Planning on New MLT with CPVC Manifold - Questions

I currently have a 48 quart el cheapo cooler MLT with FlyGuy's stainless steel braid and have been very happy at my 70% efficiency.

However a couple of things have been bugging me. One, I leave a couple of litres in the bottom no matter how much I tilt it. Two, my efficiency maxes out at mid to high 70's which I know is good enough but means I'm in the 60's on big beers (which in combination with point three is a PITA). Three, I'm making a Wee Heavy this weekend that will really have the mash up to the gunwales (I hope not over).

To solve these I've been thinking of picking up the 52 or 70 quart Coleman Xtreme hopefuly cheap at year end. Apart from being bigger they have "channel drain" which people here said really helps get the last drops out of the MLT. If I do go to the trouble of building a new MLT I was wanting to build a manifold this time but I have a couple of questions. Keep in mind I'm kinda thick and have no mechanical talent at all.

First, are all white piping and couplings CPVC. Is there a possibility that I go to Home Depot and pick up PVC piping (or something) that will be unsuitable (poisinous?) for brewing?

Second, I really want this flush with the bottom to pick up those last two litres of wort I've been leaving behind. If I just drill holes in the manifold won't they cinch up to the bottom of the cooler and cause a stuck sparge? I know not to put the holes on top as this will cause a stuck sparge but if I do drill can I drill some on the very bottom and some on the side? Should I forget drilling and just cut with a hacksaw?

Third, I've seen some plans with a ridged connection (from the manifold to the bulkhead) and others with a flexible hose connection. Is there a problem with a floating manifold with the flexible connection? Do people have a problem with floating CPVC manifolds in general?

That's it for right now but I'm sure I will have more questions later?

TIA

Rudeboy

I look at it this way... all systems have deadspace in the bottom.

This being said, you are probably leaving behind 2 quarts of VERY dilute wort... I wouldnt consider this dead space an efficiency killer, really.

Have you tested your conversion and lauter eff. to see what to attribute your eff. or lack thereof to?

I think you are overthinking the manifold a little...

You can get CPVC and PVC both at Lowes and HD... obviously you want CPVC, so make sure it states such.

One idea for you concerning your eff. High 70s is about as high as you can expect. Your eff. is lower on large grain bills because you are sparging a large grain bill, with less water than you are a small one... that is why your eff. dives. You are losing lauter eff. because you are sparging less with those large grain bills.

Id check your lauter eff. but Id suspect it is nearly 90% now, so I wouldnt worry much about the wort left in the bottom of the cooler.

I recommend not going too complex with the shape of your manifold. I use a 10 gallon cooler and I was using this complex antler-shaped manifold for the longest time. I replaced it last time I brewed with a single tube going down the middle of the cooler and it works just as well.

I also used two elbows and a small straight section to jog it down to be flat on the cooler bottom this time. I wrapped teflon tape around the tube ends before shoving them into the fittings to form a partial seal. Mine is made of copper pipe but the principle is the same. What happened was that the seal was so good that I was actually able to get a siphon effect going and my effective dead space was negligible. When I went to scoop out the spent grains later I noticed absolutely no free liquid left at the bottom of the MLT, whereas before there would usually be quite a bit of liquid left.

Rudeboy said:

First, are all white piping and couplings CPVC. Is there a possibility that I go to Home Depot and pick up PVC piping (or something) that will be unsuitable (poisinous?) for brewing?

Click to expand...

The CPVC pipes and couplings are clearly marked as such. They're also kind of off-white while the PVC is bright white.