Mash tun false bottom concerns!

[welly2]

I've been working on my mash tun this arvo and am so close to it being finished. Got all the fittings and ball valve that I need. Been trying to figure out how the false bottom is going to work. I've cut down a braided shower pipe (suitable for up to 90c which I think should be enough) and that fits.

The only thing is the false bottom doesn't fit completely flush to the bottom of the tun. There is a very, very little bit of space. Half a millimetre perhaps. How much of an issue is this going to be? If anyone else is using a Keep Cold cooler, how have you fit your false bottom?

Mine is looking as follows:

 

[schoey]

You'll be fine, I have pretty much the same setup and end up with clear wort into the kettle following a re-circ. The grain will weigh the false bottom down and the grain bed provides the real filter anyway.

 

[Steve]

What he said. The grain will weigh the false bottom down so the half mill disappear. Mine doesnt sit flat and work great. Looks like it will work fine.

 

[welly2]

Ah good, glad to hear it! I will try and not worry about it too much. I've got a hop/grain blocker as well which I was planning to stick in my boiler so I guess any bits of grain that make it into the boiler will be filtered out by that at least.

 

[Tex083]

Remove the braid and replace with silicone, mine is connected with silicone and no clamps the hose barbs are enough to keep it there.
It may be safe to 90 but will it leak rubber flavours?

 

[welly2]

Remove the braid and replace with silicone, mine is connected with silicone and no clamps the hose barbs are enough to keep it there.
It may be safe to 90 but will it leak rubber flavours?

True, true. I've got some silicone tubing as well. I might do that this weekend. The only reason why I went for the shower hose affair was I thought it might be substantial enough to not let the false bottom float, but by the sounds of it, that isn't much of an issue anyway when the grain gets to it. So I think I might make that adjustment. I've got a couple of hose barbs to do the job.

 

[Tex083]

Good move, the FB shouldnt float its SS (I hope) there should be no reason it wants to lift up unless your adding water through the ball valve and going under the grain. Underletting if you search some people prefer to add the water under the FB to stop dough balls.
I use a HERMS so its always stirred.

 

[Adr_0]

Just with this, be careful with the elbow going into the false bottom. With grain weighing this down, the bit of the elbow under the false bottom can jam/seal against the bottom of the esky. This means that you only get a dribble of flow, when flow should absolutely hammer. So you may have to cut a few threads off the elbow inside the false bottom.

I would also simplify it a bit... can you use a small length of copper tube and bend it a bit to get the levels to match?

 

[MHB]

Back when... I had a customer who had a slightly larger gap and it caused lots of grief. Ended up cutting a piece of 6mm food grade tube longways and fitting it around the edge. worked a treat, in his case the bottom of the tun was wavy which made it a bit harder.
Mark

 

[welly2]

Shower hose replaced with a shorter length of silicone tubing, removed half the fittings so now it's just the tap, two washers, a silcone gasket and a nipple. Loads of thread sealing tape and not a drip of water can be seen! So that's a wrap on that one I think! Boiler done, mash tun done, HTL next.

 

[Adr_0]

Shower hose replaced with a shorter length of silicone tubing, removed half the fittings so now it's just the tap, two washers, a silcone gasket and a nipple. Loads of thread sealing tape and not a drip of water can be seen! So that's a wrap on that one I think! Boiler done, mash tun done, HTL next.

Awesome... then connecting them all up and giving it a hot test run with water.

 

[welly2]

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