BSII / False Bottom / Dead Space

I'm sure the answer is here somewhere, but I just cannot find it.

I have a direct-fire mash tun with a false bottom that has approx 1 gal of volume beneath it. My real deadspace (that which will not be transferred to boil) is a about .25 gallon.

If I enter the true dead space of .25 gal and click adjust mash volume button in the settings, I'll get the correct total water volume, but my mash will be too thick as a result of the space beneath the false bottom. Unclicking the adjust mash volume button simply shifts the water volume from mash to sparge. Total volume does not change.

If I add 1.25 gallon in the dead space field, I'll have the same dynamics, but what happens is I get the correct mash volume for desired mash thickness, but it doesn't adjust the sparge downward and therefore I end up with too much water volume being added.

I hope that make sense...

What I am hoping to be able to do is account for the water beneath the false bottom to get the correct mash thickness, yet still calculate my total water requirements correctly. It seems total water requirements is being determined by including the mash tun dead-space, even though it isn't really deadspace per se.

 

All you have to do is slightly modify the mash thickness. If you like the consistency of 1.25 qts/lb, set that, observe the strike volume and then just add one gallon. There's no specific setting in BS for space under a false bottom. Leave the deadspace set to .25 gallons.

 

Just tried this, works great. Thanks!