blackheart
Well-Known Member
We have been trying to brew with our new 10 gallon all grain system for a few weeks now and we have hit a few snags. All of these issues can be attributed to our valves not maintaining a good seal.
We are using 12v solonid valves from Duda Diesel. seen here
http://www.dudadiesel.com/choose_item.php?id=W160B15
The system tests worked great! as we were just using hot water.... when we went to brew with them, things got progressively worse as we cooled the wort.
The valves are not a typical ball valve but instead have an inner and outer chamber separated by a diaphragm. When current passes into the solonid coil, a metal shaft connected to the diaphragm pulls the diaphragm upward far enough to break the seal between the inner and outer chambers and liquid flows.
This design also means that the liquid is not a strait 1/2" flow and sediment and hops can easily become trapped in the valve sticking it open or closed. Either way, we end up with boiling hot liquid that we cannot remove.
So we need help figuring out what we should do next.
1. Add a filter on the kettle dip tube to prevent some sediment from entering the valves.
2. Find better electronic valves that are of a different design
3. scrap everything we have worked on to make this electric and get manual valves
4......?
Looking for suggestions and ideas for what we can do. We made it through 3 5 gallon batches, just barely, with quite a mess to clean up after. We are looking to stream line our brewing and it is essential these valves work correctly each time instead of failing to hold a closed seal, failing to open, or restricting flow. One valve failing can kill another unrelated process that depends on the valve closed to build pressure in another pathway.
We are using 12v solonid valves from Duda Diesel. seen here
http://www.dudadiesel.com/choose_item.php?id=W160B15
The system tests worked great! as we were just using hot water.... when we went to brew with them, things got progressively worse as we cooled the wort.
The valves are not a typical ball valve but instead have an inner and outer chamber separated by a diaphragm. When current passes into the solonid coil, a metal shaft connected to the diaphragm pulls the diaphragm upward far enough to break the seal between the inner and outer chambers and liquid flows.
This design also means that the liquid is not a strait 1/2" flow and sediment and hops can easily become trapped in the valve sticking it open or closed. Either way, we end up with boiling hot liquid that we cannot remove.
So we need help figuring out what we should do next.
1. Add a filter on the kettle dip tube to prevent some sediment from entering the valves.
2. Find better electronic valves that are of a different design
3. scrap everything we have worked on to make this electric and get manual valves
4......?
Looking for suggestions and ideas for what we can do. We made it through 3 5 gallon batches, just barely, with quite a mess to clean up after. We are looking to stream line our brewing and it is essential these valves work correctly each time instead of failing to hold a closed seal, failing to open, or restricting flow. One valve failing can kill another unrelated process that depends on the valve closed to build pressure in another pathway.