Small MLT question

So Irecently did my first all grain batch. The grain bill wasnt all that big (11lb). Buuuuttt, my MLT is the 5 gallon rubbermaid drnking cooler type so when I went to sparging the cooler wasnt large enough to hold all the sparge water. I had to do it twice. I know the brew will be fine as I hit my OG dead on, Im just wondering if theres any drawbacks to doing this or any way I can do it differently WITHOUT buying the 10 gallon tun. Thats a later purchase.

You should have no problem at all.

I have a 10 gallon MLT and i still split the sparge into 2 separate additions. Alot of people do that. I seem to get a small bump in efficiency from doing 2 sparges as opposed to 1.

First, runoff before sparging. No sense in mashing out with batch sparging when you can get to mashout temps with your first batch sparge.

Second, all the data i've seen, actually, states two batch sparges of equal volume is THE most efficient model when using batch sparging, so you're golden there.

What was the total amount of your sparge? I use a 5 gallon, have crammed 14 pounds of grain in it, and never have had the problem of not being able to hold all the sparge water after I drain out my first runnings.

I've been using my 5 gallon for over a year with no problems...and haven't yet felt the need to upgrade to a 10 gallon.

That too. Provided a reasonable water:grain ratio (around 1.2-1.5) you should be able to fit at least 11 to 12lbs of grain in that (i used to have a round gott cooler also).

RDWHAHB

I use a 48 qt. cooler and always break my sparge into two batches. My method is to mash at 1.25 qt/lb. Drain that and subtract the volume collected from my target pre-boil volume. Half that result and sparge twice with that volume.

Ditto, a double sparge will be better for your yield anyway. I always split my remaining sparge water needed into two equal volumes.

Double batch sparge all the way. I have been using a 10G cooler up to this point. I just bought a 5G model to convert so I can do a 5-10G batch with the 10G cooler and a smaller 3G test batch of other beers with the 5 gallon one at the same time.

You can produce a bigger beer w/ the five gallon tun if you fly sparge. A larger cooler is needed for batching due to the larger additions of sparge water.

Not a big deal, the rubbermaid victory or an ice cube is like 20 bucks.

I double batch sparge as well. Not because of volume limitations but for increased efficiency reasons. You lucked out by doing a more efficient procedure on accident.

I did a 19lb grain bill with a 5gallon cooler.....

The cooler was the laughter tun and an ale pale served as the mash tun.