mash tun manifold design

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GrogNerd

mean old man
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need help with the design of my manifold for the mash tun

will be purchasing the Coleman 70 quart extreme. Interior measures 24½ in wide and 10½ in deep on the bottom

calculations from Palmer's How to Brew, I've figured my spacing between 3 legs at X=3, so the distance from the wall is X/2 = 1½

wouldn't be a problem if I could find a ½" CPVC cross fitting. the middle leg would plug into one end, the pipes out to the side legs would fit on either side and the connections to the spigot and out would be on the opposite end.

can't find one. I found stainless cross fittings, which I could use with stainless to CPVC fittings, but all that would double the cost of the manifold

so, without a cross fitting, here's the design I came up with:
(pipes are GREY, T sections BLUE, elbows GREEN)
manifold-design-1.jpg

my other design is going straight out the spigot from the middle leg with caps at the end of the outer legs. disadvantage of this design is the length of tubing the wort has to travel from the ends of the outer legs
(capped end in RED)
manifold-design-2.jpg

any suggestions for better design?


"use a bazooka screen" is NOT a good suggestion, nor a better design
 
This is mine, all copper, no solder so it can be taken apart to clean, holes are drilled on the underside about every 1/2". Works great!

image-3873324832.jpg
 
Your first design looks good... Just lay it out in the cooler (the joints) before you start cutting, and make sure you have clearance to get to the outlet port on the cooler...

There is no one 'right way' . . .
I would put your cuts or holes on the underside of your pipes...

Looks good!
 
What's the general consensus on holes versus slats?

Getting ready to ditch my braided coil.
 
I first tried slots but it severely weakened the design, so I drilled lots (I mean lots!) of 1/16" holes. Must stronger.
 
I use the same cooler and made up the manifold with '90' and 'T' fittings only (with the exception of the bulkhead fitting out of the Tun)
I used 1/2 cpvc and did not glue it up... it's a friction at room temp but tightens up nicely when heated to mash temp- never had it come apart during a mash and pulls apart for cleaning easily later.
I used 4 tubes across the long dimension of the mashtun, with the outer lengths about 1" from the walls and the inner tubes about 1" from the outer tubes
Tried to do an illustration using text but it didn't come out right... don't want to confuse the issue.
I have never had a stuck mash using this manifold and would recommend it as a simple, easy to clean option for a rectangular cooler like the coleman
I'll try to add a picture or two in a subsequent post
 
FYI- the 'assembled' pic is showing the ' bottom' side... the slots cut would be facing the floor of the mashtun
 
got the cooler, piecing together the parts, just waiting on the fittings

still need to drill holes/cut slots. leaning towards holes

IMG_8297.jpg
 
in the mail today: bulkhead nipple + locknuts + o-rings + ball valve + hose barb

sorry, Bobby_M... your shop was closed

I hooked everything up and at first it looked like it was just a hair too small; the o-rings were being squeezed into the bulkhead.

BUT! the plastic gasket from the cooler's spigot fit on the nipple just fine and looks like it forms a good seal

inside, the manifold is a little tight, longitudinally (I LOVE that word) but that can be good to keep it in place during dough-in.

so, except for drilling holes/cutting slots, my whole rig is ready to go
 
I need to place another order with Bobby. I'm just waiting for the grand re-opening.

I did the same - with the original gasket. First I pulled some insulation from around the opening and back filled with some J.B. Weld. I read some had some trouble with the wall collapsing and/or bits of wort or water leaking into the insulation. I just put the whole thing back together last night but have not tested for water tightness.

I now need to make a manifold, but now - after all this - I may change directions and go with a direct fired MLT. I can alway just have a new cooler.
 
conditioning my aluminum kettle figure it's a good time for testing boil-off rate (3 qts/hr) plus how long it takes to reach strike temp (30 minutes) and boil (45 minutes)

also need to test for leaks in the MLT, so I pour that water into the cooler. ambient temp is 43°, pour 185° water in and it settles out at 175°. seeing how it holds temp without the grain (I know... thermal mass, blah blah woof woof). drip. drip. drip.

gonna need some teflon tape
 
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