Need a workable filter/solution (or boiler replacement) for Grainfather G30 pump sticking

[johnsonpvb17]

More than half the time my Grainfather G30 pump gets gummed up/stuck at mash recirculate and/or transfer , even with out the spring ball valve. At preboil/transfer I can force air back into the boiler to clear it, but post boil do not want to introduce anything not sanitized. The round "filter" gets clogged severely. I use a false bottom, hop bag and the unit is cleaned well with running PBW through the system. The grain is single ground. After turning the pump and valve on and off many many times, it usually frees up, but sometimes not. I have seen the issue described in posts.

Does any G30 user x-user or otherwise know of a solution to this issue? Maybe an in line squeezable bladder with a shutoff valve to force a back flow and free up?

If I was to abandon this device, is there a best comparable (cost/basic functions) biab 110V boiler with a built in circulating and transfer pump? I don't need the software features/ap connectivity etc., no issue with manually controlling mash temps etc., just desire a reliable electric 110v five gallon biab batch boiler.

Thanks much, and for the help this site has given in the past.

 

[jschein]

More than half the time my Grainfather G30 pump gets gummed up/stuck at mash recirculate and/or transfer , even with out the spring ball valve. At preboil/transfer I can force air back into the boiler to clear it, but post boil do not want to introduce anything not sanitized. The round "filter" gets clogged severely. I use a false bottom, hop bag and the unit is cleaned well with running PBW through the system. The grain is single ground. After turning the pump and valve on and off many many times, it usually frees up, but sometimes not. I have seen the issue described in posts.

Does any G30 user x-user or otherwise know of a solution to this issue? Maybe an in line squeezable bladder with a shutoff valve to force a back flow and free up?

If I was to abandon this device, is there a best comparable (cost/basic functions) biab 110V boiler with a built in circulating and transfer pump? I don't need the software features/ap connectivity etc., no issue with manually controlling mash temps etc., just desire a reliable electric 110v five gallon biab batch boiler.

Thanks much, and for the help this site has given in the past.

If it gets that mucked up your crush is too fine

 

[redrocker652002]

I think I read or saw that if you use hops directly into the boil without a spider or bag that causes most of the issues. I am hoping the hop spider I bought takes care of this. Also, do you have the rubber insert to the filter with the hole pointing down? I have read that makes a difference as well. I am still waiting to take my G30 on it's maiden voyage, might be Monday, so I don't have much real world experience, just what I have gathered from researching.

 

[johnsonpvb17]

I think I read or saw that if you use hops directly into the boil without a spider or bag that causes most of the issues. I am hoping the hop spider I bought takes care of this. Also, do you have the rubber insert to the filter with the hole pointing down? I have read that makes a difference as well. I am still waiting to take my G30 on it's maiden voyage, might be Monday, so I don't have much real world experience, just what I have gathered from researching.

Thanks for the tip on the filter direction, makes sense, but it will stick up pretty high (?). The first clog will be in the spring loaded ball valve, but is easily cleaned. Definitely use some type of filter for the hops. Happy & good brewing on your voyage.

 

[Snuffy]

So, your round metal tube-shaped pump filter gets clogged during mash? I use no false bottom in my G30 and mash and sparge using the mash pipe with the rolled bottom plate and the standard upper. I have the top recirculation basket filter that keeps grain bits from entering the overflow pipe but I don't use it. I still have the ball valve installed in the vertical recirculation pipe. I normally adjust recirculation flow during mash to just allow wort to flow gently down the pipe. I have never had an issue with the filter or pump clogging. I have experienced super slow transfer to fermenter after free tossing 3 or 4 oz of hops into the boil and having them coat the filter tube completely an inch thick - so I always use a spider with a volume of hops exceeding 2 oz. Even then there is 1/4 inch of fine hop matter coating the tube and it continues pumping away at an acceptable rate. I think you may have some obstruction in the recirc tube or pump. Might need to do some disassembly and inspection. Good luck. I would be interested to know what you find is the issue.

 

[johnsonpvb17]

So, your round metal tube-shaped pump filter gets clogged during mash? I use no false bottom in my G30 and mash and sparge using the mash pipe with the rolled bottom plate and the standard upper. I have the top recirculation basket filter that keeps grain bits from entering the overflow pipe but I don't use it. I still have the ball valve installed in the vertical recirculation pipe. I normally adjust recirculation flow during mash to just allow wort to flow gently down the pipe. I have never had an issue with the filter or pump clogging. I have experienced super slow transfer to fermenter after free tossing 3 or 4 oz of hops into the boil and having them coat the filter tube completely an inch thick - so I always use a spider with a volume of hops exceeding 2 oz. Even then there is 1/4 inch of fine hop matter coating the tube and it continues pumping away at an acceptable rate. I think you may have some obstruction in the recirc tube or pump. Might need to do some disassembly and inspection. Good luck. I would be interested to know what you find is the issue.

Thanks for the response. Yes the clog starts at the input of the pump end, I clean everything very thoroughly and when cleaning, the pump pumps like a champ. I only brew recipes with 14+ pounds of grains so maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe I'm looking for something bigger/robust, a boiler set up like a G40?

Thanks very much for the help.

 

[VTMongoose]

Why not just put a brew bag inside the thing?

 

[johnsonpvb17]

Thanks much. That is probably too simple and obvious a solution for me. Thanks so much.

