building a manifold

gonna build my manifold tonight... Using CPVC and was wondering, how big the slits can be. Should I DRILL holes along the manifold and if so, what diameter is best, or can I use my Miter Saw to cut the slits... I think the blade is an 1/8".

thanx

Camper

dremel tool if you have one. make slits.... My buddy wanted to help make mine so he taped along the bottom and measured and marked each cut.. took the dremel and a cutting wheel and cut slits just deep enough to go through.. clean up the cuts and you are done.

Use slits not holes and 1/8 is too big. If you know anyone with a bandsaw, That is what I used and it is great. You can really control your depth of cut.

gotcha... I have a hacksaw... I guess that would work...

slits jsut under halfway through was how i did my copper manifold. i started with a dremel, it was taking too long, so i switched to an air powered cut off wheel. i couldnt imagine making all those cuts with a hack saw.

I was about to ask this same question when I saw this thread. Thanks for the information!

I've read that spacing is typically about every 1/2". Is that correct?

Here's a picture just like the manifold I made for a 52 quart Coleman Xtreme.



Got the picture and idea from another post on this site [link]. So much useful info here!

Hey, that looks pretty good but it's not ideal to have all four tubes have to deliver the wort from the right all the way to the left and then to the center tube. If you can put some tees and crosses in at about the middle of the cooler to get all four tubes into the center, that's better.

OK, thanks for the tip, Bobby! I'll head back to Home Depot and see what I can come up with

Yes, a hacksaw will work just fine. Cut slits about half way through the tube, and cut plenty of them. Technically you can drill holes, but you'd need to drill small ones, like 1/16" or smaller. It's just not worth the time, go with slits.

Firebat138 said:

gotcha... I have a hacksaw... I guess that would work...

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That's exactly what I did.

ok... here is what i have so far



do i need tees in the middle... and how the heck do i connect it to my valve... lol...

couple comments. I'd move the manifold at least 1/2" to an 1" away from the sides of the cooler to prevent water channeling down the smooth sides of the cooler. Also i would add some T's in the middle. For the T next to the valve, swap it out for a 4 way union and then use a short piece of PVC to connect to a sweat to 1/2" npt adapter

I would build it so you have four length wise tubes with slits and have three t joints and 2 elbows on the side close to the valve and two elbows and 2 t's on the far side. then connect the extra t to the valve to drain.

hmmm... need a picture for that one... lol...

was that a typo... " a sweat to 1/2" npt adapter"

what i was thinking for the manifold would be two have 4 longitudinal tubes and then a free t joint near the drain to connect to the bulk head/ valve what have you.

do you have a ball valve on the outside of the cooler?

ok... if I have three t's and 2 corner on ONE side... that is too wide for the cooler... i mean it fits, but i cant stay away from the sides like you said... that ok? And I have to buy rubber washers to make up the difference for the cooler inside wall... that ok to have in the water?

oh yeah that may be a problem. The reason they suggest you stay away from sides is that the water can channel down the sides easier than through the grain so they don't bring as much sugar with them as if the water were to drain through the grain.

this explains it basically.
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD-1.html

ok...this is the best I can do unless I buy more elbows and tees lol



it is up against the sides, but this is a temporary cooler also... perhaps not cutting as many slits on the side ones would compensate.. ??

Tinga said:

oh yeah that may be a problem. The reason they suggest you stay away from sides is that the water can channel down the sides easier than through the grain so they don't bring as much sugar with them as if the water were to drain through the grain.

this explains it basically.
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD-1.html

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I thought channeling would only be a factor if you are planning in fly sparging. If you batch sparge it shouldn't matter. IMHO.

extra_medium said:

I thought channeling would only be a factor if you are planning in fly sparging. If you batch sparge it shouldn't matter. IMHO.

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If the OP is batch sparging, I don't think a manifold nearly this complex is necessary. As long as you have a way to get all the liquid out you're good. It doesn't matter where from the cooler you pull it from. Edit: Which is basically what extra medium said.

Firebat138 said:

hmmm... need a picture for that one... lol...

was that a typo... " a sweat to 1/2" npt adapter"

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If you look at this, what i was referring to as a sweat connection is the normal press fit of pvc. then the other side of the fitting is 1/2" female thread so you can easily attach a 1/2" nipple to pass thru the cooler wall. you will need high temp silicone orings in the inside to make a leak free seal.

manifolds for batch sparging may not be needed, but they are fun to build and show off.

