT pbw for a few hours, then come back to it and try to pump hot water through it to clear the clog

 

[MMP126]

Do you have a bleed port at the bottom of your pump suction line? Should look something like the below. This allows you to remove air from the suction line.

 

[eric19312]

@Beenym88 a picture of your system as configured would be a huge help.

There is a learning curve on these brewing pumps and we can absolutely help you work through it.

I also use a CFC and there is a bit of art to working the air out of the system. I find a ball valve on the pump output to be useful to throttle the output of the pump way back and then slowly push the air out of the CFC.

 

[Beenym88]

Do you have a bleed port at the bottom of your pump suction line? Should look something like the below. This allows you to remove air from the suction line.

View attachment 718939

No no bleed port I will have to look into that.

 

[Beenym88]

@Beenym88 a picture of your system as configured would be a huge help.

There is a learning curve on these brewing pumps and we can absolutely help you work through it.

I also use a CFC and there is a bit of art to working the air out of the system. I find a ball valve on the pump output to be useful to throttle the output of the pump way back and then slowly push the air out of the CFC.

It is all taken apart now so I could clean everything. There was not any clogging so it’s definitely air. I will take a picture during my next go at it. I definitely didn’t expect this part to be hard I thought everything would just flow. Damn you air!

 

[jddevinn]

Adding a bleed port is a great solution and what I did.

You can also hook everything up like you would to recirculate. Open all of the valves except the return valve. With the pump off disconnect the return line. This gives the air in the system somewhere to 'go' and normally the wort will fill the line from the kettle to pump. At that point you can reconnect, open the valve, and turn on the pump.

 

[Beenym88]

I just bought everything I need to set up bleed ports off of Amazon hoping they come in soon to test it all out before the next brew day. Thanks for the advice