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Did I Ruin My Beverage Cooler MLT? Did I Ruin My Beverage Cooler MLT?
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Old 02-09-2010, 02:50 AM   #1
JimE
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Default Did I Ruin My Beverage Cooler MLT?
Today, I was a dumb ass. I swapped out the zinc/steel washer with a stainless washer tonight. Then I put a quart of vineager and several gallons of hot water in it to take any lead off of the surface of the brass part.

Here is the dumb thing, I used boiling water. The liner of the cooler cracked all the way around. There were no leaks. I then drained the acid solution and filled the cooler with 10 gal. of cool water. No leaks.

Have I ruined this MLT? Should I go ahead and use it for my 1st all-grain batch on Wednesday, or should I swap out the cooler with a new one?

Help!
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Old 02-09-2010, 02:55 AM   #2
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IMHO if there is a crack you could get wort behind tub, and then back into the tub, bringing whatever kind of insulation back with it. I would make dang sure that the insulation won't touch beer, it might do something like breathing fiberglass shards, only to your throat.
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Old 02-09-2010, 04:03 AM   #3
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Without seeing any photos I'd swap it out. Many liners will flex/warp when hit with their first hot grain bed, and your cracked liner might fail on your first batch.
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Old 02-09-2010, 06:04 AM   #4
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I agree, an actual crack could cause goobers to make it into your wort. And any wort left behind would be prone to mold/nastifiying itself.
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Old 02-09-2010, 08:46 AM   #5
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Hey how about a slide on this thread...

I have noticed my MT warping one side really noticeable. For JimE and myself, what is a good replacement that will last?

JimE, the manifold will come out and Reattach to new cooler.

Any input would be appreciated (and I'll stop hyjacking thread).
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Old 02-09-2010, 10:33 AM   #6
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Warping is fine and normal on these coolers, I wouldnt worry about it too much until its causing issues with doughballs/excess leftover wort...
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Old 02-09-2010, 11:51 AM   #7
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Why not try a high quality silicone caulk in the crack? Speaking as some one in the building trade, if fiberglass shards in your throat is a remote possiblity from this cooler, I'd not worry too much. (Ever demo an old house?) Caulk the crack and wipe of the excess with a paper towel (dipped in denatured alcohol). If you really smoosh it into the crack it will seal quite well, though it will leak behind the liner eventually.
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Old 02-09-2010, 12:38 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JimE View Post
Today, I was a dumb ass. I swapped out the zinc/steel washer with a stainless washer tonight. Then I put a quart of vinegar and several gallons of hot water in it to take any lead off of the surface of the brass part.

Here is the dumb thing, I used boiling water. The liner of the cooler cracked all the way around. There were no leaks. I then drained the acid solution and filled the cooler with 10 gal. of cool water. No leaks.

Have I ruined this MLT? Should I go ahead and use it for my 1st all-grain batch on Wednesday, or should I swap out the cooler with a new one?

Help!

If the foam is exposed, you either need to buy a new cooler, or try to patch the cooler with food grade silicon. I don't know if the silicon will adhere to the plastic that well. The ingredients in molded foam insulation is probably not safe for human consumption.
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Old 02-09-2010, 12:59 PM   #9
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Is it really worth it to try to patch it up? Buy a new one and you will feel much better about the whole thing... even if it does lighten your wallet a little.
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Old 02-09-2010, 02:08 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by effinpansy View Post
Why not try a high quality silicone caulk in the crack? Speaking as some one in the building trade, if fiberglass shards in your throat is a remote possiblity from this cooler, I'd not worry too much. (Ever demo an old house?) Caulk the crack and wipe of the excess with a paper towel (dipped in denatured alcohol). If you really smoosh it into the crack it will seal quite well, though it will leak behind the liner eventually.
Yeah, try aquarium silicone. Check it after each brew, and replace as needed.
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