Here's what I use, made some adjustments after trial and error. notice its away from the walls to minimize channeling. The second photo is the matching sparge manifold. I gravity feed my sparge water from an elevated sparge pot. seems to work well. Next plan is for a SS perforated sheet (false bottom) the shape of the cooler to sit on top the manifold

^ love ur Sig... and love that line from the movie... Oh and Harry, I hope were not gonna have any trouble like in the something district...

Anyways... I see people build out of copper and cpvc... why would one choose the expensive over the cheap... Or is copper cheaper now? I havent priced it... And I love that sparge option... that makes perfect sense...Heck, I could just make my manifold the sparge part and make a new manifold if I absolutely. HAVE to get it away from the walls

Firebat138 said:

^ love ur Sig... and love that line from the movie... Oh and Harry, I hope were not gonna have any trouble like in the something district...

Anyways... I see people build out of copper and cpvc... why would one choose the expensive over the cheap... Or is copper cheaper now? I havent priced it... And I love that sparge option... that makes perfect sense...Heck, I could just make my manifold the sparge part and make a new manifold if I absolutely. HAVE to get it away from the walls

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Well, its narrower then CPVC for one. I just happened to have some scrap in the garage. You can get a 10' stick at lowes or HD for about $11. One thinng about the copper sparge manifold is it fits snugly on the inner ridge (lip) of the cooler. drill small pin holes on the underside and the water just trickles out and doesnt disturb the grain bed.

Firebat138 said:

^ love ur Sig... and love that line from the movie... Oh and Harry, I hope were not gonna have any trouble like in the something district...

Anyways... I see people build out of copper and cpvc... why would one choose the expensive over the cheap... Or is copper cheaper now? I havent priced it... And I love that sparge option... that makes perfect sense...Heck, I could just make my manifold the sparge part and make a new manifold if I absolutely. HAVE to get it away from the walls

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People who choose copper have also read this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/important-information-about-cpvc-251208/

sheeww.. i just lost a year of my life reading that thread. ;-) So its safe to say that half the people here say DONT USE CPVC and half the people say DONT use copper...

in any case thanx for the info... I love a good read, cause all my friends while brewing will come up with similar questions and I hate answering... I dont know.

extra_medium said:

manifolds for batch sparging may not be needed, but they are fun to build and show off.

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Not sure I understand this statement at all. You have got to have some sort of filter for lautering. Screens are notorious for collapsing or clogging and false bottoms stick a lot easier. Not to mention that you cannot put a false bottom in a rectanglar cooler. A manifold is one of the best additions I ever made to my system, and I only batch sparge.

As far as the CPVC or copper debate, cost is a big issue. Copper is a lot more expensive. I like it better, but if I could not afford it, and it was CPVC or no manifold, I would go with CPVC. CPVC is designed for residential hot water supply, and yes it does soak for hours in hot water, anytime you are not running your hot water in your house.

Firebat138 said:

sheeww.. i just lost a year of my life reading that thread. ;-) So its safe to say that half the people here say DONT USE CPVC and half the people say DONT use copper...

in any case thanx for the info... I love a good read, cause all my friends while brewing will come up with similar questions and I hate answering... I dont know.

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Yeah I should have put a warning with that. There's a lot of garbage you need to sift through to get to the actual information.

Brandonovich said:

Not to mention that you cannot put a false bottom in a rectanglar cooler.
.

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ummm....not true. I'm getting ready to pay Jaybird for a custom fit sheet of perforated stainless, with radius corners to sit on top of my copper manifold. going to make the cardboard template of the cooler bottom today. only decision i need to make is do I want it to sit on top of the manifold, or make some brackets for the cooler sides to suspend it slightly above the manifold

Hey Toecutter, I am originally from Riverside. Just kegged and orange blossom witbier made from Riverside orange blossoms my friend brought me.

Why would you need a false bottom and a manifold anyway?

Brandonovich said:

Hey Toecutter, I am originally from Riverside. Just kegged and orange blossom witbier made from Riverside orange blossoms my friend brought me.

Why would you need a false bottom and a manifold anyway?

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i live right in the groves at La sierra/Victoria. i have quite a few citris trees and use oranges a lot in my wheat beers. picking up the blossom petals sounds like a PITA, but I understand people use them, andthe beers pretty good.

I want to build the false bottom to minimize channeling. It might be overkill, but that whats great about this sport, innovation and makeing projects.

my statement about a manifold only applies if you are batch sparging (i batch sparge with a bazooka screen). SS braids are also useable, my point was that manifolds are not the only possible solution.