making a lauter tun, need some help...

so im converting a 48 quart cooler into a functioning lauter tun (as so many people often do). i have looked around on line at several setups and am positive i can pull it off; but i have a few worries over the materials used in some of these set ups. i noticed that most of these setups contain pvc piping and/or copper tubing and other forms of metal or plastic. my question is this, will such common metals and non-"better bottle" grade plastics ruin my beer by infection or taste? or will it be taken care of in the boil? and what do you recommend for use? any help, comments and pictures are most appreciated. -cheers

As you said, this is a super common practice in home brewing. I've never tasted plastic in my wort or finished beer.

That being said I would not put boiling water in it. I once recirculated my strike water with a pump to preheat the mash tun and it formed a bubble in the the plastic. Even in that extreme case I couldn't smell or taste plastic in that batch.

As far a infection, you boil the wort so there is no need to sanitize your Mash/Lauter tun. You will not get an infection that would survive into the fermenter. (General Cleaning is all that is needed).

You want to use CPVC, not PVC. CPVC is rated fro high temps. Better yet, use a SS hose braid.

+1 on the SS hose braid. I "upgraded" from a copper manifold. No change in my efficiency and much faster process!

I was inspired by this podcast:
http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2011/12/01/batch-sparging-with-denny-conn-beersmith-podcast-27/

Thanks Denny!

I just started using a kettle screen from brewgadgets.com I used it in a 38 qt cooler and a hose up and over the side(used gromet for a bubbler and racking hose with shutoff). It had no slowing down. Even with 7 lbd of wheat and 1.5 lbs of 2 row. No rice hulls. Plus when I get a bigger cooler it will be permenantly mounted to it. With this setup u don't have to put a valve in it at first.

Kettle screen all the way. Pretty affordable piece of equipment, but works best with batch sparging versus fly sparging.