I see there is big selection out there. Is the $46.50 "Brew Bag tm brand" sized for the Grainfather G30 worth it? See that NB has the similar brand (210 microns versus 400) 8 gallon bag for a little less.


Thanks again.

 

[RM-MN]

Just to quickly find out if you want a bag inside your Grainfather, go to your local big box lumber seller and buy a paint strainer bag. If it is big enough, fasten the top around the outside of the Grainfather. I like to pour the milled grain in while stirring with a whisk. Paint strainer bags are cheap and easy to get.

 

[VTMongoose]

Thanks much. That is probably too simple and obvious a solution for me. Thanks so much.

I see there is big selection out there. Is the $46.50 "Brew Bag tm brand" sized for the Grainfather G30 worth it? See that NB has the similar brand (210 microns versus 400) 8 gallon bag for a little less.


Thanks again.

https://www.brewinabag.com/products/all-in-one-anvil-grainfather-robo-brewers-unibrau

Literally just go here and buy one from these guys and select "Grainfather G30 Basket" or "Grainfather G30 Kettle" depending on which version you want from the options. These are thick and well made and will last a very, very long time if you take care of them. Call them if you have questions. Great company.

 

[Snuffy]

Why not just put a brew bag inside the thing?

You'd have to omit the center recirculation piping to drop a bag in it.

I've brewed grain bills as high as 16 lbs in my G30 and never had an issue. Mashing in general should be no issue with the filter or pump. That's not normally something that would generate enough particulates to coat the filter. It's just the commando hops that can block flow. Unless your grain crush was like flour or something. Then it would just be stuck.

 

[VTMongoose]

You'd have to omit the center recirculation piping to drop a bag in it.

I've brewed grain bills as high as 16 lbs in my G30 and never had an issue. Mashing in general should be no issue with the filter or pump. That's not normally something that would generate enough particulates to coat the filter. It's just the commando hops that can block flow. Unless your grain crush was like flour or something. Then it would just be stuck.

Sure, but you can just use the side pipe. Should work fine. Hop bags are a nice alternative to commando hops BTW.

 

[johnsonpvb17]

You'd have to omit the center recirculation piping to drop a bag in it.

I've brewed grain bills as high as 16 lbs in my G30 and never had an issue. Mashing in general should be no issue with the filter or pump. That's not normally something that would generate enough particulates to coat the filter. It's just the commando hops that can block flow. Unless your grain crush was like flour or something. Then it would just be stuck.

Thanks to all on this.

I have the G30 version with no center pipe so decided on the heavy duty 400 micron Brew Bag.

 

[Snuffy]

Sure, but you can just use the side pipe. Should work fine. Hop bags are a nice alternative to commando hops BTW.

Not sure I understand. The side pipe is the outflow for the pump that moves wort up to the top of the mash. The center stand pipe in the mash pipe is for overflow to keep the unit from running dry under the mash pipe. How would you run it without the center pipe? Seems to me a bag would fill the unit and impede circulation.

 

[Snuffy]

Thanks to all on this.

I have the G30 version with no center pipe so decided on the heavy duty 400 micron Brew Bag.

oh. ok. I did not know that was a thing. That sounds like my old Mash and Boil with a pump added. I just stirred and did a Vorlauf with that. It worked but required a lot more attention.

 

[Jag75]

I had problems until I put a false bottom in mine . Once I did that , no issues , even with big hop amounts . What false bottom do you use?

 

[Snuffy]

I had problems until I put a false bottom in mine . Once I did that , no issues , even with big hop amounts . What false bottom do you use?

Do you use your false bottom during mash, or do you lower it in after sparge and right before boil?

 

[johnsonpvb17]

The pump has glugged up one way or the other pretty much from day one, have always used a brew bag. I've only used the false bottom once, during mash, and it still glugged up. I'm getting a 400 micron Brew Bag. Thanks for the help.

 

[Peebee]

I didn't go with a false bottom. An enormous braided stainless steel "tube" (5cm-ish diameter - for prettying up your m'bike): Hop Filter - www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk

But that wasn't enough either. So also opened up the recirculation bore (replaced the restrictive components). Using whole hops certainly helps, but a filter that size would require an unlikely quantity of pelleted hops to clog completely.

Never had any hint of blockage since. Disadvantage: That braided SS tube ain't cheap! (Get an offcut if you can).

 

[johnsonpvb17]

The braided SS tubing looks like a way to go on this issue. I'll try that
if the Brew Bag isn't the answer. In looking through Jimsbeerkit, looks like too common a problem with GF.

Thanks for the great solution.

 

[Jag75]

Do you use your false bottom during mash, or do you lower it in after sparge and right before boil?

Yes . The false bottom should be under the basket .

 

[johnsonpvb17]

Just to close this out, the 400 micron Brew Bag inside the stainless G30 mash basket did the trick. Seems redundant, but pump ran free and clear through mash recirculate and at wort transfer. Pump not flowing is no longer an issue.

Will use it for a (much larger) hops bag during boil as well.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

 

[VTMongoose]

Just to close this out, the 400 micron Brew Bag inside the stainless G30 mash basket did the trick. Seems redundant, but pump ran free and clear through mash recirculate and at wort transfer. Pump not flowing is no longer an issue.

Will use it for a (much larger) hops bag during boil as well.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

Fantastic. I want to say I have something like 70 brews on mine since I bought it last year and it's definitely stained at this point, but still in perfect condition without any tears or anything. Love the quality of these brew in a bags.