New Brew System

[beermanpete]

Hi,

I finally have my new brew system toghether and ready to brew. This is a single tier system with a pump, plate and frame heat exchanger, and a wort strainer (on the right). First brew next weekend.

 

[brewerJase]

Looks great. Love the ss table.
What's that on your mash tun? Some kind of sparge arm?

 

[beermanpete]

Looks great. Love the ss table.
What's that on your mash tun? Some kind of sparge arm?

Yes, the Fermentap sparge arm.

 

[GoodmanBrewing]

Looks awesome! You got a heck of a work station now.

 

[afro_lou]

Looks awesome! Very sweet table.

The only thing I'd recommend is turning your pump head 90° so the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is pointing up. It should help your pump prime a little easier.

 

[phillip_h]

Looks great! What are the dimensions of that table, and where did you get it?

 

[beernutz]

Nice layout. Does the table and its attachments (pump, plate chiller, wort strainer) stay outdoors between brews?

 

[beermanpete]

Thanks for all the kind comments.

@afro_lou: I will give that a try.
@phillip_h: The table is 84" x 30". I bought it at a local restaurant supply in the San Fernando Valley.
@beernutz: The table lives outside, the equipment comes in while not in use.

 

[Wizard_of_Frobozz]

I like what you've done. I've got a similar table that I use as a work surface, but now you've got me thinking of making it my brew cart.

How did you mount the pump, chiller, and filter to the table? It looks like u-bolts, but I can't tell how you attached them to the components. Can you post close-up picture(s) of your mounting method?

The only thing I'd recommend is turning your pump head 90° so the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is pointing up. It should help your pump prime a little easier.

I'll back this one up - I mounted my pump like yours originally and had lots of priming issues; changed to inlet pointing down, and it works great now.

 

[beermanpete]

How did you mount the pump, chiller, and filter to the table? It looks like u-bolts, but I can't tell how you attached them to the components. Can you post close-up picture(s) of your mounting method?

I did use u-bolts for the pump and heat exchanger. The pump is mounted to the free end of the u-bolts. The heat exchanger has aluminum bars between the u-bolts and the heat exchanger. For the strainer I used a pipe hanger clamp. I will take some photos for you when I can but it will likely have to wait until the weekend.

 

[beermanpete]

Here are some detail shots.

I added an acrylic plate for the pump mount and wing nuts to make it easy to assemble without any tools, rotated the pump head and added a valve to the output, and added a second mount to the strainer.

 

[Wizard_of_Frobozz]

Thanks for posting these pictures. I like the wing nuts for easy removal.

Nice set up! Now I have to go measure my table legs...

 

[General_Jah]

If the strainer is 3" in diameter would you purchase a 3" diameter pipe hanger clamp or go with one size smaller?

 

[beermanpete]

I think for pipe clamps one size down would be a good place to start. Since pipe sizing is not based on actual diameters you might need to try a few to find the best fit.

 

[jmgreen7]

I think for pipe clamps one size down would be a good place to start. Since pipe sizing is not based on actual diameters you might need to try a few to find the best fit.

What did you use for the backside of the u-bolts? I scoured lowes and home depot and can't find anything like them? I'm specifically talking about the pseudo curved pieces that go through the u-bolt arms and provide the clamping pressure on the table legs.

 

[beermanpete]

I think those are antenna mounting clamps left over from a tv antenna I bought about rhat time. Lowes has this kit that includes a similar saddle piece.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/RCA-10-Piece-Roof-Antenna-Mounting-Hardware-Kit/3740231

 

[kitr]

Which brand of strainer did you go with? That looks like an outstanding setup!

 

[beermanpete]

The strainer is from Brewers Hardware.

Wort Strainers from Brewers Hardware

 

[kitr]

That does seem to be where all the cool kids are going for those! I suspected as much! Thanks for confirming.

 

[ITV]

The strainer is from Brewers Hardware.

Wort Strainers from Brewers Hardware

Niice setup!
Brewers Hardware sells a 1.5" clamp for the wort strainers, I assume that it would clamp on the 1.5" tri-clover end of the strainer.

I am interested on how your strainer works out, I am contemplating getting one.

 

[jmgreen7]

I think those are antenna mounting clamps left over from a tv antenna I bought about rhat time. Lowes has this kit that includes a similar saddle piece.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/RCA-10-Piece-Roof-Antenna-Mounting-Hardware-Kit/3740231

My f-i-l suggested that I get a muffler clamp at an auto parts store. I ended up using parts from that as well as the u-bolts from lowes. My pump is permanently fixed at the moment, but I have the parts to disconnect as well.

 

[beermanpete]

Niice setup!
Brewers Hardware sells a 1.5" clamp for the wort strainers, I assume that it would clamp on the 1.5" tri-clover end of the strainer.

I am interested on how your strainer works out, I am contemplating getting one.

The strainer works fine but holds enough wort that the brew house efficiency on my 5 gal. system is lower than I like.

 

[kitr]

Will gravity not drain it? does it need more pressure? Can you purge it out of the strainer with c02?

 

[beermanpete]

It drains ok but I fill it from the bottom in an attempt to prevent trapping air that might cause hot side aeration. This results in the screen holding wort that does not male it into the fermentor.

 

[Homergah]

@beermanpete I really appreciate you responding to a thread that's this old. And I appreciate the community for not coming in with the usual flogging for bringing it up.
Seriously @beermanpete Thank you!

 

[ITV]

It drains ok but I fill it from the bottom in an attempt to prevent trapping air that might cause hot side aeration. This results in the screen holding wort that does not male it into the fermentor.

In theory you could unbolt your strainer and tip it upside down and gravity drain it into your fermentor.

 

[beermanpete]

Yes, that is true but the strainer is between the kettle and the heat exchanger and is at the wort temp so it would be tricky to do it safely.