copper manifold for cooler?

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Chickengrr » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00



Hey,
        I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
out and replace it w/ a stopper?
Thanks for the help,
BrewWard

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Joe Brando » Tue, 23 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Remove the push-valve and replace it with a bung (approx. $0.75) made
for the 5 L kegs.  I found that the most efficient seal is when the bung
is inserted into the hole from the inside of the cooler.  If memory
serves, the 3/8" tubing should push through the hole in the bung without
modification.  The manifold drain will have to be short enough to be
pushed through the bung after the bung is in place.

joe

Quote:

> Hey,
>         I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
> Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
> copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
> don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
> just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
> out and replace it w/ a stopper?
> Thanks for the help,
> BrewWard


 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by T-Bon » Wed, 24 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Quote:


> <snip>


> >> Hey,
> >>         I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
> >> Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
> >> copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
> >> don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
> >> just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
> >> out and replace it w/ a stopper?
> >> Thanks for the help,

> My homebrew club just did a "team" mashtun construction. Five of us gathered in the backyard of our
> club president and all made mashtuns at the same time out of rectangular coolers. We didn't have to
> deal with the spigot, just a drain plug.

How, did you deal with the drain plug/manifold connection...?

TIA...

TimW

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Jean-Pierre Boile » Wed, 24 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Quote:

>    I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
>Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
>copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
>don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
>just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
>out and replace it w/ a stopper?

Here's what I've done.

I've removed the plastic/*** drain from the cooler, and I've fitted a
plastic "drum" tap (aka spigot).

I used a copper adapter that fits the inside of the drum tap, and that fits
my copper manifold.

I think that 3/8" tubing will be too small, BTW. I use 3/4" in my 12-gallon
plastic cooler. I wouldn't go under 1/2".

J.P.

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Charl » Wed, 24 Jul 1996 04:00:00


<snip>

Quote:

>> Hey,
>>         I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
>> Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
>> copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
>> don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
>> just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
>> out and replace it w/ a stopper?
>> Thanks for the help,

My homebrew club just did a "team" mashtun construction. Five of us gathered in the backyard of our
club president and all made mashtuns at the same time out of rectangular coolers. We didn't have to
deal with the spigot, just a drain plug.

Anyway, the secret we all learned was "DONT USE A SAWSALL TO CUT THE SLOTS"! The sawsall blade makes
very wide slots, about  twice the width you want. I was the first to brew with the new mashtun and
learned first hand. I did go back and get more copper pipe (1/2" pipe, not tubing) and a 32 teeth
per inch hacksaw blade. I cut the slots by hand this time and they are very much thinner than the
others. I brewed with the new manifold Sunday and it worked a million times better. Very clean wort,
almost no trub.

Now if the beer just tastes good....

Charley Burns, President
Deer Valley Brewing Co. (aka my deck)

http://www.el-dorado.ca.us/~cburns

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Philip Grave » Thu, 25 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Quote:



> > <snip>


> > >> Hey,
> > >>         I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
> > >> Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
> > >> copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
> > >> don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
> > >> just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
> > >> out and replace it w/ a stopper?
> > >> Thanks for the help,

> > My homebrew club just did a "team" mashtun construction. Five of us gathered in the
> backyard of our
> > club president and all made mashtuns at the same time out of rectangular coolers. We
> didn't have to
> > deal with the spigot, just a drain plug.

> How, did you deal with the drain plug/manifold connection...?

I have made a manifold of this type for my Gott cooler.  First, I whole-
heartedly agree Charley who recommended using 1/2" copper pipe.  I use
this along with 1/2" tees and 90^ and 45^ elbows.  I slotted the copper
pipe at 45^ angles every pipe diameter (1/2") half way through the pipe
with a fine tooted hacksaw.  When the mash is over, I simply dissamble
the manifold and rinse it out.

For the drain, I removed the push button valve that the cooler was equipped
with.  I found a small ball valve at my local hardware store.  It is either
stainless steel or chrome plated brass.  It has female pipe thread on both
ends.  On one end I screwed in a plastic fitting with the apprpriate male
pipe threads and a hose barb.  On the other end of the ball valve, I
screwed in a chrome plated brass, close *** (a piece of pipe about 1"
long that is threaded at both ends and so short is has no bare pipe between
the threaded ends); I never remove it from the valve.  I also bought a
copper pipe fitting the can be sweated to 1/2" copper pipe on one end and
has female pipe thread on the other.

For mashing, I put a garden hose washer over the close *** on the valve
and then stick the close *** through the opening in the cooler where
the valve was.  From the inside of the cooler, I put another two garden
hose washers over the close *** and then***on the fitting with the
female pipe thread and sweat end.  Tightening by hand or with a wrench,
the garden hose washers are compressed against the inside and outside of
the cooler and form a water tight seal.  I stick a piece of 1/2" copper
pipe from the manifold into the sweat end of the fitting now screwed onto
the ball valve.  The valve gives me decent control over the flow rate.
The whole manifold and valve is easy to assemble, dissamble and clean.

Hope this helps.

--
Phil
_____________________________________________________________

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Charl » Thu, 25 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Quote:



>> <snip>


>> >> Hey,
<snip>
>> >> Thanks for the help,

>> My homebrew club just did a "team" mashtun construction. Five of us gathered in the backyard of our
>> club president and all made mashtuns at the same time out of rectangular coolers. We didn't have to
>> deal with the spigot, just a drain plug.
>How, did you deal with the drain plug/manifold connection...?
>TIA...
>TimW

The manifold is constructed so that a "T" points directly at the drain plug hole. We used 3/8" ID
plastic tubing to go through the drain plug hole and directly into the T opening. Since there are
tons of holes in the manifold (mine are 2" apart by the way) we didn't worry too much about a tight
fit between the plastic tubing and the manifold T. The one thing we did spend time on is the seal at
the joint of drain plug hole and plastic tubing. We all used igloo chests of exact same size, all
purchased simultaneously. It was interesting to see that the actual size of the drain hole differed
from chest to chest. Some would allow the 3/8" tubing to slide in and out easily, while others got
stuck so tight we had to use a rattail file to ream them out a little.

