70 quart Coleman Extreme Mash Tun w/ CPVC Manifold

[GrogNerd]

by "monitor" the temps, I thought you meant just that: reading what the temperature is at any specific time

RIMS is for recirculating mash, which would not really be necessary in a cooler. that's what the cooler is for: maintaining temperature during the mash. mine lost 3° first time I used it, so the next time I covered the mash with aluminum foil and only lost 1°.

as for sparge, would only need to heat the water to mash out temp, keep it in a HLT (possibly another cooler) and slowly let it drain for a continuous sparge, circulating the vorlauf as needed, then letting the runnings drain

 

[GreenDragon]

Below is my take on it. Either I got a slightly different model of the Coleman extreme or some people are using smaller CPVC or something. I didn't see a way of running 4 tubes. The setup I did I kinda just built as I was doing it. I went to Lowes to purchase everything. The slits in the picture are just facing up so you can see them, they will be facing down when I actually use it. I'll be testing it out this Saturday.

Bill:
5ft sections of CPVC = $1.98 each
T connectors = $0.29 each
Caps = Really cheap, forgot the exact price
Hacksaw = $12.00
Fine blade for the hacksaw = $4.00
Coleman 70 quart extreme = $49.99 on sale at Walmart (free shipping to the house too!)

Hints:
Soak all the T connectors in hot soapy water to get the stickers off.
The default blade that comes on hacksaws is way to wide and tough to cut precisely with, buy a fine tooth blade.

 

[GrogNerd]

Below is my take on it. Either I got a slightly different model of the Coleman extreme or some people are using smaller CPVC or something. I didn't see a way of running 4 tubes.

looks like my cooler, with the rounded scoop on the front, slots on the bottom front & back on the left and upper front & back on the right

I COULD fit 4 tubes LONGITUDINALLY (dang, I love that word) but 3 work just fine

 

[IslandLizard]

by "monitor" the temps, I thought you meant just that: reading what the temperature is at any specific time

RIMS is for recirculating mash, which would not really be necessary in a cooler. that's what the cooler is for: maintaining temperature during the mash. mine lost 3° first time I used it, so the next time I covered the mash with aluminum foil and only lost 1°.

as for sparge, would only need to heat the water to mash out temp, keep it in a HLT (possibly another cooler) and slowly let it drain for a continuous sparge, circulating the vorlauf as needed, then letting the runnings drain

Yeah, sorry, seeing the sparge manifold I was already thinking 2 steps ahead:

"...Monitor and manually adjust temps for Recirculating Infusion Mash..."​

Of course for fly sparging you only need a supply of hot water.

I think I'll stick to batch sparging for now.

Aluminum foil during the mash really helps, huh?

 

[GrogNerd]

Aluminum foil during the mash really helps, huh?

it did for me

 

[h4mmy86]

I lay a butt load of towels on top of my cooler to help with temp loss.

Also, if you open the cooler to check your temps during the mash (I do always check mine half way) it can help to have towels draping down from the 3 sides of the lid that aren't hinged to the body of the cooler, that way when you crack the lid to take a temp reading the loose fabric hanging from the sides of the lid help keep the steam in the cooler from getting out. Trapping that steam in makes a big difference in my experience.

 

[GrogNerd]

I lay a butt load of towels on top of my cooler to help with temp loss.

Also, if you open the cooler to check your temps during the mash (I do always check mine half way) it can help to have towels draping down from the 3 sides of the lid that aren't hinged to the body of the cooler, that way when you crack the lid to take a temp reading the loose fabric hanging from the sides of the lid help keep the steam in the cooler from getting out. Trapping that steam in makes a big difference in my experience.

good call

 

[davsow]

I opted to cut long slots down the center of my manifold. Here's a couple shots of it. Haven't tried it out yet but it was way faster to do it this way. I t seems like it would allow more liquid to flow too. Thoughts?

 

[GrogNerd]

I opted to cut long slots down the center of my manifold. Here's a couple shots of it. Haven't tried it out yet but it was way faster to do it this way. I t seems like it would allow more liquid to flow too. Thoughts?

looks awesome!

good luck with it!

 

[kapbrew13]

I opted to cut long slots down the center of my manifold. Here's a couple shots of it. Haven't tried it out yet but it was way faster to do it this way. I t seems like it would allow more liquid to flow too. Thoughts?

Any difference in the strength of the cpvc?
BTW looks good

 

[davsow]

Any difference in the strength of the cpvc?
BTW looks good

I squeezed the sides of the cpvc together and coudn't get it to touch so i think it should hold up ok. if it doesn't I'll cut a couple new pieces and do the short slits. Thats the beauty of cpvc I'm only out like 50 cents if it doesn't work.

 

[IslandLizard]

I opted to cut long slots down the center of my manifold. Here's a couple shots of it. Haven't tried it out yet but it was way faster to do it this way. I t seems like it would allow more liquid to flow too. Thoughts?

That looks really good.

What are you using for the bulkhead fitting? Looks like a cpvc part.

Are you also using a 45° coupler between the manifold and the bulkhead?

 

[kapbrew13]

I squeezed the sides of the cpvc together and coudn't get it to touch so i think it should hold up ok. if it doesn't I'll cut a couple new pieces and do the short slits. Thats the beauty of cpvc I'm only out like 50 cents if it doesn't work.

Nice! Thanks. Thats what I'm going to do when I get my 70qt this week.

 

[davsow]

That looks really good.

