Robobrew/Brewzilla pump clogging

[Gurt204]

I've had the Brewzilla 3.1 35L for a little over a year now and while initially it worked great no issues at all. However over the last say 6 months my pump has been clogging every time when I go to recirculate while chilling the wort. This has become frustrating as i like to create a whirlpool while chilling, and not to mention because of my setup i tend to have the Brewzilla sitting on the floor so I like to use the pump to transfer the wort to the fermenter as well as it tends to be easier.

I got tired of unclogging the pump after every brew, so I decided to place a tea strainer over the intake of of the pump. While this has preventing clogging, the pump is still not functioning at its best because eventually the tea strainer gets full of gunk, so little wort work get pump through it. I am not sure what this gunk is, I am not so sure it is from the hops as I do use a hop spider and it doesn't appear to have any rips or holes anywhere, and I notice the pump seems to slow down when trying to reach boiling temperature. I tend to run the pump until i reach boiling, and then turn it off for the entirety of the boil until its time to chill. Here are some photos, perhaps more experienced homebrewers can tell me what is going on?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Sammy86]

You should go check out the Brewzilla thread here:
Robobrew/Brewzilla Discussion

It looks like ALOT of gunk...when you say clean out the pump, do you mean disassemble and clean out or just roll some PBW/Brewery Wash through?

I have found on my 65L that conditioned grain has help limit the gunk at the end of the brew day as well.

 

[Gurt204]

Thanks for the link I'll take a read, but yeah when i mean clean, i disassemble and clean out the pump, then reassemble and run PBW through.

 

[Sammy86]

Thanks for the link I'll take a read, but yeah when i mean clean, i disassemble and clean out the pump, then reassemble and run PBW through.

I'm gonna assume but figure i would ask...are you using the bottom false bottom to protect the pump plus the tea strainer?

 

[Gurt204]

Yup, it also gets pretty covered in gunk too.

 

[cactusgarrett]

I have found on my 65L that conditioned grain has help limit the gunk at the end of the brew day as well.

I'm in the same boat - i'm VERY surprised by how beneficial conditioning the grain helps. I don't know how, but I know it helps.

 

[Rusty42]

I got a plugged pump. I simply set the brew pot on the back patio and put a water hose to the intake end and back flushed the pipe, crud blew out of the pipe. A second time I blew it out with a low pressure hose, again a wad of grain blew out. Since then, I started using a hop spider

 

[Teufelhunde]

You should go check out the Brewzilla thread here:
Robobrew/Brewzilla Discussion


conditioned grain

Conditioned grain? I am at a total loss here.....

 

[Teufelhunde]

I've had the Brewzilla 3.1 35L for a little over a year now and while initially it worked great no issues at all. However over the last say 6 months my pump has been clogging every time when I go to recirculate while chilling the wort. This has become frustrating as i like to create a whirlpool while chilling, and not to mention because of my setup i tend to have the Brewzilla sitting on the floor so I like to use the pump to transfer the wort to the fermenter as well as it tends to be easier.

I got tired of unclogging the pump after every brew, so I decided to place a tea strainer over the intake of of the pump. While this has preventing clogging, the pump is still not functioning at its best because eventually the tea strainer gets full of gunk, so little wort work get pump through it. I am not sure what this gunk is, I am not so sure it is from the hops as I do use a hop spider and it doesn't appear to have any rips or holes anywhere, and I notice the pump seems to slow down when trying to reach boiling temperature. I tend to run the pump until i reach boiling, and then turn it off for the entirety of the boil until its time to chill. Here are some photos, perhaps more experienced homebrewers can tell me what is going on?

Thank you in advance.

Do you use a clarifier? i.e. Irish moss or whirlfloc?

That appears to me to be hop debris and flour from the grains that is glued together by a clarifier.....jmho

 

[Sammy86]

Conditioned grain? I am at a total loss here.....

As far as what? What conditioned grain is or that conditioned grain helped me not have as much gunk?

 

[Teufelhunde]

As far as what? What conditioned grain is or that conditioned grain helped me not have as much gunk?

What is conditioned grain?

 

[DuncB]

Spray grain with 1 to 2% water leave about 20 minutes before milling.
Cuts down flour production, better husk.

 

[Sammy86]

What is conditioned grain?

Spray grain with 1 to 2% water leave about 20 minutes before milling.
Cuts down flour production, better husk.

 

[Teufelhunde]

Thanks. I knew of this, just never heard the term conditioning before......