Help with Mash Tun.

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eon

eon

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Hello all. I just bought an Igloo round 5 gallon cooler. I also bought all of the parts in Fly guys "!0 gallon Rubbermaid" instructional:

Here is the cooler. Not exactly the same design on the front as mine but I think it is the exact same cooler:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Igloo-42316-5-Gallon-Seat-Top-Beverage-Cooler-Orange-/270600434576


- Rubbermaid 10 gallon round beverage cooler
- all stainless steel ¼” hose clamps x 2
- brass square head plug (Watts A-737)
- ½” x 12” (or larger) braided stainless steel supply hose
- 3/8” female barb adapter (Watts A-298)
- 5/8” stainless steel fender washer (sometimes hard to find, but try Fastenal or read this thread if you are stuck)
- 3/8” MIP x 1-1/2” brass nipple (Watts A-786)
- seal from plastic spigot of cooler (shown below)
- Teflon tape (note: everything to the left of the tape in the picture above goes inside the cooler, and everything to the right goes outside)
- 5/8” O-ring (preferably heat resistant, if you can find one)
- 3 x 5/8” fender washers
- 3/8” threaded ball valve
- 3/8” male barb adapter (Watts A-294)

I am having some trouble. I don't know If I bought the wrong size parts or what but the brass nipple is WAY smaller than the hole on the cooler. Is this supposed to be like this?

Not really sure how to put this thing together.

If anyone wants to help, I would appreciate it. We can message back and forth on here or somewhere else.

I want to attempt putting this together before I run back to home depot and exchange the parts.

One thing, I noticed was that the ball valve is unable to open and close because the cooler body is in the way.

Hope this isnt turning into a nightmare!

Well, I took pictures of everything. Just ask, if you would like to see anything,

Thanks!
 
You say you bought a 5 gallon cooler and then mention a 10 gallon cooler in your parts list.
 
Yes, the nipple will be much smaller than the hole. That's where the fender washers come into play. There purpose is to basically step down the hole while still enabling a nice water tight fit.

When you took the spigot apart you should have the original washer/seal. This gets put back on the inside right up against the cooler wall followed by the fender washers. When you screw down the nipple up against the fender washers to the ball valve on the outside it in effect compresses the fender washers up against the original washer/seal to the inside of the cooler. This should be now water tight.

As far as not being able to open the spigot, you need to add more washers to bring the ball valve further out from the cooler wall. I think I ended up using like 6 or 7 of those washers in total.

It's all about the fender washers...
 
Ok, here is a video:



So the plastic washer is supposed to fit against the wall of the cooler, even though it is loose like that?

also, the other end of the brass nipple barely sticks out of the front of the cooler. How am I supposed to attach the other washers and ball valve? It seems like that brass nipple should be much longer.

I dont know...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Does anyone know if the parts list above are the correct parts for a 5 gallon round igloo cooler? or can somebody either tell which parts to use or direct me to a page that says what to use?

Thanks again!
 
Those pieces are exactly what I had. The brass piece with the threads at both ends you were stacking the washers onto in the video is what passes through the cooler wall. Basically, hold that in the hole then put the black o-ring and white plastic washer that came with the cooler onto it (on the inside). The white washer should have a groove that the black o-ring sits in. That plastic washer is just kind of floating there on the threaded brass piece but it will tighten against the cooler wall once you add a couple fender washers on the inside followed by the brass nipple.

Then holding this assembly in the hole from the inside you will add a bunch of washers onto the outside followed by the ball valve assembly. When you tighten the nipple down on the inside and the ball valve on the outside, everything will compress up against the cooler walls forming a water tight seal. If you have tightened everything down and the assembly is wiggling loose in the hole, you need more washers. Like I said, I needed a bunch of those washers to even be able to tighten the assembly down.

Oh, and don't forget the teflon tape on those threads.
 
I went with 3/8" and had no problems.

The only thing I can suggest is go back and get the 10 gallon cooler.
 
Looks like a lot of parts just to convert a beverage cooler. All you needs is the threaded ball valve, nut, nipple, some o-rings & tubing.

I made one with a 5-gal Igloo cooler here. (no pics and I never finished the instructions, but its simpler than building something out of Legos). I saved the rubber washer that comes with the cooler and reused it.

I now use it as my HLT, and here is a pic of it in action sparging a pumpkin ale.

The hardest part is unscrewing the spigot that comes with the cooler :)
(I tried really hard to not say anything.....BUT, I wouldn't use brass in my mashtun if I were you.......)
 
I think I see what you are saying Darkuncle. After messing around with it, I think it will work out just fine. The outside still seems a bit loose. After, I put the washers on, I think it will be ok. I'll play around with it and get back to you. Hopefully this works out. I dont want to go out to the store again.
 
To get the whole thing nice and tight, you need those washers. They act as spacers to be able to reach tightness.

