Mash tun dip tube question

[eric19312]

I am converting a 62 quart bayou classic kettle to a mash tun using a Jaybird hinged false bottom from Norcal Brewing. The hinge is necessary on the BC to get over the basket.

Because of preexisting weldless bulkhead centered at 2.5" above bottom of kettle I have gone with the lowest available stand for the FB (1.25").

I plan to direct fire / recirculate the mash tun to maintain temperature every brew and step mash about 25% of the time.

I didn't have a hole drilled in the false bottom because I can't make up my mind on how to place it. One option looks to be to add a custom dip tube with compression fittings (I do like the 5/8" one on Brewers Hardware).

But..what if I just use an inexpensive high flow elbow barb as a pickup? That is what I use in my boil kettle and hlt and works great in that application. This would put the pickup on the perimeter of the FB instead of the middle. Is that asking for trouble with channeling?

Also without the compression fittings like on the dip tube I suppose the hole for the elbow barb would need to be on the hinge. In my head that works but maybe somebody knows better?

 

[luhrks]

I've got a post on how to convert one of these up already. Please feel free to look it up.

 

[eric19312]

Hi thanks a bunch for responding. I've no idea why my google search didn't find that. I've still got questions but will post them to your thread tomorrow.

link to Luhrks thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f257/boayou-classic-herms-mash-tun-conversion-jaybird-false-bottom-294844/

 

[eric19312]

Any other opinions?

In a flat bottom kettle mash tun does it matter where in the kettle the dip tube is placed? It seems most commercial kettles place the dip tube at the edge, quite close to the bulkhead. Any reason it would be better to draw from middle of the pot?

 

[luhrks]

In practice, not really. The only real consideration is making it so you can get the false bottom in and out easily.

 

[eric19312]

Update - here is what I did. Works with water, will get real test this weekend.

So... first the stand on the Jaybird false bottom is different from the one on the website. Not an X configuration, I received this cool ring. I think it will work better and address potential problem of a few grains getting around the sides, getting stuck on the X, and scorching on the bottom.



But now no way to get the stand in the kettle with plain fixed street elbow dip tube.

So I kicked myself for not ordering the dip tube from Bobby M but not wanting to wait looked at some threads here in HBT and built this:



Parts were off the shelf at Home Depot. Needed the FPT FPT 1/2 adapter to get to female threads. Needed a 5/8 Flare to 1/2 MPT to connect to that. Had a short piece of 1/2 copper, sweated that to a 90 degree copper elbow, then extended that to within 3/16" of bottom of kettle with another short piece of 1/2 copper.

Hopefully I will not get that suction lock on the bottom of the kettle Luhrks designed around. Will position the interior piece of the FB stand near the dip tube for extra support where it would be needed.