ss toilet braid VS bazooka screen

Thought on these two?

I know a lot of people use the 1/2" toilet braid. IMO, the better alternative, and a compromise to purchasing a bazooka screen, would be a 3/4" water heater supply braid. They are larger and more rigid. I have used mine with over 21lbs of grain without any issues.

That would be my suggestion.

Schnitzengiggle said:

I know a lot of people use the 1/2" toilet braid. IMO, the better alternative, and a compromise to purchasing a bazooka screen, would be a 3/4" water heater supply braid. They are larger and more rigid. I have used mine with over 21lbs of grain without any issues.

That would be my suggestion.

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Yep this is true...a toilet braid is about 5 bucks, a water heater braid about ten...both will work but for the extra 5 bucks, go large.

Never used a Bazooka, but I really can't imagine it doing much more or less than a water heater braid.

They both work, as far as I can tell from reading the forums. I use the Bargain Fittings kit with the large size braid (it's about 9 in. long). It works great.

I use a FB but seriously considered both of these items before saving up and buying the FB. That being said think the main drawback is the possibility of collapsing and a relatively Low surface area compared to false bottoms or manifolds( depending on the design and the type of MLT ).
If I HAD to choose between the two I would do SS braided large hose over heavy gauge Copper or SS wire coiled (wrapped around a 1/2" rod to make a spring) or copper pipe with a lot of holes or perforations.

No issues with the water heater ss hose. I have 1 1/2"x1/2" ss bolt clamped in the end of the line. Have been up to 30% wheat with no rice hulls or issues. I was planning on making a manifold or buying a false bottom, but with the lack of issues and brewday drama, I will leave it alone unless something changes.

I just bought a cooler and don't know how to set it up. It's the coleman extreme with wheels and the drain in a strange place and not big enough for a bazooka sleeve or a manifold

Made it. Then had to go outa town for a while. Need to fix it but how can I make this better. And it's an odd shape how do you get all the liquid out while draining? Anyone use this cooler?

Schnitzengiggle said:

I know a lot of people use the 1/2" toilet braid. IMO, the better alternative, and a compromise to purchasing a bazooka screen, would be a 3/4" water heater supply braid. They are larger and more rigid. I have used mine with over 21lbs of grain without any issues.

That would be my suggestion.

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Do you have a spring inside the braid to keep it from collapsing?

This is what my braid looks like right now? When I vorlauf, I still notice particles of grain getting in to my wort, I see it during the boil... does anyone think my braid is the problem? Like th small holes? Or maybe I just need to improve my technique ...

I had a SS braid and was fairly unhappy with it after watching it crush under a grain bed. I now use a false bottom and and incredibly happy with the decision to switch.

Mine has a as spring in it. Won't collapse on me

thomasben said:

Do you have a spring inside the braid to keep it from collapsing?

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No I don't, a SS heater supply braid ain't gonna collapse, trust me. 21+ lbs of grain no issues. FWIW, I will be brewing a Tripel Wednesday, an there will be almost 23 lbs of grain in the mash for my 10gallon batch.

IIRC, there was a thread a while back about a guy who did put a spring in his, and I think he decided to remove it for some reason or another. The only benefit I would see to having a spring inside is to not kink or damage the braid during dough-in with vigorous stirring and such.

Also, I have never seen a collapsed braid, I'd imagine the braid would look strange and would not return to its original shape without some help.

I bought that same cooler! It was on sale through Walmart.com. But as soon as I saw the drain location, I returned it. I have this one coming next week: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-45-qt-Wheeled-Ice-Chest/20613578

Just switched to the water heater braid. Difference is significant. While shorter than the braid I used, it is wider and much more rigid. Planning to do a California commons and a vanilla porter so I will see how it does compared to the old braid I had been using.

I use a loop of slotted copper tubing with SS braid pulled over it...I get the filtration and the support.

I've done 4 AG batches now with my home depot mash tun (cooler and SS braid). For what it's worth, I don't see any problems with the set up. In my area, they sell the line as simply "supply line" (toilet, sink, dishwasher, etc.) The plans for an MLT recommended a 12" line; I used a 16" and it fits a 10 gal cooler with only a slight bend. I haven't had any issues with it collapsing or allowing sediment through, nor have I had any issues with it floating up in the mash. I am careful not to stir too deep and I am careful when cleaning it. I dont know what bazooka tubes are going for, but the the money, I would recommend the supply line first.

I have a bazooka screen in a 10 Rubbermaid cylindrical cooler. I've had no problems save for a stuck sparge on a recent hefeweizen but that's just cause I opened the valve up too much.

i just did my first 10 gallon batch yesterday with 26 pounds of grain and it took 2 hours to drain my mash tun due to my cheap braided line i will def look into the spring idea if i can find one to fit inside my braid or just try a water heater hose or use copper for a manifold.

