Low Flow means No Go or just Slow Go

[jmp138]

Aside from the terribly lame title, I do have a problem with my weldless ball valve on my converted keggle. It is the standard 7/8 drilled through but I used it for the first time this weekend and when trying to drain 7 gallons of sparge water it was taking like a minute a gallon to drain. Is there anything I can do to increase my rate of flow. I'm going to invest in a March pump when funds alow, but right now this is my best option, but I just really dont like picking up a hot kettle and dumping 7 gallons.

Thanks for the help!

And once again, sorry about the thread title...

 

[bull8042]

The only thing you can do is make sure you are using a full-port ball valve. A pump is only going to pump what the supply allows, so it will not speed things up for you.

 

[Catt22]

What, if anything, is attached to the valve outlet? A restrictive hose barb, quick disconnect or other fitting will slow the flow considerably. A small change in the hose diameter or fitting port will result in a big change in the flow rate. Much larger than most would expect. You can somewhat improve the flow rate if you attach a drain hose to the outlet which will act as a siphon is there is enough height differential between the outlet and the mash tun. The flow rate will slow as the water level gets lower in the HLT and that is unavoidable when draining by gravity alone.

 

[Catt22]

The only thing you can do is make sure you are using a full-port ball valve. A pump is only going to pump what the supply allows, so it will not speed things up for you.

I disagree with the above. A pump most certainly would speed up the transfer rate vs. gravity flow alone. The typical pumps we use do provide suction head once primed. This translates to an increased flow velocity in the hose which results in a greater flow rate.

 

[FSR402]

what's the pickup tube like? My HLT has a 3/8 od copper tube for a pickup and it's slow as hell. Makes me mad every time I brew but yet I still never find the time to change it out.

 

[JesseRC]

make sure you have a hose attached so that it creates a siphon and the higher the kettle from its destination the better. NO hose, it will be slow

 

[jmp138]

I have a watts compression fitting attached to a 6 inch piece of 3/8 copper tubing, works great when running to my counterflow chiller, but thats probably because I don't need much flow. From there I have about 2 feet of 1/2 hose coming off the front of the ball valve.

 

[FSR402]

I have a watts compression fitting attached to a 6 inch piece of 3/8 copper tubing, works great when running to my counterflow chiller, but thats probably because I don't need much flow. From there I have about 2 feet of 1/2 hose coming off the front of the ball valve.

There is your problem. The 3/8 tube has like a 1/4 ID. That's the same problem I have with my HLT.

 

[Catt22]

There is your problem. The 3/8 tube has like a 1/4 ID. That's the same problem I have with my HLT.

Bingo! That 3/8" tubing is the equivalent of draining through a soda straw. I would change that out for a 1/2" I.D. pickup tube. It will make a huge difference.