As a tip though, don't crank down too hard if it doesn't look like you will be able to get it tight. It's a real pain in the a$$ to get it apart again so you can add more washers. Also, once you get enough washers to get the whole thing tight, don't over tighten. After all that you wouldn't want to crack the cooler wall.
 
Ok, I'm still not sure how this is going to work. I'm not the handiest person so I might be missing something. Here is another video:

I have everything on except the teflon tape and the steel braid. No point in pointing those on if the thing doesnt fit!

I would appreciate any more help. Maybe I do need 1/2 inch parts?
 
I had the same issues using the parts list for the 10 gallon to use on my 5 gallon cooler. I ended up having to buy 3-4 more washers and set things up slightly differently than the instructions because even after it was a little tighter on there it wasn't water tight.
Once I'm off work I'll post the pictures of how I had to setup my 5 gallon home depot cooler to make it work.
 
I don't remember any of the part numbers, I just got whatever was on the list linked to earlier. Also I have an extra nipple in front because they didn't have the right part, they gave me the extra nipple for free though.
Hopefully you still have the white plastic thingy that the large rubber gasket from the original cooler spigot was in, that was the key part for me.
IMG_2169%20%28Medium%29.JPG

IMG_2171%20%28Medium%29.JPG

I had to have 2 washers inside and 4 on the outside.
 
dogtailale said:
Dude If you like a sloppy fit, well thats up to you. I prefer a good tight fit.
Click to expand...

Ah dude, there ain't nothing sloppy about it. It's as tight as could be, guy.

LOL, why don't you go and throw up a post on the 130+ page thread and tell everyone who used 3/8" parts that their tuns are sloppy. :ban:
 
Do the washers on the outside have to be stainless steel? I just bought all the SS washers that my hardware store carries. They have "SAE zinc" ones though. Will those work seeing as they wont be touching the wort?
 
Hey knotquiteawake, behind those 4 washers do you have a 5/8" O ring? I have one and it almost fits through the hole in the cooler. I dont see how this is water tight?!

Not that I dont trust you guys but 1/2 inch does seem like a better fit.

I dont care either way as long as the mash tun works! :D
 
I would stick with the SS. I've seen pics where even the ones on the outside begin to discolor and rust.

I saw your video and that does indeed look pretty loose alright. You definitely got the right pipe nipple? It looks like it's quite long causing you not to be able to tighten down. The only other thing I can see is that the washers you're using look quite a bit thinner than the ones I have.

You've got the design down correctly. It's just a matter of getting that assembly tight. The problem lies not in the thickness of the nipple but the length of it. Using 6 washers enabled me to tighten down.

I just want to add that your cooler appears to be exactly like the one I have, an Igloo. Only I have the 10 gallon version. Perhaps the wall is just much thinner on the 5 gallon. But I have to say something just doesn't look right. You should not have a gap of that size. It's as if nothing is tightened down and the pipe nipple is really long. Too long.
 
I have nothing blocking hole that goes from outside to inside. The two main gaskets that are providing the water tight seal are the one from the old cooler, its inside the white part that is flush against the inside wall of the cooler (see the picture), this keeps water from getting out that way. The second gasket is the one between the two washers on the inside of the cooler.
i think maybe I put one or two in between the washers on the outside and the outside wall, but I am relying on the waterproofing on the inside to take care of it all.
Also the first washer on the inside is also flush against the white plastic part as well. Somehow it all works, I had to do a fair amount of trial and error.
 
Ok, well, I finally got it! I just needed more washers and had to play with it awhile. That this is TIGHT. NOw I just need to fill it with water and wait 45 minutes to see if it leaks. I don't think it should though.

Thanks for everyones help!
 
eon said:
Ok, well, I finally got it! I just needed more washers and had to play with it awhile. That this is TIGHT. NOw I just need to fill it with water and wait 45 minutes to see if it leaks. I don't think it should though.

Thanks for everyones help!
Click to expand...

Awesome man.

:mug:
 
DarkUncle said:
Ah dude, there ain't nothing sloppy about it. It's as tight as could be, guy.

LOL, why don't you go and throw up a post on the 130+ page thread and tell everyone who used 3/8" parts that their tuns are sloppy. :ban:
Click to expand...


The OD of a 3/8'' pipe is roughly 5/8''. The factory hole in my rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler is again roughly 1''. That leaves 3/8 of an inch of slop. BIG potential for leaks. I call that PPD
 
3/8" does not matter when you follow the design laid out in the following thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

Using the seals the cooler came with in addition to the fender washers results in a water tight seal. I can assure you that my tun is not sloppy, not loose and most certainly does not leak. And yes, I used 3/8" parts.

Let it go man. I'm sure 1/2" works but so does 3/8" as clearly proven in the above thread. Go have a read. Done.
 
One thing you can do with your ball valve is to reverse the handle. Take off the nut that holds the handle in place and then pull off the handle, turn it 180 degrees and set it back on the valve assembly. Replace nut and tighten. Now your handle should turn with ease.
 

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