Opinions please: Should the valve go on the pump or on the plate chiller?

[slayer021175666]

Some say on the pump to limit flow through the PC. Others say to put it on the chiller out to hold wort in the chiller for a longer exposure to the cold plates.
Whadda ya think?

 

[day_trippr]

Unless one actually has a pump dedicated to pumping a PC, always put the control valve directly on the pump output, so control is not dependent on having the PC connected or not.

Then, orient the PC so the wort enters at the bottom and exits at the top.
That way no matter how fast/slow the rate of flow the wort channels are always full...

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

That sounds good to me. I mean, I was thinking: why would it matter? Limiting flow either way would keep wort in the chiller longer. I won't be dedicating the pump to chilling either so, in my case, it makes sense to throttle the pump so it can be used in other processes. 2 birds, one stone.
Cool!
Another question: I have a little 12 volt pump too. I thought I might try it once for chilling because it pumps slower and see how that goes. What do you think about using a dimmer switch to control power to it instead of using a valve to limit the flow?

 

[day_trippr]

Can't say - my beer pumping experience is with a pair of venerable March 815pl's - with ball valves on their output ports.

It's a dead simple solution, really. If I needed to push the wort through the PC slow for a single-pass-to-pitching-temperature I can make it happen with the valve. The mag-pumps don't care if they're restricted literally to a dead stop of the flow - they just decouple the rotor from the drive magnet. NBD...

Cheers!

 

[slayer021175666]

Thnks Day trippr. I'll just give it a shot and see what I think. Great advice on the valve placement, though.

 

[MrBaloo]

+1 for pump for reasons already mentioned.

 

[50calshooter]

Flow control valves should always go on the output of the pump.

 

[C38368]

That sounds good to me. I mean, I was thinking: why would it matter?

It matters because of the way impeller pumps work. If the valve is on the pump's output, you can close it fully while the pump is running, and you'll wind up with a loop condition where the pump is generating maximum head pressure, but no flow. The pump can operate in those conditions. The further from the pump outlet you put the valve, the more likely you are to restrict flow into the pump's intake, to a degree that outlet flow exceeds inlet flow. Once that happens, it's only a matter of time before you burn out your pump (best case), spin out the bearings, or blow out the pump's seal (worst case). Not that it was in consideration here, but the absolute worst place to put a control valve it just ahead of the pump inlet.

As far as why it should matter in the sole context of cooling wort, it doesn't one bit.

 

[seatazzz]

Okay now I feel like a total noob. My setup is thus: hose from the BK to the pump, from the pump to the PC, then the PC back to the BK and eventually the fermenter. The only way I control the flow is with the valve from the BK. I always turn it down about halfway once I get the flow started so the wort moves slower through the PC. Never had an issue, and always backflush the chiller with super hot water when I'm done (and bake it in the oven every month or so to burn up anything that might be left). I can't mount my PC to the brewstand because the connectors for the water in/out leak (too lazy to fix, it sits in a bucket during chilling to catch leaking water). Now I'm thinking I might have to do that.

 

[day_trippr]

I run a 3 vessel 2 pump single-tier herms rig, and I fly-sparge. Without valves on the pump outputs, on some hose-swaps I'd be trusting kettle valves 8 feet of hose away from the free end to not scald my hand(s). That sounds sub-optimal once the rig is up to running temperature...

Cheers!

 

[C38368]

Okay now I feel like a total noob. My setup is thus: hose from the BK to the pump, from the pump to the PC, then the PC back to the BK and eventually the fermenter. The only way I control the flow is with the valve from the BK. I always turn it down about halfway once I get the flow started so the wort moves slower through the PC. Never had an issue, and always backflush the chiller with super hot water when I'm done (and bake it in the oven every month or so to burn up anything that might be left). I can't mount my PC to the brewstand because the connectors for the water in/out leak (too lazy to fix, it sits in a bucket during chilling to catch leaking water). Now I'm thinking I might have to do that.

Yeah, you should add a second valve at the pump's outlet. When circulating or moving wort, leave all other valves wide open, and use that one, alone, to control flow. It's entirely possible that the specific way you have your system set up, and the way in which you use it, that you can get years of operation without any ill effects, but a valve is much less expensive than a new pump, and far more versatile. As a bonus, with the valve at the pump outlet, you can completely stop the flow of wort through your system without actually shutting off the pump. That might be worthwhile, alone.