Converting a cooler to a mash tun

2011-12-11T22:27:55Z

Jitjat: /* How to make a cheap 10 or 5 gallon MLT with a Rubbermaid Cooler. */

[[Category:Beer]]
[[Category:Beer equipment]]
[[Category:Mash equipment]]
[[Category:DIY]]
==Mash Tun Types==
===Rectangular===
''' 48 Qt Coleman MLT Conversion'''

[[Image:Outside_Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|Valve]][[Image:Inside_Bulkhead.jpg|thumb|Inside]][[Image:Slots_in_Manifold.jpg|thumb|Slots]]
[[Image:Manifold_in_MLT.jpg|thumb|Manifold]][[Image:Rectangular_MLT.jpg|thumb|Rectangular]]

Just finished a 48 Qt Coleman rectangular MLT conversion. After reading Palmers, How To Brew and the article on Tun Geometry and flow potential, I decided on 1/2" Diameter Copper and Brass. Also the dimensions of the 48 Qt are 9"x23"x 12". So in regards to spacing I went with 1/2 the distance of the spread from the sides, 2" on either side and 4" in between each runner. This should allow even flow throughout the grain bed.
Parts; 6' Copper pipe
* (4) 1/2" copper 90 degree slip on elbows
* (5) 1/2" copper slip on tees
* (2) 1/2" copper 45 degree slip on elbows
* (1) copper 1/2" female-threaded to 1/2" slip on adapter
* (5) 3/4x2" fender washers (Home Depot only has "CUT" washers in this size)
* (1) 3/4x2" stainless steel washer
* (2) neoprene 2" washers (fender washers?)
* (1) 2 1/2" brass pipe nipple
* (1) 1/2" brass ball valve with threaded female ends
* (1) 1/2" hose barb adapter with threaded male end
* Teflon tape
Cost about $30 + cooler

First remove the drain from the cooler, re-use the rubber washer from the cooler, put the rubber washer from the cooler on the pipe nipple. I had to get out the Dremel and modify the fender washers. modify the inside SS washer to conform to the interior of the cooler. Place the Neoprene washers on the pipe nipple, then the modified fender washer and the 1/2" copper adapter. This is the inside of the Bulkhead. Put this through the existing hole in cooler, work the original rubber washer into the hole of the cooler. I placed 5- 2" fender washers on the pipe nipple( modified the centre holes with Dremel to slide over easily). Teflon tape the threads, attach Ball Valve and tighten. Teflon tape Hose barb and attach.
Cut the copper pipe with pipe cutter( easy way) to what ever configuration you choose. The 45's will get the pipe up to the level of the [[manifold]] on bottom of cooler. I cut slots in the pipe with a 4 1/2" angle grinder and cut off wheel. Loose fitting all the interior pipe makes for simplicity. The cooler is 9" wide so I made the [[manifold]] 5" wide, so as to have 2" on either side and 4" in the middle.

===Cylindrical===
===Square===

==Strainer Types==

===[[Manifold]]===
[[Image:Manifold-1-.JPG|thumb|copper manifold]]
A series of tubes with holes or slots in. The pipes can be plastic or copper and have holes drilled in them or slots. Suitable for batch sparging and fly sparging.

===[[False Bottom]]===
===Stainless Steel Braid===
The stainless braid method of holding back the mash while lautering is one of the cheapest methods for a crafty brewer. It is made from a short section of water supply hose that has the ends cut off and the inner vinyl hose removed. This makes for a large staining area before the runnings exit the cooler. This device is used for [[Batch Sparging|batch sparging]] and will not work as well for [[fly sparging]] due to the likelihood of channelling.

=How to make a cheap 10 or 5 gallon MLT with a Rubbermaid Cooler.=
[[Image:1 All Parts r-1-.jpg|thumb|all parts]]

Information supplied by FlyGuy [http://www.homebrewtalk.com HBT]
Building a mash & lauter tun from a large beverage container is easy and inexpensive to do. You can buy Kewler Kit conversions that supply you with a pre-build bulkhead and faucet, but off-the-shelf components from your local hardware store work just as well, and cost far less. I got all my parts at my local Home Depot.

