Best manifold for round cooler

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ImperialStout

ImperialStout

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I am building a copper manifold to fit a round 10 gal Igloo cooler mash tun. Was going to build a hex shaped manifold because the manifold perimeter would be closer to the outside walls and drain better, then saw the hex manifolds only have one cross piece.

The perimeter of a square manifold is further away from the cooler walls but have several cross pieces and wondering if they will drain better, increasing efficiency.

Found these manifold construction tips apparently for a rectangular cooler:

Optimum spacing is 2” for 1/2" tubing. Spacing from the walls of the MLT should be 1" from tubing center to the edge of the inner wall for 1/2" tubing.

What manifold shape works best for you?
 
You could potentially get a long SS braid or connect a few to get the circular shape you are looking for, maybe even a spiral of sorts.
 
I think I remember someone having a 4 way connection connected to the male inside the cooler, then a longer SS braid in a circle around the perimeter, then a smaller SS braid in a circle inside the bigger circle, let me know if you followed that jabber, I might be able to find a picture.
 
The type/configuration of manifold often boils down to personal preference/budget/time. Search the manifold threads here and you'll find a variety of styles.

I'm happy with the efficiency I get using a round cooler with a square copper manifold and two cross pieces (below)...it covers more surface area than you'd think.

MLT_-_new_copper_manifold.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Thanks. I did search the manifold postings here where I found the hex and square designs. I am retired and the copper was free so time and money are not a factor.

Currently batch sparge in a 5 gal cooler with a nylon grain bag and get 75% efficiency. Don't want efficiency to suffer but guess both designs work well.

I too thought I saw a hex shaped copper manifold with a 4 way connector in the center on this web site but can't find it now or locate a 4 way copper connector.

Anyone know where that thread was on this web site or where to get a 4 way copper connector?

Thanks
 
Here is the one I made for my 5 gallon. The engineer in me says it is flawed because it outputs from one side. But it works damn well and i only have a half cup of dead space. It could easily be sized to a 10 gallon cooler.

ForumRunner_20120314_203304.jpg
 
Looks good, did you keep a cut list and a materials list if someone wanted to duplicate it? I am collecting stuff for my eventual merge into all grain from extract which started with a Mr Beer to begin with. Did one Mr Beer, Have one extract planned for my 5 gallon gear and already have about 90% of the additional stuff for all grain, including a tun and grinder. I'm hooked bad already.
Bob
 
That looks great. Perimeter is close to the cooler walls and you have an extra cross tube instead of just the one in the center. What tubing did you use, thick walled polly?
 
This is what I was talking about, sorry couldn't find a picture, so I made a crude drawing instead (the gray loops are SS braids):

manifold.jpg
 
Oh I see, wish I had either of those...well I guess I do have one of those If I have time to post on here mid afternoon.
 
If he's got time, a torch, and some gloves he could always bend himself up a nice circular design that he's looking for :rockin:
 
dcHokie said:
The type/configuration of manifold often boils down to personal preference/budget/time. Search the manifold threads here and you'll find a variety of styles.

I'm happy with the efficiency I get using a round cooler with a square copper manifold and two cross pieces (below)...it covers more surface area than you'd think.

MLT_-_new_copper_manifold.jpg
[/IMG]
Click to expand...

Any interest in making one of those for me? I live in a small apt in NYC, my cycling, golfing, and now homebrewing hobbies take up enough space and already have my gf on my case. bringing in a propane torch to start soldering may put her over the edge! I'll pay you for the materials as well as your time.
 
No need to solder ...think about it, you're hacksawing hundreds of holes in it.
Except for maybe where it meets the bulkhead, but a dry fit should still be more than sufficient, at least it is on mine.
 
TyTanium said:
No need to solder ...think about it, you're hacksawing hundreds of holes in it.
Except for maybe where it meets the bulkhead, but a dry fit should still be more than sufficient, at least it is on mine.
Click to expand...

Yep. Mine isn't soldered either, just a good snug fit. I used a dremel w/ a cutting disk (slow & steady or you'll go through tons of 'em) to cut all the slots.
 
I use this no glue CPVC in my 10 gal rubbermaid. I crush fine so I throw grains in strainer bags I made myself to fit. (no pics with bags yet)

Got a 80% efficiency out of it this weekend by slowing the fly sparge rate down.

mani.jpg
 
Here is my cpvc manifold design, If ya wanna go this route I can build ya one for free, just pay for parts and shipping...which would be about 15 bucks or so..has a SS 1/2" to 3/8 bell reducer with cpvc adapter. The 3/8 threaded part would then be attached by a nipple that goes through the cooler hole..

Would include the manifold, adapter, and SS bell reducer.. you would just need to either drill the holes or cut the slots.

IMG_1466.jpg
 
I use a SS braid that cost me <5$. Out of 20 10 gallon batches with it no stuck sparges, no slow run off, no grain pulling through. Other than channeling, would the manifold really have an effect on efficiency? Seems to me it just has to do with proper temps and volumes.
 
I followed this thread.

The square design worked very well for me, I was able to get 86% efficiency on my first batch a couple of weeks ago, using 16# of grain with a double batch sparge. I was previously getting about 76% using a modified BIB setup that used the cooler, but the bag was the manifold (just pick it out and let it drain, then empty cooler into the brewpot, put bag back in, sparge, etc). I'm doing a second batch this weekend to test it out further. YMMV.

(Efficiency was calculated using BeerToolsPro by adjusting efficiency to get to what my actual final gravity was based on my final volume).
 
TyTanium said:
No need to solder ...think about it, you're hacksawing hundreds of holes in it.
Except for maybe where it meets the bulkhead, but a dry fit should still be more than sufficient, at least it is on mine.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily true. With the one i made, there would be no freakin way to hold it together with all those fittings. So I soldered the top 2/3rds of all joints except a select few so i could pull it apart if I wanted. And it wasn't very expensive. 1/2 copper fittings are cheap. And there is only about 2' of pipe in there.
 
1. Get copper piping red-hot
2. Allow to cool
3. Fill with ice or sand
4. Bend it. I used my CO2 cannister.
 

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