Return to TheElectricBrewery.com
  [ Shop ]   [ Building ]   [ Using ]   [ Recipes ]   [ Testimonials ]   [ Gallery ]   [ FAQ ]   [ About Us ]   [ Contact Us ]   [ Newsletter ]

Log inLog in   RegisterRegister   User Control PanelUser Control Panel   Private MessagesPrivate Messages   MembershipClub Memberships   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   Photo AlbumsPhoto Albums   Forum FAQForum FAQ


Stuck mash
Goto page Previous  1, 2
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Tennessee




Joined: 04 Apr 2015
Posts: 116
Location: Tennessee


PostLink    Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


        Register to remove this ad. It's free!
(See below)

_________________
Kal Clone (30amp),Mash Re-Circulation Manifold, Custom BK Hop Filter.


Last edited by Tennessee on Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:28 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
Tennessee




Joined: 04 Apr 2015
Posts: 116
Location: Tennessee


PostLink    Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

FWIW "Higher viscosity can generate problems with a stuck runoff. This occurs in sparging when liquid drains from the lauter tun faster than it can flow through the grain bed, creating a vacuum near the bottom of the vessel. The grain bed then compacts in on itself and becomes impermeable to further flow of sparge water. But you can avoid the stuck runoff by lautering slowly and patiently."

http://byo.com/stories/item/1189-oatmeal-stout-style

_________________
Kal Clone (30amp),Mash Re-Circulation Manifold, Custom BK Hop Filter.
Back to top
jphussey




Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 171



PostLink    Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I feel like I'm experiencing what you describe Tenn.

Do you think an appropriate solution might be to just vorlauf more slowly? Do we need to vorlauf quickly?

I'm thinking maybe I just don't open the March pump ball valve all the way until I'm sure the grain bed was 'softly set' vs. being compacted down due to full-on flow with the valves all the way open...
Back to top
Tennessee




Joined: 04 Apr 2015
Posts: 116
Location: Tennessee


PostLink    Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jphussey wrote:
I feel like I'm experiencing what you describe Tenn.

Do you think an appropriate solution might be to just vorlauf more slowly? Do we need to vorlauf quickly?

I'm thinking maybe I just don't open the March pump ball valve all the way until I'm sure the grain bed was 'softly set' vs. being compacted down due to full-on flow with the valves all the way open...


Some things you might try until you get the new quick connects. Reduce pump output(increase til you see air and then reduce back, check your crush to see if its only cracking the grain and not separating it into multiple pieces, check the clearance on your pickup tube and kettle bottom. You don't need to worry about pulling as much goodness from the MT like the BK. Smile

_________________
Kal Clone (30amp),Mash Re-Circulation Manifold, Custom BK Hop Filter.
Back to top
Fal




Joined: 29 Dec 2014
Posts: 70



PostLink    Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For what it's worth, I run into this same issue when I do one or both of the following........

1. Start the pump too soon after adding grain and stirring, not giving the grain proper time to settle

or

2. Go 100% flow rate


If I do 1, I believe the grain gets sucked to the bottom and compacted harder than usual. I just stir it up again and give it the proper time (20-30mins) and start again. If I do 2, I simply slow the flow rate a bit and watch. You can usually see it level out instantly. It usually doesn't take much of a decrease, I'd guess 5-15% of max flow rate.
Back to top
jphussey




Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 171



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2017 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fal wrote:
For what it's worth, I run into this same issue when I do one or both of the following........

1. Start the pump too soon after adding grain and stirring, not giving the grain proper time to settle

or

2. Go 100% flow rate


If I do 1, I believe the grain gets sucked to the bottom and compacted harder than usual. I just stir it up again and give it the proper time (20-30mins) and start again. If I do 2, I simply slow the flow rate a bit and watch. You can usually see it level out instantly. It usually doesn't take much of a decrease, I'd guess 5-15% of max flow rate.


I can't remember 100%, but I'd bet I started the pump almost immediately after stirring the grain in; this makes sense to me as a possible culprit.

I definitely went 100% flow rate and everything appeared fine for the first 15-20 minutes when the wort was really cloudy; I could tell there were no air bubbles anywhere in the hoses and the flow rate was great. But as Tennessee pointed out, I think that I was ultimately sucking out from the bottom faster than new wort was being added up top and that created a vacuum under the false bottom.

My sight gauges were not showing any liquid at all when pumping, which leads me to believe that I was getting some sort of channeling or the liquid was just not allowed to 'pool' properly because of the overwhelming suction.

As Kal pointed out on another thread, the only big issues with backing down flowrate seems to be the heating of the mash, so if doing obvious things like loosening the crush don't fix the flow issues, I'll just keep the flow rate a little lower initially while the grain bed settles.

Good feedback, thank you!
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic   Printer-friendly view    TheElectricBrewery.com Forum Index -> Using Your Brewery All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum



Forum powered by phpBB © phpBB Group