March pumps, pickup tubes and solids

[nostalgia]

Hey all. I asked about sucking up solids in my recirc whirlpool thread, but I guess it got lost in the pictures

I'm hoping to hear from some folks who pump wort without using a mesh bag for the solids in their wort. Currently I'm just pumping water, but I'd like to recirculate my wort.

Besides having one fewer thing to clean, I had some trouble with cranberry puree' clogging up the pores in the mesh bag and it was a real PITA. So if I could get away from the hob bags by recirculating and whirlpooling, it'd be great, I'm just concerned about pulling a bunch of solids into my pump and/or losing prime due to solids in the pickup tube.

Do pellet hops cause trouble? Whole leaf? Anything else to be aware of?

Thanks,

-Joe

 

[Whiskey]

Pellets can be a PITA when doing a whirlpool/recirculating chiller. Hop bags, various hop strainers and Stainless pot scrubbing pads work well. Bobby_M has a link in his sig how to make a handy hop strainer. I have used the SS pot scrubbing pads and hop bags with pretty good success. I've only had one issue when I was not paying attention and dumped my first wort hops into the kettle without a bag.

 

[jkarp]

I've never thought twice when recirculating pellet hops through my pump / CFC. What makes them a PITA?

 

[ahansler]

You are using a similar system to me and I have had no issue with any solids except whole leaf hops. I use an immersion chiller and the whole leaf hops could not pass between the coils.

In order to make sure a cone settles, turn off your pump and let sit for 20 minutes. This gives the materials time to compact in the center of the kettle.

 

[Thirsty_Monk]

Pallet hops are O.K.
Use hop bag when using whole hops. I know it from my own experience.