Wedge wire Vs Perforated steel MT floor?

Hi
I've got a lovely new 60gal MashTun and want a false bottom that I'll be able to use if and when I go commercial. Trouble is I cant decide on whether to use a perforated steel false bottom, a bit like this:
http://www.nobodybuy.com/product_desc/pid79049/perforated-sheet.htm

... or a wedge wire false bottom, like this:
http://wedgewire.com/Tun.htm

The wedge wire is almost twice the price, but seems like the stuff that the bigger breweries use. Is the extra cost worth it, anyone out there using one?

I'm not crystal clear on the advantages, is it just easier to clean? Or does it also improve mash efficiency also?
many thanks in adavance.
James.

I think wedgewire might just be more versatile and possibly less prone to clogging. A perforated disc really just seems like a cheaper/easier way to approximate a professional-grade false bottom.

I'd really like a screen like that some day, but right now I'm batch sparging in a rectangular cooler - a raised hump at the end opposite the valve (due to a pair of wheels on the exterior) gives it a "floor" similar to a chest freezer, making it bad for fly sparging - so I don't need anything more than a braid. And when I go eHERMS, I'm most likely going with a Blichmann pot to match my kettle, and their false bottoms are pretty much perfect when used with their pots.

But the website you provided indicates they also sell malting floors made from the stuff. And the idea of having a nice (albeit small) malting setup is pretty cool, and something I'll definitely keep in mind!

There's a group buy going on now for some wedge wire, but the buy in is over. Maybe you can get the contact information and start another group buy? Only a few folks got in on the original purchase and there's probably another dozen or two wanting some. I think it was $40 for 24"x48"

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/lauter-screen-261658/

The decider for head loss through the false bottom is the total open area provided by the screen. The decider for the ability to filter particles is the size of the slots or holes. The decider for clogging resistance is the ability to pass a clogging particle that is sized near the slot width or hole diameter.

With regard to the first two criteria, it appears that either the perforated plate or wedgewire panel could be relatively equal. When it comes to clogging resistance, the wedgewire has no equal. Cleaning wedgewire is very easy. Cleaning perforated plates can be a little more difficult, but not ridiculously so. A strong water or air blast should be able to move stuck particles through the panel. The other consideration is that the grist is hydrated during the mash. Letting the panel (and trapped grain) dry out will ease its removal.

Let us know if you find a source for either screening option with slot or hole widths in the 1 to 2 mm range.

mabrungard said:

With regard to the first two criteria, it appears that either the perforated plate or wedgewire panel could be relatively equal. When it comes to clogging resistance, the wedgewire has no equal.

Click to expand...

Heh, that's actually what I said, but it's not something I could have supported with actual reasons... just something that felt entirely intuitive to me.

I put the last group buy together for the wedge screen . Didnt get too many takers at the time. I dont know if we will be buying any more in the short term at work but if we do I will keep you guys in mind. Its not that big of a hassle ordering the screen material from China and if anyone wants to take over and do the ordring I'd be happy to give them contact information for the rep in China that I had been dealing with. Withthis kind of stuff the more the merrier to break up the shipping costs. We were already ordering some items for work on a substantial ordr and I didnt feel too bad about piggybacking some personal stuff on that order.

Thanks very much for all the input.
I think if the benefit of wedge wire is more to do with the post brew clean up then I'm unlikely to pay the extra.
If I decide to use the cheaper perforated steel instead, what is the optimum hole diameter to give the best drainage without blocking? I've seen some brewers using 3mm holes with a 5mm pitch - but that sounds big enough to be blocked by a grain particle??

Get the wedgewire. It's worth the cost.