Mash tun dead space question

I am currently using a 10 gallon round igloo cooler as a mash tun with a 3/4 stainless braided hose. How can I calculate dead space on this set up? Any responses are greatly appreciated.

Put some water in the cooler, drain it off via your braid. When the drain stops, pour the rest back out into a measuring cup or something. That should give you a good idea of your dead space area.

TO create a suction when draining, attach a hose to the valve on your mash tun. Doing this and keeping the valve only half open should maximize the wort you get from your mash and not create any channeling.

Thank you very much

bknifefight said:

TO create a suction when draining, attach a hose to the valve on your mash tun. Doing this and keeping the valve only half open should maximize the wort you get from your mash and not create any channeling.

Click to expand...

That'll work provided that the braid doesn't go all the way up to the cooler outlet. The siphon will break and drainage stop when the liquid level gets down to the first point that allows air to enter the flow path. If there is an airtight connection from the cooler outlet point down to near the floor of the cooler, either metal or tubing, then the siphon will continue until the liquid drops down to the top of the braid - on the other hand, if the braid goes right up to the cooler outlet/ball valve inlet, then the siphon stops at that level.

Just curious, what does that have to do with mash tun dead space?

dumsboa09 said:

Just curious, what does that have to do with mash tun dead space?

Click to expand...

The dead space is the amount of wort that can't be drained from the tun - it makes a significant difference if the level remaining is only a fraction of an inch above the bottom or all the way up to the spout.

In other words, when air enters the siphon, it stops. The closer to the bottom of the tun that you can get that to happen, the less dead space you get. I have vinyl tubing from the valve to a heavy brass T which sits dead center on the bottom of the tun. My braid is looped around the T. When the liquid level reaches the holes on the brass T, it sucks air and kills the siphon. I have about a pint +/- of dead space.