Manifold for a 60 Qt. Cube

[rigger7]

I'm looking at using this design for a manifold in a Cube and then Fly sparging.
Sound feasible?



https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=65363&stc=1&d=1340067173

 

[PurpleJeepXJ]

Sounds expensive... but yes it would work.

 

[theonetrueruss]

I'd just use copper instead of the mesh and cut slits in the bottom of the pipes. I did something like that and find it works well.

 

[starsailor]

I'd just use copper instead of the mesh and cut slits in the bottom of the pipes. I did something like that and find it works well.

That's exactly what I did. Built a square manifold our to 3/8 copper tube across the center parallel to side with the drain and the drain tube going to the center of that; the exact center of the cooler. I cut slits in the bottom of the tubing half way up with a very thin dremel cut of disk (thinner than a hacksaw blade) spaced about every 1/2". I found out the hard way that it has to be held together more strongly than just a pressure fit on the fittings otherwise it will come apart while stiring the mash. So, to make it both firmly held together and easy to disassemble and clean, instead of soldering it together, I drilled tiny holes across the fittings and wired it together with some small SS wire pieces from a spool I bought at the HW store slipped thru the holes and bent down under the tubes. I suppose you could use copper wire just fine too. The drain line is soldered together from the bulkhead up to the T fitting it connects to keep suction while draining.

I'd suggest looking at John Palmer's "How to Brew" book for good reference on how to space out the manifold lines inside the bottom of the cooler to get the most uniform sparge flow.

It works great and never floats up or collapses under weight of the grain bed like braid often does!