# HDPE malt pipe



## pirateagenda (5/11/17)

is there any reason a hdpe malt pipe would be a bad idea? 

I picked up a 185L pot this week and was going to sacrifice my old 100L pot to build a malt pipe. However looking at the new pot, it's going to be useless for doing anything under 80L batches due to dead space losses and the fact that a 60L mash would only be 20cm deep in the pot. So not sure I want to sacrifice my ability to brew a double batch every now and then in the 100L, got me thinking of affordable alternatives for the malt pipe and the best i can come up with at the moment is a 120L HDPE drum, or an off cut of 500MM diameter stormwater pipe. 

I do also have a 60L pot, however that's not large enough for the malt pipe.


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## wide eyed and legless (5/11/17)

They are ideal, I used one with my urn, just drilled 2mm holes in the bottom.


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## MHB (5/11/17)

I would avoid "storm water pipe" it is mostly made from PVC, nor a good choice for brewing equipment.
Mark


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## pirateagenda (5/11/17)

MHB said:


> I would avoid "storm water pipe" it is mostly made from PVC, nor a good choice for brewing equipment.
> Mark



the big mains pipe stuff is generally hdpe


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## wide eyed and legless (5/11/17)

Pretty sure its PVC, I have used the large pipe in the garden as a bottomless pot. I doubt there would be hdpe buckets or tubs large enough due to health and safety (25 litre capacity) but I would still have a look and see if there are any larger tubs in a plastic specialists supplier. I know it is something we all ignore but hdpe is not for hot liquor, I did read recently that in the Netherlands they have just invented a hdpe lined pipe that can safely carry hot water to 80 degrees Centigrade. America has not sanctioned use of hdpe pipe for carrying domestic hot water because of leeching.


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## Lyrebird_Cycles (5/11/17)

wide eyed and legless said:


> America has not sanctioned use of hdpe pipe for carrying domestic hot water because of leeching._(sic)_



You appear to be confusing HDPE and PEX: the former is high density polythene (linear), the latter is crosslinked polythene. 

HDPE isn't used for hot water because it is too weak at elevated temperatures.


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## pirateagenda (5/11/17)

... or maybe i'm over thinking it and need to just use the 60L for single batch trial brews and sacrifice the 100L to the big dog!


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## pirateagenda (5/11/17)

for clarification - the pipe or drums I would use is definitely HDPE. like this http://www.rehomepipe.com/hdpe-pipe...sEv2E0b3wYCHKIPEa7CKRh1-AosvCge8aAgWHEALw_wcB

if i were to go the drum route - something like this http://www.obal-centrum.com/drums/plastic_drums_for_solids.php

so is hdpe ok for mashing in? whats an esky made out of?


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## wide eyed and legless (5/11/17)

pirateagenda said:


> for clarification - the pipe or drums I would use is definitely HDPE. like this http://www.rehomepipe.com/hdpe-pipe...sEv2E0b3wYCHKIPEa7CKRh1-AosvCge8aAgWHEALw_wcB
> 
> if i were to go the drum route - something like this http://www.obal-centrum.com/drums/plastic_drums_for_solids.php
> 
> so is hdpe ok for mashing in? whats an esky made out of?


Well the home brewers use it for boiling in in the UK, I was going to make a boiler using the drums from Bunnings got the element around here somewhere. But I wouldn't be worrying about what harm any chemicals leeching out of plastic would do you are making something far more toxic.


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## ridge runner (13/12/17)

Did you do it ? For mash the hdpe is fine as your not at boiling temps . I was going to yse a 20L pale but a customer made me a SS malt pipe . Its abit narrow and the bucket would be wider , thinking of making it anyway


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