Cool Box Mash Tun

Next stage on the path to AG, my cool box mash tun...

It's a work in progress, but basically is a 32L thermos cool box, with a drum tap fitted to the inner wall of the cool box, a copper slotted manifold (this is the next job to complete), which is connected to the back of the drum tap using a hoselock tap connector and piece of 1/2" plastic pipe.

Looks sharp, Blighty! Now, not to piss on your parade, but a couple of comments come to mind...
a) Is your plastic nozzle safe for 170F liquids?
b) Your manifold is a bit close to the sides of your cooler which could lead to channeling. I would consider adding a leg right down the middle. The point being that the wort will tend to channel down the sides for an easy drain through the side legs and you won't get as much 'movement' from the center of your mash. Adding the center leg should solve that by giving wort in the middle of the mash somewhere to go.

Thanks for the advice BeeGee. In response...
1) Yes, the tap can handle mash temps
2) Re centre leg...something like this....



I will add slots on all parts of the manifold, but may reduce the width of the manifold to move it away from the sides...what do you think?

That was fast! I would actually orient the center leg 90 degrees such that it flows directly into the tap. The idea is to give as much wort as possible as short a distance as possible to the drain. Imagine wort entering the center of your center leg...it has to make a much longer journey than if it could flow straight into the drain.

However, I think what you have pictured above will work adequately without modification. The legs in my tun are a little closer to the walls than I would like (due to the narrowness of my cooler), but with a leg in the middle I get good efficiency.

Mmm, I see what you mean.

Would you recommend that I don't slot the legs close to the two side walls?

No, I'd slot them. With three 'vertical' pipes (actually horizontal in your picture, but meaning from back of tun to the drain direction) all slotted I think you would get a pretty even flow from the mash into the manifold. You could really go nuts and leave that transverse pipe you have added in the second pic, but also put the middle pipe in giving you (hope this works):

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(it looked right in the editor, but doesn't as a post...?)

Well, you get the idea. Anyways, you just want to make sure that each square inch of the wort (looking down on your mash) has an equal opportunity to make it into the manifold and to the drain with relative ease (within reason). Making it too easy for one portion of another is what leads to channeling.

OTOH, if you plan to batch sparge I think all this is more or less meaningless...manifold design is much more critical for fly sparging IMO.

Just reduced the width of my manifold to get it away from the sides. Thanks for your help BeeGee.

BlightyBrewer said:

Just reduced the width of my manifold to get it away from the sides. Thanks for your help BeeGee.

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That is so cool! You are modifying your Mash/Lauter tun based on posts from other brewers! Looks like you have made some good changes and I bet it will work like a champ!

RichBrewer said:

That is so cool! You are modifying your Mash/Lauter tun based on posts from other brewers! Looks like you have made some good changes and I bet it will work like a champ!

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Thanks RichBrewer!

Yep, the wonders of a good forum! I'm also on a UK forum receiving some good advice. :rockin:

BlightyBrewer said:

I'm also on a UK forum receiving some good advice.

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At the same time? You slut!

I'm a Homebrew hussy!

El Pistolero said:

At the same time? You slut!

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Traitor! TRAITOR! Ban him! STRING HIM UP BY HIS ANKLES AND SHOVE A LIVING SNAKE UP HIS...

Hi,
Sorry to but in. I recently made a mash tun following the instructions in the book BREW WARE by Lutzen and Stevens. They suggested CPVC pipe. the only difference between mine and yours is that I have two cross over pipes going across the width of the cooler. Following the advice on your thread I narrowed the pipes so that they were further away from the walls. If you are going to connect plastic hose the spigut I would suggest you use hose clamps. I did a dry run using boiling water and I noticed that the plastic hoses became soft and I was afraid that they might fall off the spigut.

Regards

David

Michael_Schaap said:

Traitor! TRAITOR! Ban him! STRING HIM UP BY HIS ANKLES AND SHOVE A LIVING SNAKE UP HIS...

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That's a bit harsh....what happened to the legendary "laid back" forum???

davidkrau said:

Hi,
Sorry to but in. I recently made a mash tun following the instructions in the book BREW WARE by Lutzen and Stevens. They suggested CPVC pipe. the only difference between mine and yours is that I have two cross over pipes going across the width of the cooler. Following the advice on your thread I narrowed the pipes so that they were further away from the walls. If you are going to connect plastic hose the spigut I would suggest you use hose clamps. I did a dry run using boiling water and I noticed that the plastic hoses became soft and I was afraid that they might fall off the spigut.

Regards

David

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Hey, you're not butting in, just contributing to the forums! Thanks for the input BTW. This had crossed my mind regarding the manifold attachment to the back of the tap.

I've improved the manifold further. Here's the final result prior to soldering the long arms (with lead-free solder of course):

BlightyBrewer said:

Thanks RichBrewer!

Yep, the wonders of a good forum! I'm also on a UK forum receiving some good advice. :rockin:

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What forum is that? I'd like to check it out. Nice looking mash tun btw- I've got to come up with something similar for my round cooler. right now I'm using a SS hosebraid. It works, but not as well as I'd like; I get channeling, reducing efficiency.

Hmmm, if I had to guess I would guess JimsHomeBrewForum. BlightyBrewer had mentioned this one before (am I right?) He's right, its a good place too.
http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/index.php?mforum=jimsbrewingforu&act=idx

BlightyBrewer said:

That's a bit harsh....what happened to the legendary "laid back" forum???

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I was having a "History of the world, Part I" moment

Hi, This is the guy who butted in. I Think I like yours better than mine I like your 3 cross pieces. If mine dosen't work out I'll copy yours in copper.

David

ablrbrau said:

What forum is that? I'd like to check it out. Nice looking mash tun btw- I've got to come up with something similar for my round cooler. right now I'm using a SS hosebraid. It works, but not as well as I'd like; I get channeling, reducing efficiency.

Click to expand...

Michael_Schaap got it in one, the "other" forum I am a member of is indeed JimsHomeBrewForum. The administrator, Jim, also has some good pages on Home Brewing tips and techniques (for All Grain)...just follow the link at the top of the page.

http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/?mforum=jimsbrewingforu