Beer Forum

Okay... I finally got off of my fat ass and retrofitted my wort chiller with the Jamil style whirlpool. While attempting to prime my pump to kick off the whirlpool, it fired out its load of hot wort ( ala Shat)... I damn near burned my face off. What's the trick of getting these pumps primed and save most of my face?

I disconnect the tubing from the whirlpool return, lower it to the ground and let some wort run into a cup. then hook the tube back up to the return and turn on the pump. It helps a little if the pump sits so that the input is on the bottom and the output on the top, but mine is side to side and it works ok.

DannyW wrote:I disconnect the tubing from the whirlpool return, lower it to the ground and let some wort run into a cup. then hook the tube back up to the return and turn on the pump. It helps a little if the pump sits so that the input is on the bottom and the output on the top, but mine is side to side and it works ok.

FWIW, I don't think that the orientation matters one wit. The important thing is to make sure that the head gets wet. As in life....

Let me explain my take on Danny's procedure....

1) Remove Pants
2) Disconnect the hose from the chiller, and keep it above the wort level
3) Open both valves (kettle and pump)
4) Slowly lower the end until the hose is filled - then quickly raise it up (to purge any air trapped in your dip tube)
5) Lower it back down until it is mostly filled again
6) Close the valve on the pump
7) Hook the hose back up to the chiller
Turn the pump on
9) Tasty crack open the valve


Mylo

Don't forget to be sure those damn hose clamps are tight! The connections get loose at brewing temps and pressures resulting in an Oh Shit moment.

Mylo - I think this now makes sense to me. I have not hooked up a pump yet.

You are keeping the hose from the bottom of the kettle connected to the inlet side of the pump and only disconnect the tubing from the outlet side of the pump where it returns at the top of the kettle so you can prime the pump?

I have mine set up so the pump is below the kettle outlet. The pump inlet is below the pump outlet.

I lift the chiller so that the whirlpool outlet is just at the surface, this is to minimize splashing.

Then I open the kettle valve. Wort flows into the tubing, pushing air out the whirlpool outlet.

Then I flip the switch on the pump, until wort starts flowing and then lower the whole chiller so that the whirlpool outlet is below the surface.

It doesn't take but a moment and there is no need to disconnect/reconnect any parts. I'm sure other's setups might require different procedures, but the way it works for me is super easy.

jamilz wrote:I have mine set up so the pump is below the kettle outlet. The pump inlet is below the pump outlet.

I lift the chiller so that the whirlpool outlet is just at the surface, this is to minimize splashing.

Then I open the kettle valve. Wort flows into the tubing, pushing air out the whirlpool outlet.

Then I flip the switch on the pump, until wort starts flowing and then lower the whole chiller so that the whirlpool outlet is below the surface.

It doesn't take but a moment and there is no need to disconnect/reconnect any parts. I'm sure other's setups might require different procedures, but the way it works for me is super easy.

As I'm sure Mylo will point out, you forgot the "remove pants" step.

Seriously, that does sound the simplest. Now all I need is a pump.

Here's mine. Got the idea from someone on the NB forum. Requires a few bucks a trip to the hardware store. Plus, if anyone is watching me brew, I get the mad scientist opening and closing valves thing working for me and that makes me feel important.

Basically, you have a tee off the output of the march pump. Off the tee, you have an output valve and a dump/siphon valve. To prime the pump, the output valve is closed. Open the valve on the kettle. Then open the dump/siphon valve until wort starts to flow out. Close it. Open the output valve. Then open the siphon valve slightly and start the pump. Once you have flow, close the siphon valve (I do this almost immediately). Works like a charm.