Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

[29thfloor]

Anyone have success making a copper manifold instead of the braid?

I used a rectangular cooler but I made a copper manifold for it that seems to be working great.

 

[Charlieatthedisco]

I had alot of trouble looking for cpvc, the guys at hd couldn't even figure it out so I needed up going with copper for a manifold, my question is I see some guys drill the holes on the bottom and some on the top, wouldn't it be best if the holes where on the bottom for maximum wort?

 

[chickenfarmer]

From a rookie going to do some grain, a HUGE Thanks, this is a great post!!!

 

[DrawTap88]

I had alot of trouble looking for cpvc, the guys at hd couldn't even figure it out so I needed up going with copper for a manifold, my question is I see some guys drill the holes on the bottom and some on the top, wouldn't it be best if the holes where on the bottom for maximum wort?

I did the same thing that you're proposing. I've noticed that I still have wort in the mash tun after running off that stops at the top of my manifold. It's not that much wort, and honestly, it's the wort that you really don't want anyways since that is most likely the stuff containing tannins that will lead to astringency.

In my opinion, going with the holes on the bottom helps to clarify the run off quicker. Again, that is just my opinion.

 

[Charlieatthedisco]

Good call. I guess some of it is personal preference. Out of curiosity what size but did you use on the holes?

 

[DrawTap88]

Out of curiosity what size but did you use on the holes?

I don't remember. 3/16th I think.

 

[brewawan]

Well, I'd like to thank FlyGuy and everyone else who contributed to this thread. It was a nightmare finding 5/8 fender washers...(6 hardware stores), 2 returns for items that wouldn't work out, countless amount of headaches, and about a week of stress wasted of my life for the washers to be at the Dome Hepot I initially started looking for everything.

I scoured the HD and couldn't find the washers, so I went to others to no avail. Finally, once I was about to give up and buy them online, which wouldn't have allowed me to brew last weekend, I looked them up on HD website. It said they had 36 Crown Lock "Create-a-Bolt," so I bought 8 packs online for a in-store pick-up. By looking at the packs themselves, they looked as if they had been either sitting in a shelf way above my reach or in the back storage doing nothing since no one purchases them besides homebrewers. They had so much dust all all over them.

Anyway MLT construction went perfect, I brew my 1st AG American IPA last Saturday, and even got a 82% efficiency on the first try (beginner's luck). Thanks everyone for the knowledge and confidence that AG doesn't have to be that difficult.

Cheers!!!!

 

[BullGator]

I am going to try and make one out of my 2 gallon water cooler I used to use when I worked outside. I took off the spout and there was this rubber insert:




Here it is inserted in the cooler:




The smaller lip fits between the inner and outer skin of the cooler. The rear larger lip is inside the cooler as shown in the pic above. My question is, is this OK to leave in? I imagine the stainless washer on the inside will just compress this rubber thing which may actually give me the best seal I can think of. I guess I am not sure how this rubber material will hold up. Any thoughts?

 

[JSGT09]

What is the reasoning for using a manifold vs. the stainless tubing as described?

Also, I can't say that I read all 205 pages of this thread, but was lead content in brass parts discussed at all? I see John Palmer talks about soaking brass parts in vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to remove lead from brass.

 

[bovineblitz]

What is the reasoning for using a manifold vs. the stainless tubing as described?

Also, I can't say that I read all 205 pages of this thread, but was lead content in brass parts discussed at all? I see John Palmer talks about soaking brass parts in vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to remove lead from brass.

It's better for fly sparging because it causes less channeling. For batch sparging both are good.

 

[mikee]

subscribed

 

[BullGator]

Any thoughts on my rubber washer from above? I went ahead and put everything together with it in there. I used nylon washers that I drilled out rather than stainless. Hope that is OK as well. I'm going to be using this in about an hour so we'll see! It all leak tested good. Here are some pics :

 

[brewawan]

The one piece that has been discussed, on this thread and many others, is the debate on fly sparging. Consensus, IMO, is as long as you keep the water level one to two inches above the mash channeling shouldn't occur. Therefore, the SS braid is sufficient and silicone tubing to run your "fly sparge" will work out. I got 85% eff on my IPA last week.

But this coming from a first time AG brewer, so likely beginners luck. Brewing up a Irish Red either today or tomorrow so we'll see... Cheers!!!

 

[bottlebomber]

Nice looking manifold

 

[underdog378]

Just built one of these using the bargain fittings kit and a 3/4" water heater stainless braid. I used one of these PEX plugs instead of the square plug, just looks cleaner and it was the same price. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

One question, both of the 10gal coolers that were at lowes had this ring all the way around the liner, almost as if it was some scribe or something from a mold. You can just barely see it around the 2 gallon mark on the second picture. I haven't used it yet besides filling it with water to check for leaks. I found one other post on another thread of a couple people noticing the same thing.

Can anyone else look in their cooler and see if theirs is the same? I don't think it's cracked all the way through, just thought it was strange.

 

[cpatel479]

Anyone try a washing machine drain hose instead of a supply hose?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_366947-104-...=/pl__0__s?Ntt=braided+supply+hose&facetInfo=

Just curious if it would save on cutting and clamping....

