CPVC manifold, slots on top or bottom?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ndhowlett

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Messages
123
Reaction score
2
Location
Mountains
Searched and found little on this topic. Sage advice would be appreciated.

Moving from a steel braid to a cpvc manifold in my mash tun. No particular reason, just bored and curious about how the two will stack up as far as efficiency.

Should I cut the slots on the bottom or top of the cpvc? My thoughts are as follows. If I cut the slots on top there is more dead space and the potential for the slots to get clogged (more dead space effecting efficiency being more important here). If I cut the slots on the bottom it will effect flow.

Right now I'm thinking about alternating my slots left and right of center on the bottom of the cpvc and have it lay on the bottom of the converted cooler.

Thoughts?
 
I built one and put the slots on the bottom, no issues with flow and of course no issues with a stuck sparge.
 
I cut mine on the bottom, half-way through the pipe. Works great, and almost no dead space.
 
Thanks guys!

Any thoughts on angling the manifold so it lays on the bottom of the tun. I think it can be accomplished with an extra T and 90 degree elbow.
 
Yeah I used a "T" in the middle with a short nipple and a 45. I roll the "T" up 45 degrees and use the 45 to flatten it back out.
 
It bends pretty easily if you heat it with a flame. for those times when you don't want to spend $3 in gas to get a 15 cent part. Just don't burn it.
 
Mine is PEX, 1/8th inch hole on the bottom.

P1010434.jpg
 
Bottom. I cut slots in it with a Dremel/Cutoff wheel. Works well, but you have to trim out all the little "flakes" still holding on to the CPVC. I drilled my cooler at an angle so the drain comes "up" from the valve to meet the manifold which lays flat on the bottom of the coler. Guess you'd need to see it to get the point. I can take pictures if you'd like.
 
jamboparty said:
I cut mine on the bottom, half-way through the pipe. Works great, and almost no dead space.

I put mine on the bottom as well, but I'm not sure you get more or less dead space either way?
 
If your holes are on the top, once the fluid level gets to them, you lose siphon and you can't lauter any more. This will leave a volume of wort in the bottom equivalent to the footprint of your tun, 1 inch deep. If they are on the bottom, you have positive pressure almost the whole time, and you leave a fraction of the liquid behind.
 
But won't the wort level only go as low as the outlet out of the cooler? In other words, if your outlet valve is a half inch off the bottom, that's as far down as the level can possibly go. It's been awhile since I studied fluid flow, but it's similar to what makes a sight glass work right?
 
Yes but if you have tubing attached , the lowest point becomes the end of the tubing, which is well below the bottom of the tun.
 
erikhild59 said:
Yes but if you have tubing attached , the lowest point becomes the end of the tubing, which is well below the bottom of the tun.

Doh! I'm an idiot
 
Anybody have any suggestions for my cpvc manifold. I've used it 4 times now and it is getting to the point where at the joints want to slip away during the mash. Is there a food safe glue to put these pieces together so that my manifold doesn't fall apart during a mash.
 
Anybody have any suggestions for my cpvc manifold. I've used it 4 times now and it is getting to the point where at the joints want to slip away during the mash. Is there a food safe glue to put these pieces together so that my manifold doesn't fall apart during a mash.

Actually I do have your solution. Instead of using 90's for your corners use t's and extend the piping until it hits the wall of the cooler. Put end caps on extended pipe and it should fit snug(takes some trimming). I also used some cpvc cement at strategic points so that my manifold held together but could still be disassembled for cleaning.
 
i guess that where I was going to next....but is cpvc cement ok for use in this manner....food safe...etc?
 
Cpvc cement is intended as the adhesive for potable water connections. I used it vary sparingly as (qtip instead of the applicator in the can) since you don't need a pressurized joint connection.
 
i guess that where I was going to next....but is cpvc cement ok for use in this manner....food safe...etc?

You don't want to cement, because you will want to clean it thoroughly after use. I use natural cotton string and tie across the side, keeping it tight. Natually, keeping the 4 sides tight will keep the manifold together even during stirring.
 
Is the manifold coming apart typically a problem?

BTW I did a test with my new build just to see how much water it would pull out. It went well below where the middle 90 was, that pulls it out of the cooler. Pretty much to the very bottom of the cooler with only about I'd guess a couple/few cups of water were left over. I'm ecstatic.

Thanks for the help guys!! Brewing tomorrow with my new toy!! Stoked!!!!!!
 
Is the manifold coming apart typically a problem?

BTW I did a test with my new build just to see how much water it would pull out. It went well below where the middle 90 was, that pulls it out of the cooler. Pretty much to the very bottom of the cooler with only about I'd guess a couple/few cups of water were left over. I'm ecstatic.

Thanks for the help guys!! Brewing tomorrow with my new toy!! Stoked!!!!!!
No, but if you are stirring in your mash, or decoction, it may come apart. Then you are stuck having to bury your hand in hot mash to fix it. Best to err of the safe side.
 
You don't want to cement, because you will want to clean it thoroughly after use. I use natural cotton string and tie across the side, keeping it tight. Natually, keeping the 4 sides tight will keep the manifold together even during stirring.

I just rinse mine out... you are boiling the wort so it will kill anything if there is anything to kill. and if you want a more thorough cleaning you can just assemble the manifold in your cooler and fill/soak with hot pbw/oxy solution like you'd clean normally. So I wouldn't thinks a problem if its all one piece. I leave mine in sections though and just rinse
 
No, but if you are stirring in your mash, or decoction, it may come apart. Then you are stuck having to bury your hand in hot mash to fix it. Best to err of the safe side.

This sucks by the way...definitely a better safe than sorry situation.

You don't want to cement, because you will want to clean it thoroughly after use. I use natural cotton string and tie across the side, keeping it tight. Natually, keeping the 4 sides tight will keep the manifold together even during stirring.

That sounds like a good idea. I use copper and want to be able to take it apart so I think this will fix all my problems. Thanks! :mug:
 
sweet....ok then...cpvc cement it is then. the purple stuff right?

The orange is what I used but I've been seeing some confusion. On Oatey's website they say the yellow is for potable water but I've read on a couple other sites that orange is ok too. I haven't done another batch yet so I might buy a couple new pieces and a jar of yellow just to be on the safe side.


Uni-weld says it's fine: http://www.elchem.com/UniWeld_Submittals/Uni-Weld 3200 Series LOW-VOC CPVC Medium Orange.pdf



And here's another thread on the subject where the OP has used orange with a purple primer: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/new-sparge-arm-cleaning-cpvc-mash-80501/
 
just a shot of my 10 gallon rubbermaid cpvc manifold, connected with high temp tubing and a vinyl screw on hose barb. (bad cell pic) I didn't use any cement, fits snug, breaks down for thorough cleaning after every few batches.

Slots cut with dremel cut off wheel and cleaned with small file. I tend to crush on the fine side so I use a strainer bag to prevent clogging/stuck run off.

 
Back
Top