Efficient Octagonal CPVC manifold for Rubbermaids

[Jayhem]

The 10 gallon cooler is perfect for 5gal batches. I've made beers with grain bills from 8lbs to 17lbs. I probably could've gotten more grain into it than 17lbs.

That is good to know. I'll be shopping for my cooler this weekend!

 

[atimmerman88]

Curious if using rounded holes vs. slits has any impact?

Don't have the means to slit mine, but I can drill.

Any ideas on drill size? Was thinking somewhere 1/16-1/8"

 

[Billybrewer09]

Curious if using rounded holes vs. slits has any impact?

Don't have the means to slit mine, but I can drill.

Any ideas on drill size? Was thinking somewhere 1/16-1/8"

I drilled my cpvc manifold. I think i used 1/32 holes. I get a consistent 75% efficiency. My manifold is in a 48 quart igloo cube. With grain bills from 8-24 lbs.

 

[atimmerman88]

I drilled my cpvc manifold. I think i used 1/32 holes. I get a consistent 75% efficiency. My manifold is in a 48 quart igloo cube. With grain bills from 8-24 lbs.

Sweet, thanks.

i suppose a lot of small holes vs. a lot of larger holes is a better set up for the manifold. I'm very much looking forward to this set up vs. my old unreliable braid

 

[GilesTH]

I drilled my cpvc manifold. I think i used 1/32 holes. I get a consistent 75% efficiency. My manifold is in a 48 quart igloo cube. With grain bills from 8-24 lbs.

Do you think a 3/32 bit might be too big? That's the smallest I have, and it looks smaller than the dremmel slits in the photos. I just don't want to have too much husk coming through and clogging my hoses.

 

[Billybrewer09]

That should be fine.
I got the information on how to make mine off the internet.

 

[tn-vols]

I am trying to find the "black" piece. I have looked, but it seems I am unable to make the connection from the first brass/cvpc piece to the ball valve.

Any advice would be great.

UPDATE: I found everything at Home Depot (minus the fender washer). Love the design and I used 1/2 brass nipples on both ends - hammering them into the cpvc.

 

[atimmerman88]

As any determined a good way to clean this guy up?

Mine is getting kind of grubby looking.

I tried an Oxyclean soak, didn't seem to do much. Was thinking maybe CLR?

Need something good and deep cleaning to get all the insides where a bursh can't reach

 

[nickmv]

As any determined a good way to clean this guy up?

Mine is getting kind of grubby looking.

I tried an Oxyclean soak, didn't seem to do much. Was thinking maybe CLR?

Need something good and deep cleaning to get all the insides where a bursh can't reach

Just take it apart. You didn't glue yours together, did you? I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to glue the pieces together, as they fit snugly anyways. That also allows you to disassemble it.

 

[atimmerman88]

I glued mine so it's 3 pieces, a middle section and 2-3 sided sections.

I didn't want to jack around putting it together everyone I brew.

Might not have been the best choice in hind sight


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[nickmv]

I glued mine so it's 3 pieces, a middle section and 2-3 sided sections.

I didn't want to jack around putting it together everyone I brew.

Might not have been the best choice in hind sight


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Well to be fair, I haven't even built one of these yet. I'm actually tackling that this weekend. But from what I can see on the guides, most people didn't glue, especially due to exposing the wort to the glue.

I guess I'll find out soon how well it works without glue. I would figure that as long as you don't rough it up, that it'll work well without glue.

 

[atimmerman88]

I figured...

You can use PVC glue with potable water without issue so wort @ approx 170 shouldn't be too terrible if using the right glue.

 

[gl_az]

I just roughed up the insides of the fittings and outsides of pipe sections a bit and used a tiny dab of hi temp, food safe silicone to 'glue' them together. Just make sure to let it fully set and off gas for a while befre using. It holds them plenty well enough and you can still pull them apart if you really need to, just roll the silicone off and re-glue.

I did my manifold as two halves that slide together and I put some tiny stainless set screws through the 4 removable ends to hold 'em together for a little extra safety. You only need these things to come apart once during a brew session to understand the frustration in getting them put back together again under 20 pounds of 155 degree + mash. DAMHIKT. Now it works perfectly and is easy to pull apart for cleaning after each brew session.

 

[rel322]

Sorry for possibly a silly question, but the piece that connects the manifold to outside of the mashtun, what is it? all I see is a black piece and some sort of adapter?

 

[nickmv]

Sorry for possibly a silly question, but the piece that connects the manifold to outside of the mashtun, what is it? all I see is a black piece and some sort of adapter?

I believe you're referring to a 1/2" NPT close nipple.

A weldless valve kit consists of, in order from inside cooler to out:

Coupler -- Washer(s) -- Silicone Gasket

that assembly then fits onto a close nipple, which pokes through the hole in the mashtun. Once outside the mash tun, the following (again inside to out) goes on the outside portion of the close nipple:

Silicone Gasket -- Brass Nut and/or Washer (s) -- Ball Valve -- Any Valve Fitting




Hope that helps.

