EMIAB 2 Vessel System.

BOB357

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Just finished up this easy to build and use electric mash in a bag system. Just doing a boiloff test now and will be getting its first run tomorrow. I'm old enough that lifting those 5 gallon jugs of water hurts the next day, so designed this to take that into consideration. See below for full description and use:
EMIAB.jpg


Dumping the water into the 10 gallon MLT at this level and pumping it up to the boiler is much easier on the old back. Heat it to strike temperature in the Digiboil and gravity feed to underlet back into the MLT with the brewing bag of grist in place . A brief stir and the mash is on.

Once the mash is completed, pump back up into the Digiboil. With ball valves both on the MLT and Digiboil I lose about a thimble full of liquid when disconnecting both hoses and lifting the pump to drain into the MLT. When I drain and pull the bag, I just dump the remaining wort into the Boiler, ending up with just the grain absorption as a loss.
Once the wort is boiled and chilled I stick a short length of tubing on the boiler spigot and gravity drain into the fermenter. I use a hand truck to wheel the fermenter into the other room and lift it about a foot to into the dedicated fridge. If I use this setup outside, I have a ramp up to the back porch which makes it easy.

The great thing about this system is that the pump and plumbing can be easily switched back to my boil kettle if I want to do a batch or 2 with propane.
 
Unless that pump is self-priming, you might want to set your MLT up on something to keep the pump head below the liquid level. I'm building a somewhat similar system, two vessels, powered by a RIMS tube and my induction heater.
 
Good thinking, but already did a test run with water. Opening both ball valves with just under a gallon in the MLT primes the pump. My only worry was that gravity feeding in the reverse direction would be too slow going through the pump. It runs through it like $hit through a goose.
 
Yea. I don't care if the pump is sore tomorrow morning:)
Did you test with boiling or at least mash temps, or just “cold” tap water? I ask because I used to use my pump for liquid transfers, and it always worked better with cold water than 150-212 water. I don’t know the physics or fluid dynamics as to why, but it sure was a thing. I realize there are tricks to make it work better, but it was more of a liability for me than an asset for brewday.

Hope it works well for ya Bob!

Which brings to mind... anyone want to buy a slightly used pump?
 
Did you test with boiling or at least mash temps, or just “cold” tap water? I ask because I used to use my pump for liquid transfers, and it always worked better with cold water than 150-212 water. I don’t know the physics or fluid dynamics as to why, but it sure was a thing. I realize there are tricks to make it work better, but it was more of a liability for me than an asset for brewday.

Hope it works well for ya Bob!

Which brings to mind... anyone want to buy a slightly used pump?

Thanks. Tested with mash temp water.
 
Did you test with boiling or at least mash temps, or just “cold” tap water? I ask because I used to use my pump for liquid transfers, and it always worked better with cold water than 150-212 water. I don’t know the physics or fluid dynamics as to why, but it sure was a thing. I realize there are tricks to make it work better, but it was more of a liability for me than an asset for brewday.

Hope it works well for ya Bob!

Which brings to mind... anyone want to buy a slightly used pump?
What kind and how slightly used?
 
What kind and how slightly used?
I’ll get the info and some pics and post when I get home this evening or first thing tomorrow. But I will say that it has less than an hour total running time (if that), and it was completely taken apart after each use.
 
Bob!
Ya got me thinking now.... thinking I need a pump and a round mash tun! I like it, I like it a lot!
 
What kind and how slightly used?
Sorry so late replying...

It’s a Chugger pump, Model: CPSS-IN-1. I purchased it roughly a year and a half ago new from a name brand supplier, I just don’t recall which one.

It was used once for testing with the 3 vessel system with cold water, then with hot water, and one brew session. So it’s ran for let’s say an hour total, but I think that’s a little high of an estimate.

Below are some photos that I took this morning. I took a video of it running as well, but I don’t have an easy way to get that to you. If you want the video, toss me a pm with your email and I will send it over.

As you can see in the last photo, I have 1/2 quick disconnects and a 3 piece ball valve already attached.

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Hi Bob,

I have a question. Why do you not mash in the digiboil? Do you get better results? I use a Brewers edge that has an insert for the grain. Afterward I lift the grain cylinder out and sparge as it drains back into the boiling pot.
 
I do full volume mash. The Digiboil is like the Brewers Edge without the grain pipe and ring that it sits on. Already had the MLT, pump and plumbing, so it was a cheap conversion and I don't need to lift the grain pipe out or sparge. Getting old and lazy, so the easier it is, the more I like it.
 
I hear you on eliminating much of the lifting. A two vessel system also keeps cleaning to a minimum.
 
Just got an extra, added bonus. Miriam suggested that I brew inside during the hot Summer months too. I didn't put up much of an argument. Got everything but the MLT and bag cleaned in about 1/2 hour.
You all thawed out up there?
 
Did you test with boiling or at least mash temps, or just “cold” tap water? I ask because I used to use my pump for liquid transfers, and it always worked better with cold water than 150-212 water. I don’t know the physics or fluid dynamics as to why, but it sure was a thing. I realize there are tricks to make it work better, but it was more of a liability for me than an asset for brewday.

Hope it works well for ya Bob!

Which brings to mind... anyone want to buy a slightly used pump?
When you are pumping liquid at boiling temps it can boil in the pump and that can get you pockets of air that mess with the pump. It's going to be true for any pump and especially for non self priming pumps. If you set it up so any air will naturally flow out of the pump and you don't have any high spots in your tubing where air can build up you can pretty much eliminate the issue. Or just cycle the pump when it happens. Anything below boiling should be trouble free. Also those tiny solar water pumps I believe are self priming and work fine with this short lift setup. They clog easier so you need to watch for that but at $25 on Amazon they are a sweet deal.
 
When you are pumping liquid at boiling temps it can boil in the pump and that can get you pockets of air that mess with the pump. It's going to be true for any pump and especially for non self priming pumps. If you set it up so any air will naturally flow out of the pump and you don't have any high spots in your tubing where air can build up you can pretty much eliminate the issue. Or just cycle the pump when it happens. Anything below boiling should be trouble free. Also those tiny solar water pumps I believe are self priming and work fine with this short lift setup. They clog easier so you need to watch for that but at $25 on Amazon they are a sweet deal.

Before this rig, I used this pump to recirculate boiling wort without a problem. Had you read my original post you would have seen that I only use it now to pump from the MLT up to the boiler.

BTW, Welcome to Brewers Friend.
 
When you are pumping liquid at boiling temps it can boil in the pump and that can get you pockets of air that mess with the pump. It's going to be true for any pump and especially for non self priming pumps. If you set it up so any air will naturally flow out of the pump and you don't have any high spots in your tubing where air can build up you can pretty much eliminate the issue. Or just cycle the pump when it happens. Anything below boiling should be trouble free. Also those tiny solar water pumps I believe are self priming and work fine with this short lift setup. They clog easier so you need to watch for that but at $25 on Amazon they are a sweet deal.
You can't pump boiling water for two reasons: First, unless pressurized, the boiling point is fixed. Removing the liquid from the heat stops it from boiling immediately. Second moving the water with the pump cools it. What you're talking about is cavitation, moving the liqui too fast creates tiny bubbles that collapse, causing the damage to the pump. Cause is different but effect is the same.
 

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