Rubbermaid Cooler Issue

[Micky5752]

Has anyone had any problems with the Rubbermaid 10 gallon containers inner liner lifting away from the insulation and bubbling up? I put my strike water in i heard it crack and then the bubble grew to the top. This is my second tun that has done this in two weeks. Any answers are appreciated?

 

[Yooper]

Has anyone had any problems with the Rubbermaid 10 gallon containers inner liner lifting away from the insulation and bubbling up? I put my strike water in i heard it crack and then the bubble grew to the top. This is my second tun that has done this in two weeks. Any answers are appreciated?

Yep! That will happen if you use water over about 180 degrees in them.

 

[Palefire]

I don't have a rubbermaid, but this happened to my cooler about two years ago. Done 30+ batches in it since then and no problems whatsoever.

Think it's happened to lots of people - coolers aren't really designed to hold hot liquid. But as long as that lining doesn't crack, it's not a problem.

 

[phenry]

Mine has a big ole bulge in it, I don't think it's getting any worse so I'm just taking every brew day one at a time until it finally does let go (hopefully never).

 

[ndsgr]

The bubbles in mine help keep the manifold locked at the bottom. I wish I could take credit for the new design.

 

[Brewman79]

In my experience you have to heat up the cooler with 1 gal of water for a couple of minutes before you add all the water.This happened to a few friends of mine.

 

[DeafSmith]

I wonder if it's the absolute temperature or the rapid change that makes the difference. On the theory that it might be the sudden change, I connect my water heating kettle through my March pump to my 10 gallon RubberMaid cooler MLT, with the cooler higher than the kettle. As I heat the water, I pump it to the MLT, then let it drain back through the pump into the kettle (takes a few minutes to drain back) - when it is all drained, I pump it again. Each time I fill the cooler, the water is about 20º F hotter than the last time. This heats the cooler gently. When I have filled the cooler the last time, I then start the same process with my Igloo cooler HLT. A bit of a hassle because I have to stand at the pump switch and turn the pump on and off, but so far no trace of warping or cracking in either cooler. I've only had the RubberMaid up to about 170 or a bit over, but I've had the Igloo to 185 (several times for both).

 

[Micky5752]

Hey Guys... Thanks for the input... I had one that I returned a week ago and got a new one because the liner lifted... So I put my valve back on and false bottom... and low and behold when I hit it with the strike water for the first time... POP and there it is... I really appreciate all of the input... I want to return it and then try warming it up first before I hit it with the strike water from now on...