Weighting down false bottom ?

I'm preparing to make the move to all-grain soon. My MLT will be a 10 gallon Igloo cooler with a 12 inch SS false bottom. I have heard that some people have had problems with the edge of the FB lifting up during stirring and allowing grain to get under the FB. I have seen where someone is slitting a length of 3/8 inch silicone tubing and putting it around the edge of the FB to make a gasket, and someone else was putting ball bearings around the edge to weigh down the FB. I had another idea - take a length of 1/2 inch (3/4 OD) silicone tubing just long enough to go around the bottom of the cooler (on top of the edge of the FB) and fill the tubing with something to weigh it down, then close off the ends. The weight would hold the FB down during stirring and help to keep grain away from the edge of the FB, and maybe also reduce the amount of dead space at the bottom of the cooler, and maybe even help prevent channeling around the edge of the grain bed. I haven't yet figured out what to fill the tubing with or how to close off the ends, but just wanted to run it by the experts here to see if you think there is any merit to the idea at all? Also would appreciate any ideas for what to use to fill the tubing and how to close off the ends. I have thought of SS ball bearings and marbles for the former and SS hose clamps for the latter - anything better?

at the end of SS braid you can attach a SS hose clamp. Just a cheap idea.

Adam78K said:

at the end of SS braid you can attach a SS hose clamp. Just a cheap idea.

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SS braid???

My 12 inch false bottom in my Igloo cooler has NEVER lifted. I wouldn't worry about it.

The only time I've heard of this problem is with plastic false bottoms...and let me tell you, it IS an issue!

Shooter said:

The only time I've heard of this problem is with plastic false bottoms...and let me tell you, it IS an issue!

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Ah- good point! The SS false bottoms are heavy enough that they stay put. My small, 5 gallon Igloo, has a SS bottom too. It's much smaller, but with the tube on it to the ballvalve, it holds just fine also. I think the SS bottoms must just have enough weight in them to not move.

I've only used the 5 gallon MLT once. But it looks nice and works great as an HLT, and I just keep the false bottom in it all the time.

I believe it is a weight issue. My grain setup uses a pair of food grade buckets and a plastic false bottom. The first time I used the thing it was floating up and the area where the foundation water should have been was filled with grain. Needless to say, I had a SEVERELY stuck sparge. Now that I'm aware of it, I know how to deal with it, but I'll probably build a larger cooler setup in the near future and upgrade to a stainless false bottom as well.

YooperBrew said:

My 12 inch false bottom in my Igloo cooler has NEVER lifted. I wouldn't worry about it.

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Same here. I have had no issues with my Northern Brewer SS false bottom lifting or getting a stuck sparge.

Thanks for the replies - looks like that's one less thing I have to worry about!

I'll give this thread a bump with my weekend experience.
I've got a 10gal round cooler MLT (the standard build) and a 12" SS false bottom.
While I don't think it would ever lift on it's own, but because of some figorous stirring, I managed to get a little grain below the bottom which immediatly plugged my system during the sparging.

Had to pour the batch into a waiting bucket, remove the tubing, clear the grain, put it back together, pour the mash back into the tun and restart the vorlauf.

Sorry to resurrect this but just came across it, and it's a bit relevant. Necessary compromises after being used to a dedicated Spike MT and going to a smaller, more humble unit - Igloo with ss false bottom. Not a fan of the split silicone ring - I find it a PITA to try and keep it around the false bottom while trying to squeeze the false bottom into place, under the spigot assembly. It wants to roll as the FB is so tight. I've had one stuck mash, and when I emptied and started over in the middle of the mash, there was a ton of mash that had gotten underneath. I'm considering just going to my BK as a mash tun, and using the Igloo only as a lautering vessel as stirring especially when stepping was a drag.

Do I understand people don't use the silicone ring, just go with the FB even though it's smaller in diameter than the Igloo bottom itself?

fwiw, I solved that problem a little differently.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/fb-gasket-for-10g-rubbermader-mlt.381111/
I reposted the pictures at least a couple of times, check near the end of the thread...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

fwiw, I solved that problem a little differently.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/fb-gasket-for-10g-rubbermader-mlt.381111/
I reposted the pictures at least a couple of times, check near the end of the thread...

Cheers!

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Thanks a lot trippr - went with Bobby's below but appreciate the link!

Bobby_M said:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/brewbuiltgasket10.htm

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Just ordered. Thanks man!

Bobby_M said:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/brewbuiltgasket10.htm

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Finding 10 gallon Igloo too big for anything other than higher gravity 5 gallon batches - mash/filter bed too shallow. Picked up a 5 gallon igloo and false bottom where I work, but Bobby, or anyone, I queried you on your site whether you carry the gasket for a 9"/5 gallon? Hate to try that split silicone tubing thing again, if I can help it...

Gadjobrinus said:

Finding 10 gallon Igloo too big for anything other than higher gravity 5 gallon batches - mash/filter bed too shallow. Picked up a 5 gallon igloo and false bottom where I work, but Bobby, or anyone, I queried you on your site whether you carry the gasket for a 9"/5 gallon? Hate to try that split silicone tubing thing again, if I can help it...

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Have you considered using a BIAB bag in the cooler?

Or a bazooka tube?