False bottom ftw. I heard you can have channeling issues with braids or screens but I can't say for sure.

uncommonsense said:

False bottom ftw. I heard you can have channeling issues with braids or screens but I can't say for sure.

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Not if you batch sparge, which is the best way to use either of them. You can't get channeling with batch sparging.

I use the water heater braid in the 10 gallon round cooler.
No stuck sparges, With a good vorlauf it runs clear, It doesn't collapse.
And it was cheap.

I find the braiding gets stretched and flattened out after a while from both the weight of the grains and water and getting it caught up in my paddle while stirring. I have to take it apart and crimp it back up. the bazooka seems to be much harder and tougher and will handle the wieght.

Eddiebosox said:

I find the braiding gets stretched and flattened out after a while from both the weight of the grains and water and getting it caught up in my paddle while stirring. I have to take it apart and crimp it back up. the bazooka seems to be much harder and tougher and will handle the wieght.

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Mine got stretched and flattened out about a year ago. Now it looks like the paper from a straw that's been crumpled up in your hand. Still works like a charm. Did a 1.069 target (75%) dubbel yesterday, hit 1.069.

I've used both a braid and bazooka screens. The bazooka was hands down better for me, it even comes with the 1/2 npt fitting. By the time you're done mucking about with a braid, fitting, inserting a spring, the cost of a bazooka is insignificant and you know everything is rigid and stainless.

I have the 70qt Coleman cooler, so I even have two bazookas! I cut the end open on one, and clamped in the second so it stretches the entire length of the cooler.

What the hell are you guys doing to your braids??? I've used the same one for 425 batches and up to 75 lb. of grain. No stretching, no flattening, no messing with a spring inside....

Does anyone know the lead content of the water heater braids?

logdrum said:

does anyone know the lead content of the water heater braids?

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0%

Denny said:

Not if you batch sparge, which is the best way to use either of them. You can't get channeling with batch sparging.

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Technically, you do get channeling. But, it does not matter because all the sugar is mixed up in the liquid. Channeling=fast and that is why batch sparging is awesome.

Beerrific said:

Technically, you do get channeling. But, it does not matter because all the sugar is mixed up in the liquid. Channeling=fast and that is why batch sparging is awesome.

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Well, that's a different definition of channeling than what I think of.

Denny said:

Well, that's a different definition of channeling than what I think of.

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Me too.

On a completely unrelated bent, I am glad we have taken to calling the braid a "water heater braid" rather than a "toilet braid". The later was making me a bit queasy...

Montanaandy said:

Me too.

On a completely unrelated bent, I am glad we have taken to calling the braid a "water heater braid" rather than a "toilet braid". The later was making me a bit queasy...

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Dude, mine is from a toilet hookup line...no way around it.

Denny said:

Dude, mine is from a toilet hookup line...no way around it.

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I know, mine is too but I just don't want to think about it

Think of it as a point of pride. You can still make great beer with surplus toilet parts. For what it's worth, I use a Home Depot 10 gallon, and it's been good to me so far with batch-sparging (thank you Denny) No stuck sparges, no collapsing. I had a bazooka screen in my brew kettle...it's clogs with even a modest hop brew.
I did put a brass plug on the end of the toilet supply line to keep it from floating as well.

KarlHungus76 said:

Think of it as a point of pride. You can still make great beer with surplus toilet parts. For what it's worth, I use a Home Depot 10 gallon, and it's been good to me so far with batch-sparging (thank you Denny) No stuck sparges, no collapsing. I had a bazooka screen in my brew kettle...it's clogs with even a modest hop brew.
I did put a brass plug on the end of the toilet supply line to keep it from floating as well.

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I was just messing around. My system is such a Rube Goldberg setup that I could care less if the mesh I use in the cooler is from a toilet supply line vs a water heater supply line - unless we are talking a used toilet supply line. That might pose a potential problem...

Montanaandy said:

I was just messing around. My system is such a Rube Goldberg setup that I could care less if the mesh I use in the cooler is from a toilet supply line vs a water heater supply line - unless we are talking a used toilet supply line. That might pose a potential problem...

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What problem? You're going to boil the wort right after it flows through the used toilet water braid, right?


[EDIT]
Ah crap! Sorry for the Zombie thread. That's what happens when you do a Google search and one of the hits you get is a thread on a forum you already spend a lot of time on. I got interested in the thread and forgot how I got here.

Apologies.
[/EDIT]