Adding a whilpool port

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

I have a kettle that came with 2 ports. one is about 3 inches from the bottom and the other is about 6.on the inside on the lower port is a dip tube that goes to about 1/2 from the bottom. On the inside of the upper port is a 90 degree aimed along the side of the kettle. I have been using the upper port as a whirlpool return. My problem is that the whirlpool doesn’t seem to spin very fast and I dont get much of a trub cone. I use a SS hope spider so most of the trub is break I assume. I see whirlpool arms for sale on sights like Brewhardware and they all have long tubes and are installed high on the kettle wall. So here is my question, Is the port that is 6 inches from the bottom in some way incorrect for a whirlpool? should I install another port higher up, or is there some fitting I should use on the existing port to make the whirlpool more effective ?  Thanks in advance for your advice.

–JMG
uh I mean – TURBOGATOR

2

I had the similar questions when I added a whirlpool to my BK. I found from Bobby at Brewhardware that the outlet height of the whirlpool is not critical. You just want to make sure it’s at least 3" off the bottom of your pot and will remain at least 1" below the surface of the wort (be careful to consider all the batch sizes you will use).

3

I added a whirlpool port to my kettle a little higher than half-way up the liquid level.  I think it depends more on the strength of your pump than the location of the port.  I use mine with an external chiller which cuts down on the flow a bit so I use my paddle to give the boiled wort a really good stir before I start chilling.  This helps with the true pile.