Manifold?

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GABrewboy

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Okay, so I built my new manifold in my 48qrt cooler using 1/2" copper pipe. I put 3 gallons of water in and only got 2 gallons out. When grains are added does this help to push the wort into the pipes more as opposed to me just putting 3 gallons of watter in and draining to see how much is left? The pipes are flat on the bottom of the cooler, so that is not an issue and the holes drilled are facing downwards as well.....
 
What you are measuring is lautertun deadspace. Your water test will give you a pretty accurate result. The grains won't 'push' any more water out but they will displace some space in there causing more water to flow out. 1 gallon is quite a bit. Maybe try tipping the cooler and see if you get any additional.
 
Well dang!! I did try tipping the cooler and no more came out.....this sucks! I just can't figure any other way then to get my water lose below 1 gallon.
 
This is probable taboo but I compress the grainbed when it's done lautering. Get another 1/2 gallon or so from that. I am using an SS braid so im not so worried about getting chunks thru. Should work with a manifold. Just collect the compressed runnings in a seperate container to make sure there aren't a lot of chunks in there.
 
Well there shouldn't be any chunks as I have a paints strain bag around my manifold......:) Thanks for the advice!!!!
 
Your slots are probably just cut too deep so you're getting a siphon break too early. You do have your slots facing down right? Also, are you doing your test with a piece of hose on the output? This pulls a siphon which can "slurp" a little more liquid out of the MLT.

I use a braid in my rectangular cooler and there's a slight angle to the bottom of the cooler towards the spigot side. I used a piece of copper tubing as a dip tube sitting only 1/8" off the bottom and slide the braid on that. I lose maybe a 1/2 cup which an output hose attached but it's more like a full cup when I remove this hose.
 
Well I drilled the holes, so not sure how they can be cut to deep as I just penetrated the copper to make the hole. They are facing downward and I am using 3/4" plastic tubing attached to the spigot on the outside of the cooler.
 
Bobby_M said:
Your slots are probably just cut too deep so you're getting a siphon break too early. You do have your slots facing down right? Also, are you doing your test with a piece of hose on the output? This pulls a siphon which can "slurp" a little more liquid out of the MLT.
Totally agree w/ this. Heres some pics of my bottom manifold. I use the feet up against the cooler wall for stability when opening and closing the valve. I also have my slots down, use no other types of strainer and i can mash thick w/ alot of flake or hi % of wheat and this thing doesnt blink an eye...


Manifold.jpg

Manifoldslots1.jpg
 
Well then I just don't get it because I thought a lot of people said that holes drilled worked well?
 
I'm sure holes can work. You just have to drill a ton of them to equal the same open area that slots provide. Your siphon is breaking at the highest opening in your manifold. This might be a hole drilled up the side of the tubing or perhaps air is getting sucked in through the joints once the manifold is no longer under water.
 
What kind of hose? I have a piece of 1/2" tubing attached to the ball valve on the outside of the cooler.
 
Well, let me clarify. You want to have the piece of hose dangling down lower than the MLT. Get your MLT up high and have the hose dangle down to another bucket/carboy a couple feet lower. The weight of the liquid in this hose creates a vacuum inside the manifold.
 
Okay, let me try that then I guess.....I only had it maybe a foot below the cooler.....the hose dangling that is!
 
If you didn't sweat your fittings, as soon as your liquid drops below the highest point in your manifold it will pull air through that fitting, stopping your flow. Now if you want to go and sweat all you fittings, then you could get most of the liquid out until you start pulling air through the holes you drilled. Or do nothing and just include an additional volume of sparge water to compensate.
 
My copper manifold isn't soldered completely and it drains almost completely. I think the problem is the hose on the outside, creating a siphon. If there is no siphon, you wont get anything below the valve on the side.
 
Okay, well let me ask this then!! When the water is running out, should there be air in the hose with the water.....almost making a gurggling sound and you can see air bubbles? Because that's how the water is running out.....if this isn't supposed to happen, how or why am I getting air in the manifold?
 
No there should not be air in the hose as the water is running out. If that's happening when you have a lot of water in the MLT, then your problem is either a leaky valve (unlikely), or else a poor seal between the tubing and the and the valve. Buy a little tiny hose clamp or just push the tubing on a little harder....
 
Okay, I will try to push the hose on further and see what happens then!!! Thanks so much for the advice.
 
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