The style of MLT that I built was for batch sparging. To make it easy and cheap to build, I used a stainless steel braid for straining the grist during lautering. But one could easily substitute a [[false bottom]] or [[manifold]], if desired. The bulkhead is made from a brass nipple connector and a few washers to add rigidity and obtain the correct spacing. The faucet is a simple ball valve. That's it!

(Click on any picture to enlarge it.)

=='''Parts List:'''==

Here are the parts you will need for the conversion (see picture, left to right):
* 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 (Note:You can convert a 1/2" SS fender wash by widening the hole to 5/8" if you cannot find one. Most hardware stores do NOT carry 5/8" ID fender washers.)
* 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” Inner Diameter O-ring (preferably heat resistant, if you can find one)
* 3 x 5/8” fender washers (newer coolers seem to be thin around the spigot and may need 5 or 6 instead of 3)
* 3/8” threaded ball valve
* 3/8” male barb adapter (Watts A-294)

'''Assembly'''

=='''Step 1''' - Remove the spigot from the cooler:==

* using a wrench to firmly hold the nut inside the cooler, remove the plastic spigot from the Rubbermaid cooler
* retain the seal and possible rubber seal from the inside of the cooler for use in Step 2 below

=='''Step 2 - Inside parts:'''==

[[Image:10_Braid-1-.jpg|thumb|inside]]

'''Stainless steel braid:'''
* Cut the ends off the stainless steel braided supply hose using a hacksaw or rotary tool (my Dremel tool cut through the braid like nothing -- took about 60 seconds)
* Using a set of needle nose pliers, grab the flexible hose inside the braid, and PUSH the braid off the hose (don't pull!) Pull the PVC tubing out, leaving only the braiding. The stainless braid is constructed like a Chinese finger trap: if you pull it the opposite way of the hose, it will constrict and make extracting the hose impossible. But, by compressing it, it will loosen its grip on the hose.
* Insert the brass square head plug into one end of the braid and secure with a hose clamp (or you can just crimp down the end, but then the braid may float up in your mash)

'''Bulkhead:'''
* Apply a few wraps of teflon tape to threads on the brass nipple
* Slide stainless steel washer onto brass nipple
* Securely attach female barb adapter to brass nipple
* Insert seal from plastic spigot on inside of cooler and insert brass nipple inside

[[:Image:11_Finished_MLT-1-.jpg]]

=='''Step 3 - Outside Parts:'''==
[[Image:11_Finished_MLT-1-.jpg|thumb|outside]]

* pull brass nipple all the way through the hole in the cooler. insert O-ring over nipple.
* apply teflon tape to threads on nipple
* add fender washers as spacers to ensure a tight fit of the components once the ball valve is attached (mine needed 3 washers)
* attach the ball valve
* apply Teflon tape to the male barb connector, and attach it to the bal valve

=='''Step 4 - Attach Stainless Steel Braid'''==
* slip a SS hose clamp over the open end of the SS braid
* slide the braid onto the barb connector inside the cooler, and tighten the hose clamp

'''The Finished Product'''

That's it. You now have a cheap MLT that was easy to put together. To be sure mine didn't leak, I filled it to the 10 gallon capacity with water, and let it sit for 45 minutes. Didn't leak a drop!

If you do however, encounter a leak, try to find the source. Try using a 7/8" Outer Diameter O-ring in addition to the 5/8" ID O-ring.

'''Cost'''

As of April 2011 from home depot, the total bill came out to about 25 for parts, 40 for the cooler.

=Sources=
http://members.shaw.ca/Fly_Guy/mlt.htm
=External Links=

http://members.shaw.ca/Fly_Guy/mlt.htm

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/no-leak-mlt-bulkhead-design-87197/

http://www.azega.com/converting-a-cooler-into-a-mash-tun/

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Converting a cooler to a mash tun