 

[rel322]

Thanks I've been holding off buying the components. Now I can go tomorrow and have a beer day on sunday/monday

 

[rel322]

So I ran into a problem and I'm hoping I'm just missing something stupid. I built the manifold and set up the 5G rubbermaid. The problem I'm having is that there is not enough space beneath the FiP to slide the manifold, I haven't bent the cpvc piece but i don't think that'll help...

 

[nickmv]

So I ran into a problem and I'm hoping I'm just missing something stupid. I built the manifold and set up the 5G rubbermaid. The problem I'm having is that there is not enough space beneath the FiP to slide the manifold, I haven't bent the cpvc piece but i don't think that'll help...

Pics pics pics, please.

Also, why are you saying that bending won't help? If that's the case, sounds like something went wrong with the build itself.

I built mine with parts from Home Depot and Ace, on a Home Depot 10gal cooler (most likely a rubbermaid or Igloo if I had to guess), and I didn't even have to bend the tube at all -- the thing just fit.

Edit: Pic very important, because I'm curious as to what you've got set up at the valve area (on the inside), specifically how far your coupler or whatever you've got, is sticking out from the cooler inner wall

 

[rel322]

That's the pic I could get from my phone. I can bend the pipe to the fip but the front edge of the manifold runs right across the fip. I think I'm going to just split the pipe and add a 90 degree joint to bend around it

 

[nickmv]

That's the pic I could get from my phone. I can bend the pipe to the fip but the front edge of the manifold runs right across the fip. I think I'm going to just split the pipe and add a 90 degree joint to bend around it

OK, as I suspected -- your manifold is way too big. Did you follow the directions the OP posted? Because his was sized for a 10gal I believe.

To give you an example (I'm too lazy to go into the 110F shed and grab a pic), mine for a 10gal easily fits inside my cooler, and sits slightly off-center towards the side AWAY from the valve, and the distance between the valve assembly and the nearest edge of the manifold is probably 3-4 inches.

Simply put, your is too big for a 5gal. Just cut it down to size, making equal cuts to all sides.

 

[nickmv]

That's the pic I could get from my phone. I can bend the pipe to the fip but the front edge of the manifold runs right across the fip. I think I'm going to just split the pipe and add a 90 degree joint to bend around it

OK, so looks like your manifold is way too big. I bet you built yours from the directions. I believe the OP had a 10gal cooler though, which is considerably larger in diameter.

You just need to trim down your manifold's overall size ---- that, or if you have room on the other end of the inside of the cooler (I cant see it in the photo), replace the tube that runs from the manifold to the valve with a longer one.

 

[rel322]

Alright, thanks for your response. I finally made it to a computer. I actually built it off of a 5gal post within this thread but I think I was too cautious with my measuring. So after relooking at it, I think I can shave off about a 1/2" from the width, and perhaps I can cut from the angled pipes to get some more room if needed. Thanks again.

One more question, my pipes have printing on them, do I need to clean them up?

 

[nickmv]

Yeah I'd focus on the 8 side pieces first, trimming them down with equal cuts to both ends. I'd try to stay away from cutting the 45 degree angled connectors -- those aren't really meant to be cut, and are much thicker CPVC. Not to mention, you need those angle pieces intact so the thing can fit together without falling apart.

As for the printing -- don't bother. It'll slowly come off over time, and isn't really worth trying to tackle. Stickers on the other hand.....

 

[rel322]

Oh I don't mean that I'll cut the 45* connector, but the pipes that connect them so that i can gain more space. but I'll edit this post after I finish the trimmings.

 

[DIXIEBOY1]

Does the pvc and glue used.to connect the pieces together not leach dirty dirties into your brew? Also, why pvc over something like ss or copper?

 

[atimmerman88]

SS and copper are more costly and more difficult to work with than plastic.

If you use the correct primer and glue you won't have any issues. Use stuff that's rated for potable wayer


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[Stealthcruiser]

Use "cpvc" if you are worried of leaching issues, and make your manifold fit the confines fairly tight, so no glue needed, except for "usually" where the manifold exits the cooler.

 

[atimmerman88]

I ended up glueing mine into 3 separate pieces so I could clean it easier. Been working well for 2 years


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[gl_az]

I glued mine together in 2 halves that come apart for easy cleaning, then I used a few tiny stainless screws to pin the parts together. You don't want it coming apart with 20+ pounds of 160 degree mash in there. DAMHIKT :-\

 

[kidrocking79]

After reading the thread, I decided to go another route. It is nearly impossible to find any cpvc here in Long Island. So I went copper. Even though it cost me more than probably 5 setups in cpvc, it was worth it. It's super sturdy, works extremely well and most importantly.. I had so much fun making it yesterday. Thank you OP for your insight, help and dedication to the Hobby.