Auto-Sparge Tube Float material

For those of you who have the new Auto-Sparge. What is the black float made out of that is on the end of the silicone tubing that makes it float?

I want to apply something like that on my MLT return.

TIA!

According to their website its foam: Includes 18" silicone hose and foam hose float

Foam is a little vague. is it pipe insulation? Rubber foam. Poly-something foam? I'm hoping someone who has one could tell.

I'd like to know, too, and if someone finds a source for the material.

TTT Anyone??

I betcha it's neoprene foam.

I ended up just e-mailing Blichmann - I'm a little surprised by the reponse but I've never been disappointed with John's products.

FYI -

I just use a closed cell pipe insulation foam. You can probably just buy some at Home Depot….

Sincerely,

John Blichmann

Click to expand...

That does not sound like food grade material.....

Yeah I'm not sure about that either. But that doesn't mean you can't use it. I was looking at some MSDS sheets for some pipe insulation like he mentioned. It seems very benign. All the hazards were listed as N/A and the some stuff said stable to 220 deg F. It did have some rating/certification for the USDA but I couldn't tell for what. Not sure why/what the USDA would have to do with insulation.

When I checked it out at the NHC last year it did look a lot like pipe insulation.

I tried to figure out something like to float my MLT wort-in line in my HERMS. Nothing worked for me (no float) -- and I, too, worried about the food grade issue. I went with loc line (and the frigging loc line pliers). This allows me to reposition the return in any kind of configuration anywhere in my 15 gallon MLT. If I direct it just so along the side of my MLT, I get a nice whirlpool in the mash. I can bend it so it's a half inch above the mash, etc. etc.

Loc line turned out to be (for me) the perfect solution. The special pliers were annoying because I thought I could put together the 1/2" loc line without them -- but it was a lot more difficult than I thought. Bought the pliers for 11$ at mcmaster and the line snapped to in a split second.

I'm planning to figure out a way to swap out the spout tip (used for recirculation) with a sparge head.