Pump problem

[Corneja Brewer]

Hi to everyone, I have a problem in changing from mash tun to the boiling pot, the pump that I always use after a few minutes stops passing the most, it is as if it were covered, I have to stir the mash tun to start the recirculation process again and then to the boiling pot again. I have to do this process many times because the line is always covered. Any recommendation on this?

Sorry for my english im from Colombia

 

[Steve SPF]

Not sure I'm understanding correctly but is the pump blocking during recirculation?

If that's the case then you might think about not recirculating? I'm not sure what others might think but I've never seen much benefit in recirculating.

 

[Texas Ale Works]

So, to be clear you are pumping from the Mash Tun to the Boil Pot?
In the mash tun are your grains just free floating? if this is the case, do you have some sort of screen or strainer on your mash tun outlet?

Search bazooka screen for just one example, you might also think about a flase bottom if you dont have one

T

 

[Minbari]

If what I am reading is correct, you probably have one or both of these problem
1) Clogged. If the grains get in the hose or pump, it will clog it up.
2) ALL homebrew pumps are centrifugal. If the pump loses prime, it will stop pumping. Make sure your pump is always physically lower than the liquid. If it pumps the liquid dry, you have to get more liquid in it, before it will pump again

 

[jschein]

And always have the in hose to the pump open all the way. You can slow the flow and on the pump outlet

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

First follow the advice given in the previous posts. Then if that doesn't work here is something else to consider. Wheat, rye, corn, etc. can make the mash sticky and will cause problems with lautering (draining wort from the mash). Adding rice hulls or oat hulls to the mash will help with that. Without knowing your recipe and volume, it's hard to say how much. But, with the problems you are having I would say start with a 1/2 pound (1/4 kilo) for a 5 gallon (19 liter) batch and adjust up or down from there based on experience.

And welcome to the forum!

Primero sigue los consejos dados en los posts anteriores. Entonces, si eso no funciona aquí, hay algo más a considerar. El trigo, el centeno, el maíz, etc. pueden hacer que el puré se vuelva pegajoso y causar problemas con el filtrado (drenar el mosto del puré). Agregar cáscaras de arroz o cáscaras de avena al puré ayudará con eso. Sin conocer su receta y volumen, es difícil decir cuánto. Pero, con los problemas que está teniendo, diría que comience con 1/2 libra (1/4 kilo) para un lote de 5 galones (19 litros) y ajuste hacia arriba o hacia abajo a partir de ahí según la experiencia.

¡Y bienvenido al foro!

 

[Minbari]

First follow the advice given in the previous posts. Then if that doesn't work here is something else to consider. Wheat, rye, corn, etc. can make the mash sticky and will cause problems with lautering (draining wort from the mash). Adding rice hulls or oat hulls to the mash will help with that. Without knowing your recipe and volume, it's hard to say how much. But, with the problems you are having I would say start with a 1/2 pound (1/4 kilo) for a 5 gallon (19 liter) batch and adjust up or down from there based on experience.

And welcome to the forum!

second this. I dont measure, just ussualy grab 3 or 4 hand fulls. bought 5 pounds of rice hulls (like a garbage bag size) about 2 years ago. still have it!

 

[Donoroto]

Hi to everyone, I have a problem in changing from mash tun to the boiling pot, the pump that I always use after a few minutes stops passing the most, it is as if it were covered, I have to stir the mash tun to start the recirculation process again and then to the boiling pot again. I have to do this process many times because the line is always covered. Any recommendation on this?

Sorry for my english im from Colombia

Your English is fine.

If stirring the mash makes the liquid flow again, the "outlet" inside the mash tun is getting clogged. To change this, make a bigger area for this drain.

For example: a pipe 1 inch (25 mm) has metal screen on the end. It clogs easily because the screen area is small. The same pipe might have a ball or sphere of screen maybe 4 inches or 10 cm in diameter at the end instead. This larger surface area of screening will not clog as easily.

