Cooler mash tun problem

[bunker45]

I have a round 10 gallon cooler from lowes I have been using. It has a round stainless screen I purchased for a false bottom from a brew supplier. Used it to make maybe 6 batches. The last 2 batches the sparge stuck so bad I had to dip the wort out into a biab bag. I thought the hose was possibly collapsing, now I think the bottom is swelling and not allowing the wort to flow out. Anyone else have this problem? Solutions?

Thanks

 

[AndytheBeave]

Maybe try using a copper manifold. Once I went with a copper manifold my stuck sparge issues disappeared.
I use a rectangular mash tun though. Even still, the copper manifold cost less that 20 dollars to make.

 

[Foosier]

You could also just line your cooler with your BIAB bag if you already have one. If your sparge gets stuck. just lift the bag up to get things flowing again.

 

[bbohanon]

If the cooler is empty of grain but full of cold water, does it drain/flow properly? I used a similar cooler and ran well over 50 batches through it with that same dome false bottom (I still use it in my SS MT) with zero issues around any warping on the bottom..Wonder if something is plugged up or if your hose is indeed weakening and collapsing with the hot grain on it.

Have you pulled the dome out and looked at the bottom of the cooler itself for any traces of warping?

 

[pvpeacock]

I use a 10 gallon cooler with a stainless false bottom connected to the bulkhead (valve out) using silicon tubing and have not had any problems with the tubing being crushed by the grain/water. The only time I had a stuck sparge is when I accidentally detached the silicon tubing from the bulkhead while stirring the mash too much. What do you mean by the "bottom swelling?"

 

[bbohanon]

You could also just line your cooler with your BIAB bag if you already have one. If your sparge gets stuck. just lift the bag up to get things flowing again.

This is a great idea if the bottom is indeed getting swelled or warped on ya.

 

[bunker45]

I used a biab bag after pulling wort out this time to rinse grain, still would not flow. When I warmed cooler up before mashing in, I noticed that the hot water was slow when draining. After removing grains do washing up the cold rinse water flowed fine. The hot just wouldn't flow.

 

[Sir-Hops-A-Lot]

I haven't used the conical with the false bottom before. Using lots of rice hulls has helped me with a stuck flow.
I wonder if it would help to put something to raise your screen higher. Even a couple of fist sized stones so that it is too high up to be affected by the swelling from the bottom. They don't have to be sanitized because you'll be boiling the wort.

 

[bbohanon]

You test the BIAB deal with the false bottom and hose from the valve to the FB still in the cooler?
If so, try taking the false bottom and hose out and retry.
You can also try switching out the hose from the valve to the FB..I use high pressure hose for that connection (rigid hose) to keep that any collapsing from occuring.