So I just fashioned myself a cooler mash tun and I made a manifold on the bottom with some PVC piping that I drilled small holes into. I had issues with the piping getting clogged during the sparge and even during the transfer of wort to the kettle. I had the manifold with the holes facing up during the mash. I want to fix this for my next brew. Any suggestions?
Manifold for coleman cooler mash tun
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Schnitzengiggle
Well-Known Member
Holes or slots in the manifold should face down in your MLT. Or you can purchase a braided 3/4" water heater supply hose, cut the ends off, and use that for your MLT. The latter is what I do, and I have had over 21lbs of grain in my MLT without any issues.
I agree with Schnitz, you would want to do the holes down. Gravity or something makes the liquid come out. I also use the braided the house. If you do that, make sure its the HOT WATER HEATER one and not in the faucet section. I wasted 2 houses that way. I also use a fairly thick copper wire and make a spiral to insert inside the braid to give it some extra support.
dbrewski
Well-Known Member
use of PVC can create off flavors according to Palmer:
Solvent-like
This group of flavors is very similar to the alcohol and ester flavors, but are harsher to the tongue. These flavors often result from a combination of high fermentation temperatures and oxidation. They can also be leached from cheap plastic brewing equipment or if PVC tubing is used as a lautering manifold material. The solvents in some plastics like PVC can be leached by high temperatures.
Solvent-like
This group of flavors is very similar to the alcohol and ester flavors, but are harsher to the tongue. These flavors often result from a combination of high fermentation temperatures and oxidation. They can also be leached from cheap plastic brewing equipment or if PVC tubing is used as a lautering manifold material. The solvents in some plastics like PVC can be leached by high temperatures.
brewmax25
Well-Known Member
$h#t. Well looks like ill be making myself a new manifold this week for my Friday brew.
Looks like I did everything wrong. I used PVC and the holes were face up.
I'm just going to make a copper manifold.
Thanks for the help.
Looks like I did everything wrong. I used PVC and the holes were face up.
I'm just going to make a copper manifold.
Thanks for the help.
Good advice here!
ClarnoBrewer
Well-Known Member
I used a round cooler with a ss braid for a long time. Then I switched to a rectangular cooler and made a copper manifold. I used a band saw to saw thin slices halfway through the pipe, and put that side down. I didn't solder it together. It just pushes together and fits pretty snug in the bottom. It makes it easier to clean.
WestCoastHopper
Well-Known Member
Here's my copper manifold. It works fine (75% efficiency). I didn't solder anything, just press fit and squeeze with pliers. It makes it easier to clean and adjust, and does not come apart. Oh, and the slots on face down in actual production mode, I had just pressed it together in this shot .
If you have access to an angle grinder, it makes cutting the slots a lot easier.
If you have access to an angle grinder, it makes cutting the slots a lot easier.
A trick to keep the burrs out of the copper or CPVC pipe is to put a 1/2" wood dowel through the pipe before cutting the slots. Fewer burrs are created because the wood acts like a backing for the saw cut. The burrs that are created are mostly removed when pulling the dowel out.
sniperd
Well-Known Member
I used copper, slots down. My Dremel made short work of the metal. I've never had a stuck mash with this setup, doing up to 36lbs of grain at a time in my cooler.
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