Single Tier, Fly sparge question

[burdbrew]

I know it's done, but I can't get my brain around this. Bear with me please if I'm missing something obvious.

I have a two-tier set up where I collect from the mash tun with gravity. I collect relatively slowly. If I went to a single tier (I'm dreaming of a bottom draining keggle tun), I would need to pump from the tun to the boil kettle. How does the pump stay primed when looking to collect? Is the idea to keep the ball value barely open?

 

[day_trippr]

In a pumped MLT configuration the MLT valve is wide open and the pump flow rate is regulated with a valve on its output.

And, yes, there is some finesse to regulating both the mash drainage so you don't stick the mash and the sparge flow so you don't cut channels or let the bed go dry.

Start out at a minimum flow using the pump output valve to control - and if you're set up for it, ideally recirculate back to the MLT for awhile until the wort is running clear of debris. Then switch to filling the BK, increasing the flow gradually, while establishing a matching rate of flow with your sparge water and maintaining an inch or two of sparge above the grain bed.

fwiw, I typically end up draining the MLT with the pump valve lever set to 50% of open (whatever that actually translates to flowing through the ball valve, it's likely not actually 50% of maximum) and matching that flow rate with sparge water until I've hit the recipe volume for the latter...

Cheers!

 

[burdbrew]

Right, I assumed regulating flow after the pump, MLT wide open. Thanks for the clarification and explanation, makes perfect sense. I want to get to one tier, seems luxurious....

 

[beernutz]

I know it's done, but I can't get my brain around this. Bear with me please if I'm missing something obvious.

I have a two-tier set up where I collect from the mash tun with gravity. I collect relatively slowly. If I went to a single tier (I'm dreaming of a bottom draining keggle tun), I would need to pump from the tun to the boil kettle. How does the pump stay primed when looking to collect? Is the idea to keep the ball value barely open?

You can regulate with the ball value or some pumps like mine have a variable speed controller. http://www.greatbreweh.com/Beer_Pump.html

 

[dunbruha]

You can regulate with the ball value or some pumps like mine have a variable speed controller. http://www.greatbreweh.com/Beer_Pump.html

Is this legit? I thought that the speed of these pumps should not be reduced, or they will burn out. Does anyone know anything about the variable speed controller in the greatbreweh pumps?