CPVC MLT Mainfold To Glue or To Not Glue...

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IMO, it's best not to glue it all together, mostly for cleaning reasons. However, you can easily have the best of both worlds. Just drill a small pilot hole through the fittings where they mate with the pipe and use some small SS sheet metal screws to hold it together. One screw at each junction would do it. More than likely it would stay together without the screws, but that depends on how much you knock it around when you stir the mash. It would not be fun if it came apart mid-mash, so a little insurance would be prudent. You could also glue part of it and use screws on the rest. Brew on!
 
I don't glue mine. I have a few joints that are getting loose I just give them a wrap or 2 with some teflon tape problem solved.
 
I hadn't glued mine for years, but mine is octagonal shaped, and it came apart a couple of times so I glued it. I left three locations unglued so I can take it apart and that has worked well for me.
 
had to screw mine together. it came apart while stirring the mash. had to just pull the manifold out and run through a paint strainer bag that i was going to use for hops
 
I hadn't glued mine for years, but mine is octagonal shaped, and it came apart a couple of times so I glued it. I left three locations unglued so I can take it apart and that has worked well for me.

Thinking I might have to go this route. I am just worried about it coming apart during the mash. Its tight on most joint but there are some that arent...
 
Mine came apart yesterday so I'm looking to see what the best approach might be.

B
 
Thinking I might have to go this route. I am just worried about it coming apart during the mash. Its tight on most joint but there are some that arent...

Why would you be worried? I built mine to fit tightly in my cooler MLT so that it wouldn't come apart during the mash. Are you using a cooler or a keggle or what?
 
IMO, it's best not to glue it all together, mostly for cleaning reasons. However, you can easily have the best of both worlds. Just drill a small pilot hole through the fittings where they mate with the pipe and use some small SS sheet metal screws to hold it together. One screw at each junction would do it. More than likely it would stay together without the screws, but that depends on how much you knock it around when you stir the mash. It would not be fun if it came apart mid-mash, so a little insurance would be prudent. You could also glue part of it and use screws on the rest. Brew on!

Brilliant. My CPVC manifold has been kicking around for a year or two now, and is starting to loosen up. I have been holding the problem spots together with zip ties, but I like this idea much more.
 
Why would you be worried? I built mine to fit tightly in my cooler MLT so that it wouldn't come apart during the mash. Are you using a cooler or a keggle or what?

Its a cooler. Its not tight persay bur snug. I brewed yesterday with no issues. I guess I was worried about nothing.
 
IMO, it's best not to glue it all together, mostly for cleaning reasons. However, you can easily have the best of both worlds. Just drill a small pilot hole through the fittings where they mate with the pipe and use some small SS sheet metal screws to hold it together. One screw at each junction would do it. More than likely it would stay together without the screws, but that depends on how much you knock it around when you stir the mash. It would not be fun if it came apart mid-mash, so a little insurance would be prudent. You could also glue part of it and use screws on the rest. Brew on!

I know what I'll be doing before I use my mash tun again....

I don't have mine glued and it's easy to clean. I take extra care not to stir too close to it so I don't pull it apart mid-mash. I like the idea of SS fasteners to secure the joints!
 
For my last two brews I've done things a little differently. I mash in without the manifold in place. When the mash is over, I dump the entire contents of the mash (no small feat with my RIS) into the kettle and heat it, stirring constantly, up to mash out temps. Then I install the manifold, dump the mash back into the igloo cube, and proceed with sparging.
 
No pressure == no glue necessary

Unfortunately I've had sprinkler systems that follow the rule:
buried == last long enough for me to get outta here.

I.e no glue.
 
No pressure == no glue necessary

Unfortunately I've had sprinkler systems that follow the rule:
buried == last long enough for me to get outta here.

I.e no glue.

It ain't the pressure that sometimes causes the cpvc to separate, it's when it gets bumped around when stirring the mash. Most of the time the manifolds will remain intact, but when there is a separation while mashing it can be a major hassle. The solution is so simple and easy, I seen no reason not to secure the connections.
 
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