False Bottom - will this work? Norcal and Bayou?

[Leukass]

OK - I was gifted a Norcal brewing false bottom for a keggle - it is almost a perfect size for my bayou classic pot - see pic... Here is my question, i have used a doomed false bottom with good success for a while now, but it is only a 12" and the bottom of my Bayou kettle(mashtun) is 15.5". Previously i just would stir as i reheated if needed or at mashed out. Now i bought a tower of power from a guy (that is who gifted me the norcal). How much clearance do i need with this to use it as a false bottom? If i put the elbow thru it will that hold it off the bottom of the pot high enough to run a recirculating mash? Would be just as high as the nut on the elbow. Or could i use it upside down so the handle would keep one side off the bottom of the pot slightly? Or, If i run it above the valve light it is designed, i have about a 1/4" gap around the entire false bottom to the side of my pot, which i assume is too much? What do you think?

Thanks for the help!

 

[day_trippr]

i have about a 1/4" gap around the entire false bottom to the side of my pot, which i assume is too much? What do you think?

Imo, that gap is a total show-stopper problem right there. If I couldn't solve it, I would move on to another FB solution.
I had a smaller gap issue with a perforated 10g cooler FB but was able to solve it using silicone gasketing with a perfect profile, but that's not going to work here.

Perhaps you could run a lengthwise split on a piece of thick wall silicone tubing (maybe 1/2" ID?) long enough to encircle the entire FB rim and slip it on the FB then push the whole thing down and hopefully form a nice gasket...

Cheers!

 

[apache_brew]

Doesn't look like that will work. Find a keg, cut a hole in the top, and use it. Looks like you already have weldless fittings in that Bayou pot.

Otherwise, I'll pay for shipping for the Norcal fb and put it to good use lol.

 

[greywolf]

I would make some spacers out of stainless nuts, hook up the elbow and overlay the whole thing with some voile.