Anyway, for those that didn't squeeze up tight automatically, we just used some clear silicone
caulking around the tube and then jammed the tubing in. Looks a little sloppy but it does the trick.
When mashing, I place a small pot underneath that joint just incase it does start to leak and I'm
not watching. The tube sticks out of the drain plug about 1.5 inches. We then inserted a cheap
in-line valve with "snare?" type connection. Just jam them in as far as they will go which also
causes the tubing to expand, making the fit even tighter. Run a tube from the other side of the
valve into the bottom of the boilbot, or other container that will catch the sweet wort during
lautering.

Charley Burns, President
Deer Valley Brewing Co. (aka my deck)

http://www.el-dorado.ca.us/~cburns

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Philip Grave » Thu, 25 Jul 1996 04:00:00


Quote:



> > <snip>


> > >> Hey,
> > >>         I've heard lots of people using copper manifolds for there round
> > >> Gott coolers, but haven't figured mine out yet.  I plan to use 3/8"
> > >> copper tubing that will have slices(via hacksaw) in it for drainage.  I
> > >> don't know how to get the tubing though the drain in the cooler.  Do I
> > >> just use vinyl tubing for that part?  Do I have to take the plastic drain
> > >> out and replace it w/ a stopper?
> > >> Thanks for the help,

> > My homebrew club just did a "team" mashtun construction. Five of us gathered in the
> backyard of our
> > club president and all made mashtuns at the same time out of rectangular coolers. We
> didn't have to
> > deal with the spigot, just a drain plug.

> How, did you deal with the drain plug/manifold connection...?

I have made a manifold of this type for my Gott cooler.  First, I whole-
heartedly agree Charley who recommended using 1/2" copper pipe.  I use
this along with 1/2" tees and 90^ and 45^ elbows.  I slotted the copper
pipe at 45^ angles every pipe diameter (1/2") half way through the pipe.
When the mash is over, I simply dissamble the manifold and rise it out.

For the drain, I removed the push button valve that the cooler was equipped
with.  I found a small ball valve at my local hardware store.  It is either
stainless steel or chrome plated brass.  It has female pipe thread on both
ends.  On one end I screwed in a plastic fitting with the apprpriate male
pipe threads and a hose barb.  On the other end of the ball valve, I
screwed in a chrome plated brass, close *** (a piece of pipe about 1"
long that is threaded at both ends and so short is has no bare pipe between
the threaded ends); I never remove it from the valve.  I also bought a
copper fitting the can be sweated to 1/2" copper pipe on one end and has
female pipe thread on the other.

For mashing, I put a garden hose washer over the close *** on the valve
and then stick the close *** through the opening in the cooler where
the valve was.  From the inside of the cooler, I put another two garden
hose washers over the close *** and then***on the fitting with the
female pipe thread and sweat end.  Tightening by hand or with a wrench,
the garden hose washers are compressed against the inside and outside of
the cooler and form a water tight seal.  I stick a piece of 1/2" copper
pipe from the manifold into the sweat end of the fitting now screwed onto
the ball valve.  The valve gives me decent control over the flow rate.
The whole manifold and valve is easy to assemble, dissamble and clean.

Hope this helps.

--
Phil
_____________________________________________________________

 
 
 

copper manifold for cooler?

Post by Thom Middlesta » Sun, 28 Jul 1996 04:00:00


: >How, did you deal with the drain plug/manifold connection...?

Why not just use an elbow/tee off the manifold to a riser just tall enough
to allow the lid to close tightly on the cooler. Be sure and solder a reducer
to fit a siphon hose (the only soldered joint BTW ). When you begin to do
your sparge, just start the siphon. Very simple. I use a small pair of vise
grips to control the flow. Very east to just "dial" in the desired flow rate.

: The manifold is constructed so that a "T" points directly at the drain plug hole. We used 3/8" ID
: plastic tubing to go through the drain plug hole and directly into the T opening. Since there are
: tons of holes in the manifold (mine are 2" apart by the way) we didn't worry too much about a tight
: fit between the plastic tubing and the manifold T. The one thing we did spend time on is the seal at
: the joint of drain plug hole and plastic tubing. We all used igloo chests of exact same size, all
: purchased simultaneously. It was interesting to see that the actual size of the drain hole differed
: from chest to chest. Some would allow the 3/8" tubing to slide in and out easily, while others got
: stuck so tight we had to use a rattail file to ream them out a little.

: Anyway, for those that didn't squeeze up tight automatically, we just used some clear silicone
: caulking around the tube and then jammed the tubing in. Looks a little sloppy but it does the trick.
: When mashing, I place a small pot underneath that joint just incase it does start to leak and I'm
: not watching. The tube sticks out of the drain plug about 1.5 inches. We then inserted a cheap
: in-line valve with "snare?" type connection. Just jam them in as far as they will go which also
: causes the tubing to expand, making the fit even tighter. Run a tube from the other side of the
: valve into the bottom of the boilbot, or other container that will catch the sweet wort during
: lautering.

: Charley Burns, President
: Deer Valley Brewing Co. (aka my deck)

: http://www.el-dorado.ca.us/~cburns

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