Slotted Cpvc Manifold - Which Way Up?

[Stew_m]

Hi All

I got a CPVC manifold from brewd00d recently, and in his instructions said to ensure the slots on the manifold always face upwards. In a few copper manifold designs I've seen around the net, people have them facing downwards. I wouldn't imagine the wort would flow out so well if it was facing down, but it might also reduce chances of a stuck mash etc. Which way is right?

Cheers,


Stew

 

[Pennywise]

Not sure which is right but I've read both ways to be acceptable (more so facing down though), FWIW I have mine facing down and flow is fine. I use the facing down method because I feel the chances of any grain bits getting through are greatly lessened and possibly the chances of channelling reduced because the exit point isn't as visible to the liquid

Edit: Welcome to AHB

 

[Stew_m]

Thanks for the input and welcome Pennywise Just out of curiosity, what is channelling?

 

[np1962]

Depending on your tun design you will also have less deadspace when the slots/holes are facing down.
In my case it would be 1 to 2 litres difference. Once air gets into the manifold the draining stops.
Cheers
Nige

 

[dpadden]

I use the same manifold (great piece of kit by the way) and always use slots down....

 

[Pennywise]

Thanks for the input and welcome Pennywise Just out of curiosity, what is channelling?

No worries Steve, like NigeP62 said as well, the dead space in your tun will be less with the slots down, which is good. Re chanelling, I'm sure someone else could explain it better but I'l give it a crack. Chanelling (from what I've read about it) mostly comes from having the edges of the manifold too close to the wall of the tun, so when you sparge rather than the wort travelling straight down to the bottom of the tun then out to the side to the manifold, it travells slightly sideways and down because the wall of the tun is helping the path of the wort. This means that there's a great chance that the grain in the centre of the tun has not been sparged and this will bugger you efficiency.

There's a bit of info here about building a tun http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD.html

 

[np1962]

Channeling is only really a concern if you are fly sparging, the sparge water takes the easiest route to the outlet and if you have channeling will leave a lot of sugars still in the mash. The link Pennywise provided has a fuller explaination.
If you batch sparge it is not such a great concern as you stir to release the sugars each time you add sparge water and they are suspended in the water rather than having to be rinsed from the grains.
Cheers
Nige

 

[Stew_m]

Great info, thanks guys. I batch sparge so channeling shouldn't be an issue anyway. Can't wait to give it a go on the weekend with the manifold facing down, I've been having to use rice hulls to prevent stucks, so this should help maybe

:icon_cheers:

 

[rosswill]

If you are new to the site you need to learn they are rice gulls not hulls.

 

[crozdog]

I always used mine slot down - until it warped with the heat & I replaced it with braid.

+1 for Gulls

 

[yardy]

Hi All

I got a CPVC manifold from brewd00d recently, and in his instructions said to ensure the slots on the manifold always face upwards. In a few copper manifold designs I've seen around the net, people have them facing downwards. I wouldn't imagine the wort would flow out so well if it was facing down, but it might also reduce chances of a stuck mash etc. Which way is right?

Cheers,


Stew

gday stu. if it does warp from the heat and you decide to go with copper there is a bit of info here http://www.homebrewdownunder.com/index.php?topic=948.0

cheers

Dave