Going one step further, the entire bottom of the mash tun has a carefully fitted screen 3 cm from the bottom. Now you have a very large area for liquid to pass through and grain to be kept behind. This is the best case and will not clog easily at all.

I hope you understand the idea I'm trying to say.

 

[Corneja Brewer]

Thanks to everyone for reply.

Let tell yall my processes: I have a pump to recirculate the wort for clarification and this same pump to transfer the wort into the boiling pot
I add water to wash the grains manually. The hose clog occurs when I turn off the pump faucet, move the hose to the boiling pot, and turn the hose back on. Gradually the flow of the wort begins to decrease and there is a minimum flow that greatly increases the transfer time.

How do you regularly do this step?

I believe that the variables to control in the process are the flow of the pump faucet and the recirculation time.

psdt: my pump is on low level than my pots xD

 

[Texas Ale Works]

what do you have to keep the grain from getting in the hose?
when you recirculate and transfer to the boiling pot, do you run your pump at the same speed?

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

The hose clog occurs when I turn off the pump faucet, move the hose to the boiling pot, and turn the hose back on.

This might be the key. The problem only occurs after turning the pump back on. When you turn the pump back on, do you start full blast or with the shutoff valve closed or at minimum? If you start with the pump with the valve fully open, grain might be getting dislodged which then blocks the output. Just a thought: Before turning the pump off, gradually close the shutoff valve. And when turning the pump back on, open the valve slowly. Hope this helps.

Esta podría ser la clave. El problema solo ocurre después de volver a encender la bomba. Cuando vuelve a encender la bomba, ¿arranca a pleno rendimiento o con la válvula de cierre cerrada o al mínimo? Si comienza con la bomba con la válvula completamente abierta, es posible que el grano se desprenda y bloquee la salida. Solo un pensamiento: antes de apagar la bomba, cierre gradualmente la válvula de cierre. Y cuando vuelva a encender la bomba, abra la válvula lentamente. Espero que esto ayude.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

second this. I dont measure, just ussualy grab 3 or 4 hand fulls. bought 5 pounds of rice hulls (like a garbage bag size) about 2 years ago. still have it!

That's what I do as well. I don't really have a set amount. I just throw in what seems like the right amount based on what happened the last time I brewed that recipe.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Yup maybe when the pump is turned off between transfering hose from mash tun to kettle it doesn't re prime.

Install a ball valve at the pump outlet even a 3 way valve would work direction one back to mash tun direction two over to boil kettle install a hose on each outlet no hose moving no pump turning off and loosing prime.

Also the drain on the mash tun is gunna be slow.
You can guage the flow by the recirc back into mash tun if the level is staying its even. If the level is dropping than your pumping too fast.
As the tun empties its gunna drain slower as well less weight pushing down on the volume.

So crack that ball valve on the pump outlet back to a trickle to stop the pump from cavitating.

You'll hear the pump cavitation it might even pulse the line a bit as it tries to re prime and will sound higher pitched.

Hey any Photos?

They speak a thousand words

 

[Corneja Brewer]

This might be the key. The problem only occurs after turning the pump back on. When you turn the pump back on, do you start full blast or with the shutoff valve closed or at minimum? If you start with the pump with the valve fully open, grain might be getting dislodged which then blocks the output. Just a thought: Before turning the pump off, gradually close the shutoff valve. And when turning the pump back on, open the valve slowly. Hope this helps.

Esta podría ser la clave. El problema solo ocurre después de volver a encender la bomba. Cuando vuelve a encender la bomba, ¿arranca a pleno rendimiento o con la válvula de cierre cerrada o al mínimo? Si comienza con la bomba con la válvula completamente abierta, es posible que el grano se desprenda y bloquee la salida. Solo un pensamiento: antes de apagar la bomba, cierre gradualmente la válvula de cierre. Y cuando vuelva a encender la bomba, abra la válvula lentamente. Espero que esto ayude.

Yeah, i did that and my problem is gone, tks!!