I'm building my first mash tun and I have a question

[Beer Viking]

So the video that I am basing my mash tun on says to use 7/16" tubing to go from inside the modified 16" Stainless steel supply line through the bung to the valve. The problem I have is all of the supply lines I can find on Amazon are also 7/16" thick, so is there a trick to getting the tube into a supply line that is the same size, or is there a place where you can order a wider supply line online or something? I know you can't really stretch metal that much.

Thanks for the help!

 

[3 Dawg Night]

So the video that I am basing my mash tun on says to use 7/16" tubing to go from inside the modified 16" Stainless steel supply line through the bung to the valve. The problem I have is all of the supply lines I can find on Amazon are also 7/16" thick, so is there a trick to getting the tube into a supply line that is the same size, or is there a place where you can order a wider supply line online or something? I know you can't really stretch metal that much.

Thanks for the help!

Do you mind posting a link to the video? That might make it easier to diagnose.

 

[McKnuckle]

Pay close attention to whether stated measurements are inner (ID) or outer (OD) diameter. Because of course, the tubing ID must fit around the supply line's OD.

 

[Beer Viking]

Here's the video.

 

[Woodland Brewer]

I may not be understanding the whole question but I'll take a shot. The mesh is a makeshift bazooka or filter screen. The video shows the tube going into just the start of the screen basically just to hold it on. Is it possible to use a barb fitting or pex coupler to join the two together? Finish with a clamp on each and your screen is attached. I think you'll find that the silicon line is quite supple and forgiving enough to squeeze through the bung also.

 

[V-Fib]

With a lot of these conversions, at least for me, its always a make shift project. Every cooler is a bit different and depending on what you can find local and on line determines how things are going to go. I would try to use silicone tubing where ever you can. Its more $ up front and is stays flexable where PVC tubes get hard. Like Woodland said it is more forgiving and by having a slightly larger tube it might hold a seal better since the tube is just pushed through the bung. If you have a local home brew store they should have silicone tubing you can try to fit before you buy something. A lot of them also sell mash tun conversion kits that might make things easier with a SS valve with gaskets or O rings instead of relying on the tube to keep the seal.

 

[Jim R]

I have found that the better mash tun option for me is a round cheap Igloo cooler (5 or 10 gal) with one of these commercial inexpensive false bottoms. There is no need to deal with the stainless braid plugging up and no need to jerry-rig it with tubing to the valve. The whole mechanism will then be stainless steel and easy to take off to clean. By the time you buy the parts and silicone tubing it probably doesn't even cost any more. I have never had a stuck sparge with this false bottom as long as it is adjusted correctly to sit on the bottom of the Igloo cooler properly (which is easy to do).

https://www.homebrewing.org/All-Sta...Made-Cooler-False-Bottom-5-Gallon_p_5063.html

 

[Beer Viking]

Awesome information guys, this really helps me. I have heard that using vinyl supply lines will make the beer taste like plastic. I'm going all silicon for my lines, but do you think it would be ok to use a vinyl valve outside of the mash tun to connect the two lines or would that give my beer an off flavor? What do you all use for valves?