236 replies to this topic

[MtnBrewer]

You want a hose barb on the outside of the cooler but you want some sort of coupling or compression fitting on the inside. I'll see if I can take some pics of mine tonight. I used to have some but I don't know whatever happened to them.

[djinkc]

I must be lost or stupid. I still need to attach a hose barb to the threads you see and then it will imposable to attach the end of the copper pipe to the hose barb.Dan

"If" you didn't solder that last "T" going to the 1/2" nipple there are copper fittings at most hardware stores. Female 1/2 threads and a female fitting that will accept the 1/2 copper pipe you have. Fasten that to the nipple. With a little work you should be able to swivel that last "T" , push the manifold into place and then lay it down. Even if that doesn't let it lay flat it should still work fine. Or if you get picky another fitting or two and it may be able to lay flush with the bottom.here's the fitting

Edited by djinkc, 23 April 2012 - 04:37 PM.

[brewman]

Ok here is the deal, Looking at pic one you can see that there is no way Im going to get the two ends connected without a mess.The second pic shows how I think Ill do it but with a solid piece of copper,

[BlKtRe]

I was thinking and you came up with it. Thats exactly what I was thinking. To bad you couldn't pull from the middle of those two pipes. Or can you?

[brewman]

I just spun the manifold around and twisted the T to point the other way.Dan

[BlKtRe]

I just spun the manifold around and twisted the T to point the other way.Dan

So the pipes now go parallel with the hump and the pick up is now in the middle of the tun?

[brewman]

Lets see if I can explain this right. Look at this pic of all the parts. See how the bottom middle has the T pointing down, just point it up and thats all I did. I then put a threaded fitting on the nipple going through the cooler that will accept a 1/2" piece of pipe along with a 45 degree piece. Now a solid piece of copper pipe will attach to the T at the bottom and to the 45 attached to the nipple.The second pic shows it all together with some paint edits to show the pipe as solid.Dan

[BlKtRe]

Brew On Dan!

[Deerslyr]

Looks like its time for a water test! My biggest concern was making sure my bulkhead didn't leak.

[brewman]

I did fill the cooler about half way with water last night, After about 30 min I had a few drips from around the nipple. I tightened things up and forgot about it. Ill check on it today when I get home. I need to go get a small piece of 1/2 pipe and then finish putting it all together.AND YES CUT THE SLOTS.Dan

[Deerslyr]

You aren't cutting slots on that piece that is going to the bulkhead are you? Because I wouldn't.

[BlKtRe]

You aren't cutting slots on that piece that is going to the bulkhead are you? Because I wouldn't.

Isn't that common sense?

[brewman]

No slots will be in the piece from the bulkhead to the T on the manifold.Dan

[Deerslyr]

Isn't that common sense?

You would think, but the conversation between the two of you was vague enough that I wasn't sure. Better safe than sorry. I mean, I wouldn't want him coming back asking why he still had two inches of liquid in his tun.It's amazing how these things work. Typically I have very little free liquid in the bottom of my tun once it is done.

[brewman]

With the angle of the ball valve coming out of the bulkhead, its output is at the same level if not lower then the bottom of the cooler. I should be able to get almost all the liquid out of the cooler with the suction it will create with the lower output. Tonight Ill solder the manifold together but leave the T unsoldered so I can take the manifold in and out.Dan

[BlKtRe]

With the angle of the ball valve coming out of the bulkhead, its output is at the same level if not lower then the bottom of the cooler. I should be able to get almost all the liquid out of the cooler with the suction it will create with the lower output. Tonight Ill solder the manifold together but leave the T unsoldered so I can take the manifold in and out.Dan

You might just want to solder half of it so you can split it apart for cleaning.

[Mya]

With the angle of the ball valve coming out of the bulkhead, its output is at the same level if not lower then the bottom of the cooler. I should be able to get almost all the liquid out of the cooler with the suction it will create with the lower output. Tonight Ill solder the manifold together but leave the T unsoldered so I can take the manifold in and out.Dan

I would think it shoud be fine as a slip fit

[Deerslyr]

Yeah, I would recommend only soldering joints where you absolutely don't want them to come apart... and loosely at that. Remember, the piping is supposed to leak like a sieve anyways until it gets to the pickup tube. It will be the least stressfull copper piping soldering you will do in your life.

[brewman]

Yea I don't really want to put a torch to my pipe if I don't have to.Dan

[djinkc]

Yea I don't really want to put a torch to my pipe if I don't have to.Dan

No solder on mine. Most of the joints got a light tap with a hammer while it was assembled so the friction fit is slightly tighter.