What are you using for the bulkhead fitting? Looks like a cpvc part.

Are you also using a 45° coupler between the manifold and the bulkhead?

Yeah I used the cpvc 1/2 npt to slip fitting > 45 street > the t slips right on the street end of that. it rested perfectly in the bottom. I couldn't have asked for a better fit. I think it looks cleaner than a whole bunch of slits too, but we'll see how it functions. I'm going to do a batch in the next couple weeks and I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[kapbrew13]

WooHoo!!! Cooler, check. Fittings, check. Pick up cpvc. New 70 qt mash tun!!

 

[h4mmy86]

Quickly, I would like to address the issue of the manifold slipping apart after some use...

This is a very TRUE very REAL issue, and you can probably expect it to happen.

Luckily, it's an easy fix!

As mentioned earlier replacement fittings are very cheap OR you can use a little THREAD TAPE around then ends of pipes that slide into fittings/couplings and they also provide added hold.

Brew On!

 

[bigbeergeek]

No thread tape on my CPVC and I've been using the same manifold for 5 years -- only knocked it apart once. Not a big deal. I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[kapbrew13]

Quickly, I would like to address the issue of the manifold slipping apart after some use...

This is a very TRUE very REAL issue, and you can probably expect it to happen.

Luckily, it's an easy fix!

As mentioned earlier replacement fittings are very cheap OR you can use a little THREAD TAPE around then ends of pipes that slide into fittings/couplings and they also provide added hold.

Brew On!

Making mine with stabilizing arms to make a tight fit. So no falling apart. All good.

 

[h4mmy86]

Mine hasn't come apart while brewing, it's in there pretty snug.

What grinds my gears is when I go empty the cooler and dump the grain over the hill and a piece of my manifold falls out with it, so then I have to dig thru dirty wet grain...and that isn't nice.

 

[GrogNerd]

Mine hasn't come apart while brewing, it's in there pretty snug.

What grinds my gears is when I go empty the cooler and dump the grain over the hill and a piece of my manifold falls out with it, so then I have to dig thru dirty wet grain...and that isn't nice.

really can't avoid it, so i dig my manifold out before I dump

 

[IslandLizard]

Yeah I used the cpvc 1/2 npt to slip fitting > 45 street > the t slips right on the street end of that. it rested perfectly in the bottom. I couldn't have asked for a better fit. I think it looks cleaner than a whole bunch of slits too, but we'll see how it functions. I'm going to do a batch in the next couple weeks and I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks! Looks very good and simple. Still using a stainless bulkhead fitting and valve, right?

The only thing I see that may need attention is that the long slots as they are don't have a very large aggregate "open area" all together, compared to cross slits. Maybe another 2 sets of slots, one on each bottom quadrant of the tube, say 1/8" above the very bottom with an off-set, set could be added. Only one way to find out.

 

[davsow]

Thanks! Looks very good and simple. Still using a stainless bulkhead fitting and valve, right?

The only thing I see that may need attention is that the long slots as they are don't have a very large aggregate "open area" all together, compared to cross slits. Maybe another 2 sets of slots, one on each bottom quadrant of the tube, say 1/8" above the very bottom with an off-set, set could be added. Only one way to find out.

Yeah I'm still using a stainless bulkhead. I thought about adding another row of slits. But I'm going to test it first to see how it works before I make any major modifications. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[kapbrew13]

1/2" cpvc seems so small. I used 3/4" on my 10 gallon round cooler. How's the 1/2" working out? Thoughts?

 

[h4mmy86]

1/2" cpvc seems so small. I used 3/4" on my 10 gallon round cooler. How's the 1/2" working out? Thoughts?

When I was in Lowe's buying supplies for my manifold I thought the same thing, did a quick google on my phone for manifold designs and every one I looked at was half inch so that's what I bought.

Seems to be working out well for me. I even brewed a wheat beer without any problems.

...but I understand where you're coming from. I can't see it making very much of a difference really.

 

[kapbrew13]

When I was in Lowe's buying supplies for my manifold I thought the same thing, did a quick google on my phone for manifold designs and every one I looked at was half inch so that's what I bought.

Seems to be working out well for me. I even brewed a wheat beer without any problems.

...but I understand where you're coming from. I can't see it making very much of a difference really.

Cool thanks for the reply. I guess size doesn't matter.
1/2" seemed soo small. Lol!!

 

[davsow]

Thought I would share my material list. That always helps me.

 

[h4mmy86]

^^Great! Thanks for posting that up!!

 

[ayupbrewing]

How does the manifold attach to the cooler outlet, im not seeing it. What parts are needed for the bulkhead? Thanks, just got my cooler today and want to grab the manifold parts this evening.

Ayup!

 

[davsow]

How does the manifold attach to the cooler outlet, im not seeing it. What parts are needed for the bulkhead? Thanks, just got my cooler today and want to grab the manifold parts this evening.

Ayup!

The female adapter goes on the nipple coming through the cooler and then the 45 street elbow goes right into that. From there you will need a short piece of 1/2" cpvc to the t.

 

[davsow]

I opted to cut long slots down the center of my manifold. Here's a couple shots of it. Haven't tried it out yet but it was way faster to do it this way. I t seems like it would allow more liquid to flow too. Thoughts?

Just wanted to let everyone know that the long slits held up great. No warping, really great flow rate too. I don't see a need to make any additional cuts. Super easy to clean and it never came out of the bulkhead. Cheers!