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whiskey_pickle · 03-15-2010, 09:04 PM

I have searched and searched and can not find anyone who has just drill/cut a hole in the bottom of a keg and welded a sleeve, be it 3/8 " or 1/2" and just plumbed straight out instead of going with a dip tube and having to siphon. ( I know a lot of guys use pumps) However, I am skeptical for this reason too. (not seeing or reading of anyone doing this). I was thinking about a straight shoot right out the bottom with a SS false bottom into an elbow to gravity feed the boil pot. Anyone?

BTW, I am not going to be heating directly with this setup, just a simple batch sparge. Heat trace and insulation to keep heat in.

Much appreciated!

ggoodman · 03-15-2010, 09:20 PM

that would certainly work I think the main reason most people dont is to maintain the ability to heat the pot/keg. But if your never going to heat it.... drill and go

**Mirage** · 03-15-2010, 09:25 PM

Will the insulation keep it hot enough?

whiskey_pickle · 03-15-2010, 09:34 PM

I am still experimenting with the heat trace, which a pipe-fitter friend of mine gave me. Basically it is 75 foot of extension cord wrapped with a SS mesh and I attached it around the keg from bottom to top. It is supposed to get up to 172F, so I am thinking with that and insulation that I should be able to keep within a degree or two for 60 minutes.

http://www.heatersplus.com/srtrace.htm

This is the heat trace and the longer the length the hotter it gets. I was just interested if anyone had ever plunged through the bottom and what if any adverse effects were.

Mucho Thanko!

**Bobby_M** · 03-15-2010, 09:53 PM

Given your plan for temp maintenance, a bottom drain style bulkhead is perfect. Make sure you work out a plan to hold the false bottom down. If you have female threads facing inside the tun, drill a bunch of holes in the sides of a pipe nipple to maintain drainage, but then that it go up through the FB and hold it down with a pipe cap.

Of course your stand has to be built to allow for this. It's not something you can throw on a table top.

whiskey_pickle · 03-15-2010, 10:03 PM

Thanks Bobby, I didn't take that into account, I just thought the weight of the mash would hold it down. Going to have to re-think some things now. If I would place a nipple with holes drilled in it and thread a cap on top top of the FB and thread that into the nipple in the bottom?

**Bobby_M** · 03-15-2010, 10:19 PM

That's one way to do it. You could also have two pieces of threaded rod tack welded to the bottom that stick up through the FB where you'd put maybe wingnuts on. You really don't want the FB to move at all when you're mash paddling briskly.

whiskey_pickle · 03-15-2010, 10:36 PM

Very good idea! I think i will try the wing-nuts, SS of course. What is a good FB for this application and by good I mean sturdy. I left the all-grain for a few years after sampling a friends extract and got kinda busy with work, but now I am back and want to finish the system I started 3 years ago! Before I used a cooler with a homemade SS braid that worked well but I want to up the ante and go with Kegs for the entire process. Again, thanks for the insight!