Rubbermaid Mashtun

anyone have the actual diameter of the hole when the original spigot is removed im a steamfitter and have access to about anything to do with pipe.. all the way to electro polished ss tubing so can anyone give me some info on the diameter of the the hole when the spigot is removed..

With the spigot and grommet removed the threads for a 1/2" stainless pipe nipple will fit through it, so the hole is around .92" diameter, -0/+something...

Cheers!

I'm holding the spigot in hand this moment. The silicone seal flange measures 0.87 something, but it's a soft material and difficult to mic. I recall the bore being a good fit for 1/2" IPS, good clearance but not sloppy. 0.92" would be too loose (sorry, Day Trip).

I can't measure the bore for you this moment. There are a couple of fittings in the way.

The more or less standard cooler conversion bulkhead sets work well. 1/2"x1.5" nipple; two 1/8" x 7/8" ID o-rings; two 7/8" ID fender washers; one 1/2" NPT lock nut. It's reasonably secure and leak free, but a half turn more on the side without the lock nut would be even more better. I have a thread repair die, but didn't want to bother cutting into the stainless. Over-torquing the fitting just a bit seems to hold well enough.

What's five hundreths between brewers?

The 1/2" SS nipple used for my bulkhead fit through the bore, and I actually measured the thread diameter. My caliper reads that as .92". I don't recall having to force the bulkhead nipple through the bore...

Cheers!

1/2" pipe has an O.D. of 0.84".

(BTW...) Coleman coolers are different from Rubbermaids and Igloos. The bore is about 1 1/8", and so doesn't work with cooler conversion kits, but the the plastic bulkhead takes a 1/2" male pipe fitting directly. It might not be a true pipe taper, though. It leaked about 1 small drop per hour with one layer of teflon tape wrapped on it. I ditched it in favor of the Rubbermaid I found for $21 at Lowes earlier this month.

MikeYoung said:

1/2" pipe has an O.D. of 0.84".

Click to expand...

The hole in my rubbermaid mash tun measured .838". The 1.5" nipple that came with my cooler bulkhead/valve from Bargainfittings.com fit perfectly: snug, but not too tight.

thanks all was trying to figure out why everyone used 3/8 ball valves and nipples when 1/2 would work unless im missing something

Primevci said:

thanks all was trying to figure out why everyone used 3/8 ball valves and nipples when 1/2 would work unless im missing something

Click to expand...

iirc from the loooong pertinent 10 gallon cooler thread, most were trying to use the original grommet thingie. I went with an all-stainless, commercial off-the-shelf solution that pitches the grommet and uses a 1/2" nipple, a special nut to hold a silicone o-ring on the inside followed by a coupler, and three washers behind a 3-piece ball valve on the outside.

I did have to grind down the outside washers to fit inside the well around the hole, but the rig works perfectly with zero drips to date...

Cheers!

I used 1/2" ball valves and fittings in mine.

BTW, if you keep the white gasket from inside a Coleman cooler (Xtreme green model) 1/2" fittings work really well.I used all 1/2" fittings inside my 70qt model when I converted it. Was able to make it leak free pretty easily.Of course, now I'm using a 1/2 bbl keg mash tun.

MikeYoung said:

1/2" pipe has an O.D. of 0.84".

Click to expand...

Thought maybe my caliper lost calibration, but after zeroing it I just checked the nipple again and it's still .92" across the threads.

Amazingly it still fits the coupler on one side and the ball valve on the other...

Cheers!