Rectangular cooler mash tun braid question

[disney7]

I'm building a new mash tun out of a 52qt Coleman XTreme cooler. I'm using a stainless braid.

The braid I have is longer than the length of the cooler. Should I cut it shorter or is it ok to have it make a gentle curve around the end of the cooler?

I'll be batch sparging with this. Any tips on keeping the braid from floating up while stirring? I'm adding a brass compression fitting -> 1/2" MPT adapter on the non-valve end with a 1/2 FTP cap. Will that be enough weight? Any better way to hold the braid down?

Thanks

 

[mendesm]

Curve is fine.

 

[disney7]

Here is what it looks like. Think I'll have any trouble with it floating up or getting out of place whenever I stir? My main concern is having it come up to the point where I wind up with a lot of liquid I can't get out of the tun.

 

[Brewsncrabs]

The weight of the grain should hold it down. Remember it gets compacted as you drain it. Put a mark on your paddle where the paddle touches the top of the braid.

 

[Brewsncrabs]

The weight o the grain should hold it down. Remember, it gets compacted as the grain bed settles. If your still worried, mark your mash paddle handle at the top where the bottom of it touches the braid. Don't stir below the mark, and you won't hit the braid. 10-15 lbs of grain plus the water weighs a lot so I don't think you will have a problem.

 

[jestmaty]

Mine makes goooooood wort.

 

[teddy4xp]

Fwiw i recently switched from a braid to a copper manifold because my braid kept floating up......but to answer your original question, the curve should be fine.

 

[Boy]

I use a long braid that goes around the bottom of the cooler and connects on both ends to a T. Then I run a hose off the T and out the stock drain hole.

 

[Seanwallner]

+1 on the manifold. I use the same cooler with a cpvc manifold. Works awsome. Easy to clean and almost impossible to get a stuck sparge(even with almond flour in the mash, thats another story )