Help me design my keggles

[stillbrewin]

I have 3 keggles that I am planning to use on a single tier system. I have the tops cut and the 1st one polished. I have looked at tons of pictures and it seems everyone is set up a bit different. Here is the rough plan.

HLT

3pc stainless ball valve with stainless diptube, Combination sight glass and 2" thermo. Stainless quick disconnect.

MLT

3pc stainless ball valve, I am planning on using a hose barb on the inside of the valve, and connecting it with a stainless clamp and some silicone tubing to a stainless 15" false bottom from Northern Brewer. Loc Line mash recirculation tube. 2" thermo, no sight glass. 2 stainless quick disconnects.

BK

3pc stainless ball valve with stainless diptube. I am planning to use a 90 degree street elbow to a short diptube. Combination sight glass and 2" thermo. Loc Line mash recirculation tube. Stainless quick disconnects.

I am hoping to get advice about where to locate the hardware. I have never operated a single tier system with pumps. I am concerned about the ergonomics of it. I dont want to start running the system and the be like damn I wish I had put this here, or that there.

My thought is to center the ball valves, put the inputs for the recirc tubes directly above the valves, and put the sight glass/thermos 45 degrees to the right of the valves.

I know a lot of you have done this before, so any input is appreciated. If you had a blank slate how would you do it?

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm getting ready to make a new boil keggle (have a buyer for my first one). I plan on having the ball valve (3 piece) on TC fittings (not welded in) with a dip tube inside (I have options there). The recirculation fitting will be directly above the ball valve with a 90 degree elbow on it and silicone tubing (to better direct the return flow). The sight tube will be to the left of the ball valve, far enough away so that the valve handle isn't an issue. The sight tube will also be with TC fittings, this time the ferrules will be welded into the keggle. I have a thermowell with heat shield for a probe that will be instead of a dial thermometer.

I'm also thinking about redoing my mash keggle. I'll use a Jaybird/NorCal false bottom (might use my current one, or will get a new one). I have some 1/2" OD stainless pipe coming as well as a tool to bend it with. So I'll be able to use the fittings I wish without worrying about the tube reaching. I plan to have the autosparge in the mash tun again, as well as a return for the recirculation (directly above the ball valve) also fitted for silicone tubing. I plan on using another thermowell in the side of the mash tun. I have a TC cap with a thermowell welded in place that goes into the cover for the mash tun (the top I cut off the keggle). I have a Fluke 52-II thermometer to use for reading from the sensors, so I'll be able to see what both are reading at a glance.

For the HLT, I just have a 10 gallon kettle that I use (with ball valve and dip tube). All my valves, and fittings where wort/water flows are fitted with cam-lock QD's.

I'll be taking pictures of the new keggle as I make it. When I get around to making the new mash tun (whenever that is) I'll take pictures of that too. The keggle (both new and old) are also polished.

 

[itsme6582]

I wish I had a pic to help. I'll do my best.

Everything is located on the front of the keg. Ball valve is in the middle and sight glass and return are off-center a bit.

Ball valve is centered between handles with a tee coming out of the front. I have a thermometer coming straight out of the tee and a camlock pointing downward to connect my tubing. Sight glass is about 4 inches left of center. Return ports are at the top and are 4 inches right of center.

I like my thermometers on the drains because I recirc everything. I run RIMS and, after boiling, I recirc through a small counterflow chiller and then whirlpool. I don't feel like I would get an accurate temperature if the thermometer were sticking into my keg somewhere.

No sight glass on MLT
Boil kettle has side pickup tube for whirlpooling
HLT and MLT have center pickup tubes
Stainless false bottom in MLT