Started my Mash Tun today!

[Ceejay]

Last bit of work before I can start brewing: Thermos weekender 32l mash tun conversion.

22mm copper pipe manifold:

22mm tap assembly:

£2 pipe cutter worked a treat:

Now, I have a question concerning a tank connector. I assume I just drill out a large hole in the outside skin of the tun, but I will need a hole larger than 22mm for the inside wall? Does anyone know offhand which size hole I would need? I'm guessing it needs to be an engineering fit so it's completely watertight...

 

[darrenwest1]

wrong type of tap really
go to a plumbers merchant and get a flange that will seal against the inner wall

 

[darrenwest1]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 59&bih=629

try this

 

[Ceejay]

Crumbs, pricey! How come it's the wrong tap? I know most people use ball valves but surely the main aim here is to be able to accurately control the speed of flow when sparging?

I know next to nothing about plumbing, so I'm probably being a little naive here! How come I'd need an "Essex Flange" (fnar fnar :rofl: ) rather than a standard tank connector that everyone seems to use like this?
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=3691586
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Compression-Flanged-Tank-Connector/invt/420231

 

[darrenwest1]

from a plumbers merchant they are about £3

 

[corby_brewer]

The tap you have is fine, i used them on my MT and Boilers. Just get yourself a 15mm tank conector. Just remember that you will have to drill it out to accept 15mm pipe.

 

[darrenwest1]

the only reason i said i thought it was wrong is that i remember someone here saying grain and bits could get stuck in them becaise they compress a rubber washer to stop the flow
where as a ball valve has no where for bits to hide so easier to keep clean internally

 

[Ceejay]

Ah, OK, that makes sense. I guess what I have is what they call a "gate valve" so if it does get stuck I just fully open the gate and it clears - that's the theory anyway! Like I said - I am clueless when it comes to plumbing so please don't take my questions as anything other than lack of knowledge and wanting to find out why certain methods are employed over others

With the tank connector - I actually bought one today, but I thought it was the wrong one as the internal diameter of the flange part was about 20mm, not 22mm as expected. I assume that's the bit that needs to be drilled out :wha:

Cheers for the help chaps; if it wasn't for folks and advice on this forum I wouldn't even be attempting any of this

Aparently, you can also get a "Surrey Flange". As expected, it's twice the price as an Essex flange... :grin:

 

[corby_brewer]

With the tank connector - I actually bought one today, but I thought it was the wrong one as the internal diameter of the flange part was about 20mm, not 22mm as expected. I assume that's the bit that needs to be drilled out

Yes thats the bit that needs to be drilled out. :thumb:

 

[Ceejay]

Mmmm, thought as much. I'm probably going to have to source one that just has a ridge in the middle that I can file down, rather than the one i have which has a reduced bore half way through it, which will take some drilling! Plus, I don't actually have a workbench to clamp it

 

[rickthebrew]

I filed out a connector with a ridge for my mash tun with a round file - didn`t take to long :thumb: When I last bought one for my boiler I couldn`t find one with a ridge just the one you have that is smaller inside, took a bit longer but still managed it (was 15mm though not 22m)

Good luck

 

[hairybiker]

You don't have to drill it out. I have been using an unconverted one for may years.
I have a short length of pipe to my manifold and a short pipe with 2 male connectors on to connect to the tap from the flange works fine for me.

 

[Ceejay]

An hour and a bit with the file and voila!

Just slots holes in the "tun" to cut ,then I'm ready to buy ingredients and get brewing! :

 

[Ceejay]

I think I may have borked this up!! :cry:

Have I mounted the tap asembly too far up? The strainer is sitting at an angle, with the flange end sitting about an inch from the bottom, the other end touching the bottom. Will the only issue with this be deadspace?

Also, really annoyingly, I made a small, triangular crack in the inner plastic when cutting the hole. Will it be OK just to silicone seal this, or have a ruined the whole thing? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! I hate it when I bork stuff up! It was going so well, too!

 

[Vossy1]

Easy fix, swap the T on the strainer which fits to the back of the tap to the middle of the strainer. Then take a 22mm length of pipe to the back of the tap. You will need to bend the 22mm extension piece so the strainer sits on the bottom of the tun. It's easier to bend if you pre bend it as a longer length of pipe before cutting it to size :thumb:
Alternatively you could use flexible hose.

I have a picture somewhere back in a mo

 

[Ceejay]

Aaaaah, I get you - yes. Now I know why loads of people have the feed to the tap coming from the middle piece of the strainer. Cheers Vossy! :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Something like this.

This picture shows the 'take off' coming from the rear of the strainer as my strainer doesn't have cross spars (so to speak). I made it this way to increase the surface area.
It makes no difference where the 'take off' comes off TBH.

 

[Ceejay]

Yep -that's what I'll do then. Great stuff. And of the "crack" -it's actually a bit that's split off from the hole I cut. I take it I can just seal this with silicone or something without any ill effects to the beer/mashing process...

 

[Vossy1]

Yep. Personally, I'd be wanting to use food grade silicone sealant, but it's up to you
You could try hot welding the plastic with a soldering gun but it's a bit 'hit and miss'.
Have you got a picture of where it is?

 

[Ceejay]

Difficult to get a decent pic of it - just tried a few times and can't get a good view of it with the phone. It's only about a 2mm hole at the most, right at the edge of the flange so I think I might be able to get away with just using a larger rubber washer beneath the flange...