Ideas for fly sparging and square cooler

[pretzelb]

I have a 48q square igloo cooler similar to this one that I use for my MLT. I started with a SS braid but I created a small square cpvc manifold to try and improve efficiency. My process now for fly sparging is really half baked so I'm looking for suggestions.

I saw one picture where a guy drilled a hole in the top and ran cpvc manifold around the top inside of the lid and screwed it in. Drilled holes in the pipe allowed water to drip in. I'm a bit concerned about drilling the holes into the lid but that would retain the heat.

I was considering something more basic like simply running a tube to the cooler and using a siphon sprayer to trickle the water in. But the lid would be partially open and heat would escape during sparge. But this would be very cheap and easy.

 

[android]

have you tried batch sparging?

 

[japhroaig]

dude, if you can get a gentle spray over your grain and leave ~ 2 inches of water on top, you are golden. this can easily be done with cpvc and using a dremel to drill holes at different angles. it's all about a good layer of undisturbed water layer on the top of your grain. want pics?

 

[pretzelb]

I used to batch sparge but started to fly sparge when I started tracking the numbers and saw my efficiency drop low. I could go back to batch, and I might (and maybe I should), but if I keep changing things I won't know for sure how to improve.

I think I can rig a simple cpvc sprayer. My cooler has tiny ledges on the inside where I think you could hang a shelf. I could put the spray arm there and then hook up a hose barb to connect to my water supply. But if I don't run it through the cooler lid I will lose heat out the gap. Not sure if it matters that much. Seems like some people lauter with no top on the MLT?

 

[stellaontap]

I have a rectangular cooler as my MLT with a lip around the edge as well. I bought a plastic pan and drilled the same size holes in it as my manifold. When it comes time to sparge I drop the bucket in and pour sparge water into it. It keeps the grain bed undisturbed. It is probably a very crude way of fly sparging but I think it works. (my OG are usually very close to what the recipe says it should be)

Eric

 

[pretzelb]

I have a rectangular cooler as my MLT with a lip around the edge as well. I bought a plastic pan and drilled the same size holes in it as my manifold. When it comes time to sparge I drop the bucket in and pour sparge water into it. It keeps the grain bed undisturbed. It is probably a very crude way of fly sparging but I think it works. (my OG are usually very close to what the recipe says it should be)

Eric

My first idea was similar in that I was going to use a food container like Tupperware. But I never really pursued it since I figured it would be impossible to find the perfect size to fit on the ledges and be shallow enough to sit above the grain bed. You'd think if they make false bottoms for round coolers they could maybe make something like this for other common sized coolers.

 

[stellaontap]

I brew five gallon batches and got lucky that the container fits on the ledge and sits just above the grain bed.

 

[michaeltrego]

I currently use 50 quart Igloo coolers for my HLT and MLT. There are pictures of my sparge arm in my gallery.

Here is the copper manifold I constructed:

And a quick video in action:

 

[nilo]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32962250@N05/sets/72157616691318369/

 

[Brew-boy]

This is how I have mine setup. I like it because I can keep the lid close and do not loose alot of heat.

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[pretzelb]

Hey Brew-Boy,

How do you get the water into the top manifold? Is there a hole in the side of you cooler? I'm guessing it's right under the handle and not visible in the image. I also assume you attach to a hose via a barb or something.

My cooler looks like yours but for some reason I can't fit the cpvc under the valve intake at the bottom like you did. I wish I could because it would be more efficient.

 

[JewBrew]

I have a rectangular cooler. Heres what i do
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=23832&l=a315ebc8ec&id=100000403143962

and
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=23833&l=ce666e42ae&id=100000403143962

 

[sambogi76]

You are not going to thoroughly rinse the grain fly sparging in a rectangle MLT with any manifold. When I was getting into AG I wasnt sure to batch or fly with my rectangle MLT. I did an experiment sparging with food dye in the sparge water. When I carefully raked the grain bed I found out that the grains on the opposite side of the spout on the cooler had not been dyed at all (meaning the grain wasnt rinsed). No matter what manifold you have the wort and sparge water is going to take the path of least resistance (via straight for the spout). I believe the only way to fly is if you have a false bottom. BTW I made the manifold exactly the way Palmer said to in his book to prevent channeling. I batch sparge and get consistent 80% - 82%.

 

[sambogi76]

This was my setup: