Recirculating mash tun

[DrewsBrew]

Hi everyone, I've just joined the forum so sorry if I'm posting on the wrong place. Just got back into all grain brewing this year. First started 10 years ago at uni but then lost interest.
Anyway, back into it now and built myself a new brewery with a temperature controlled heated recirculating mashtun. Finding it great for heating up to strike temp, controlling mash temp and mash out.
I've just done my 3rd brew which is a black sheep Riggwelter clone.
I should point out that I have moved the thermocouple into the pipework by the pump which has improved the response and control, as long as the pump keeps going!
Here's a YouTube link of the last brewday, be interested in your feedback.

https://youtu.be/Ol3eF9bBI20

Let me know if you have any questions, cheers!

 

[DrewsBrew]

https://youtu.be/Ol3eF9bBI20

 

[yeastinfection]

Hi Drew and welcome, nice set up.

 

[Dutto]

Welcome to the Forum.

Superb set-up ... :thumb:

... you have restored my faith in our University education system! :whistle:

 

[JapanBrew]

Good build. Want to send me one!? Haha. In mine I also moved the sensor to piping system. I get a better reading of the wort going through the system.

 

[stigman]

Nice build, and loving a bit of Leftfield on a Monday morning.

 

[DrewsBrew]

Thanks, ha ha yeah leftfield song of life, it was long enough to fill the length of the video, and I'm not brave enough to do commentary yet!

The only slight trouble I get at the moment is a bit of cavitation (airlock/bubbles) in the pipework before the pump. If too much air gets into the pump then it just spins in air without pumping. The hosetail inside the mash tun is a bit restrictive so I'm going to open it up or make a new one to help the flow into the pump which should help.

I'm also going to make a rotating sparge arm for sparging because the silicone hose ring doesn't stay horizontal and then favours one side. I'll use the hose ring for recirculating to avoid blockages and hot side aeration (not sure of this is a real problem or not, I see a lot of people recirculating with spray heads/rings).

Also planned is a frame on wheels so I can leave it setup and just wheel it all out into the garden on brewday. So much to do, so little time!

Thanks for all your kind comments, good to be on the forum at last!