Single tier all grain setup

[sn0x489]

Hey guys I'm looking to go from my gravity fed 3 tier system to a single tier. I'm having a hard time find plans and a list of necessary equipment to build, can anyone help me out?

 

[augiedoggy]

start looking at others systems posted in threads here... I dont think there is a thread with all the popular different configurations listed one website that might help with layout would be theelectricbrewery.com... you dont have to go electric but the layout would be the same. (Electric IS the way to go IMHO though.)

I have a build thread linked below that kind of a mess but towards the end you can see the layout and setup for my 3 vessel system with a rims. if you do go electric you can use a simple desk or table as a stand.

 

[beernutz]

Hey guys I'm looking to go from my gravity fed 3 tier system to a single tier. I'm having a hard time find plans and a list of necessary equipment to build, can anyone help me out?

Control panel with PIDs or not? Electric or gas? HERMS or RIMS? Budget?

I use a hybrid electric / natural gas single tier setup as my PID-controlled gas HERMS is supplemented by a 1500W heat stick to speed things along. I didn't build all electric because my gear is stored outside under a deck and I would have had to have an electrician install appropriate connections whereas to use natural gas I had to buy a $25 gas line.

 

[sn0x489]

Herms, well I already built the stand out of 1" x 1" angle iron, I have 3 kegs ready to go. What I'm looking for is instructions on how to set it all up, how to hook up the pumps and where, things like that

 

[jrcrilly]

One pump will do it if you batch sparge, During the mash it would pump from the bottom of the MLT, through the HERMS coil, and back into the MLT at the top. Then it would drain the MLT into the boil kettle, then pump sparge water from the bottom of the HLT into the top of the MLT, then drain the MLT again. Then it could, if desired, do a whirlpool in the BK by pumping from the bottom of the BK into a whirlpool port mounted higher. Then drain the BK. Two pumps makes for fewer plumbing changes, and would also make fly sparging possible. You can get some control ideas from the links in my sigline.

 

[sn0x489]

How would I go about setting it up with 2 pumps, I know the initial cost is more but i could see 2 pumps saving time and eventually being used anyway so I think i want to go that route from the start

 

[beernutz]

How would I go about setting it up with 2 pumps, I know the initial cost is more but i could see 2 pumps saving time and eventually being used anyway so I think i want to go that route from the start

Controlling two pumps from a control panel isn't more difficult that one pump. Just use an outlet and separately power each side then have a switch and indicator light for each half of the outlet. An advantage of using two pumps is when you are using one to circulate wort through your herms coil during the mash you can use the other to circulate the water that surrounds your herms coil to avoid having the heated water in that pot become too striated. I also use both pumps prior to starting the mash to get my cooler mash tun up to a specific temp by pumping heated water into it and at the same time pumping water in the cooler back to the HLT. I do this while raising the water temp until it is up to where I want to strike. My control panel FWIW:

I use a Chugger for the main pumping jobs such as wort through the HERMS coil and use an older GreatBrewEh! pump to recirculate the HERMS heating water. You can see the outlet on the side of the control panel, the Chugger attached to the green 4x4 post and the small black GreatBrewEh! pump with its DC power supply in the basket.

There are however a multitude of other ways to accomplish the same goal.

 

[jrcrilly]

Yes. One this is that you can cut the real estate required by the pump switches way down by using smaller, illuminated switches.

 

[Mountainsax]

Check out www.theelectricbrewery.com. It might not be exactly what you have, but they give a lot of good explanations about why they set things up a certain way.