 

[hough77]

Anyone try a washing machine drain hose instead of a supply hose?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_366947-104-LL-T2_0__?productId=3579522&Ntt=braided+supply+hose&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dbraided%2Bsupply%2Bhose&facetInfo=

Just curious if it would save on cutting and clamping....

It looks wide, you would have to put something in it to keep it from collapsing.

 

[bottlebomber]

I don't think there's an advantage to using the larger diameter braid. If anything it will collapse, or make it easier to break the syphon

 

[bovineblitz]

I don't think there's an advantage to using the larger diameter braid. If anything it will collapse, or make it easier to break the syphon

I don't think there's an advantage either. The rate limiting factor is the inner diameter of the ball valve/nipple.

 

[CGVT]

I don't think there's an advantage to using the larger diameter braid. If anything it will collapse, or make it easier to break the syphon

I went with the larger water heater braid when I first built mine. I had one good mash and then stuck three times in a row. I switched to the smaller sink size braid and haven't had a problem since.

 

[cpatel479]

I went to the store to look at this today... It won't work. It's just a frail lint trap. It wouldn't create a filter for the grain bed. oh well.

 

[msa8967]

I am looking to make a mashtun for stove top batches of 1-2.5 gallons. I have 2 rectangular cooler mashtuns already (48 qt and 60 qt) that I use when I brew outside. I was wondering what brewers might think of using a 5 gallon cylindrical cooler for these brews. Would that be too big or meet the right minimum grain bed depth? [I currently batch sparge so grain depth might not be a huge issue.] Has anyone successfully made a mashtun from a cylindrical cooler that is less than 5 gallons?

I was thinking of using one of these two..(Rubbermaid or Igloo)..anyone have an opinion on which might be better?

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...elshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1#BVRRWidgetID

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

 

[bovineblitz]

I am looking to make a mashtun for stove top batches of 1-2.5 gallons. I have 2 rectangular cooler mashtuns already (48 qt and 60 qt) that I use when I brew outside. I was wondering what brewers might think of using a 5 gallon cylindrical cooler for these brews. Would that be too big or meet the right minimum grain bed depth? [I currently batch sparge so grain depth might not be a huge issue.] Has anyone successfully made a mashtun from a cylindrical cooler that is less than 5 gallons?

A friend of mine uses a 5gal round igloo for 2.5-3gal batches. For anything smaller than that I'd personally just BIAB.

 

[Brickout]

got mine built today and did a leak test. All good!

All the ss parts came from bargainfittings.com

here's the bulkhead kit i went with. I went with the standard coupling as the inside fitting, 1.5" nipple, 3 piece ss ball valve, no hose barb and one extra ss washer. From the outlet of the ball valve i have a 1/2" street elbow attached to a 1/2" ss camlock f style fitting. then i have a 1/2" ss camlock b style fitting attached to a 1/2" npt female x 1/2" hose barb. which is attached to the hi-temp tube with a hose clamp.

Finally got to use this yesterday. Batch sparge method, worked perfectly!

 

[Helly]

I assembled mine tonight. After the second try it's held water without a drop for about 2 hours. Pretty excited to put it to use soon.

 

[wandering]

After I cut off the 3/8" compression connector on my SS braided hose, I found that the inner tube was just rubber. I took an Xacto knife and poked through the slits (of the braids) near the remaining 1/2" FIP connector -- piercing the rubber hose. (Don't cut too wide each time and end up cutting up some SS wires like I did.)

After enough holes, I bent the hose back and forth until the inner rubber hose broke loose. Then pushing the SS braid back up, I can remove the inner hose -- leaving the 1/2" FIP connector which I could screw directly onto the 1/2" nipple (without clamps or barbs).

Also a caveat for those looking for a cheaper ball valve (Grr), most of the ones on ebay are 1/2 the price... but being from HK or China, they're quoted in BSP (British Standard Pipe) which has a slightly different thread than NPT (National Pipe Thread) / FIP / MIP (Iron Pipe). Supposedly, you can force thread them but in the end, it probably wasn't worth it.

 

[prrriiide]

Has anyone tried making a manifold out of PEX? I don't know if it can handle that high of a temp for that long, tho...I know regular PEX is rated at 180* @ 80 PSI. Therma-PEX is rated at 200* @ 80 PSI. I'm not sure how it would do at 156* for 75 minutes @ 0 PSI.

EDIT...never mind...search is my friend...

 

[cpatel479]

I just made one of these and am trying to choose a recipe for my first all grain brew. I wanted to know what the max amount of grain the recipe can call for and still fit in this cooler. Does anyone know?

 

[lizardeye]

I've fit upwards of 25# in mine without a problem.

 

[i4ourgot]

I am getting a lot of stuck sparges with this system it worked great for a while and now i feel like i have to clean it after every few batches, any suggestions or advice. I have the ss hose with about 16 cuts on the inner rubber hose. I let the liquid out really slow but it turns into a 1.5 hours for each mash.