Problems with converting a cooler to a mash tun

So, I followed the direction from the following link for converting a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Converting_a_cooler_to_a_mash_tun

I followed the instructions strictly and I am still leaking around the bottom of the spigot where it connects to the outside wall of the cooler. I even went back to Home Depot and bought a 7/8" OD O-Ring, and it still didn't fix my leak. I can't think of anything else I can do. I did have to use 5 of the 5/8" Fender Washers to plug the gap on my nipple between the ball valve and the outer cooler wall.

Has anyone else done this and had a similar experience, and have some useful advice?!?!? I am not an idiot, so I thought this would be pretty simple. The main issue I notice is that the whole spigot unit seems to mover around quite a bit, but I thought the extra Fender Washers would help shore that up, but it didn't work. I was thinking of just getting some silica water sealer to try to seal it up, but thought I would look here for advice first! Thanks for any advice you guys can give me!

Hmm, not that I have anything against the wiki, but this thread here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/ , shows the original post with more and larger photos. Double check that and make sure you didn't miss a step.

Also, double check that you "retain the seal from the inside of the cooler for use in Step 2..." (Flyguy). That might account for the whole unit moving around a bit.

Lastly, double check that you haven't bottomed out on any threads that might require another washer for spacing, thus accounting for a tight fit, but an excess of space.

That's all I can think of without maybe pics of your cooler and assembly specifically.

I guess pictures would have helped!

I think I figured out the problem based on your link. I *think* the problem may be my Fender Washers. I'm no longer 100% sure I have Fender Washers based on the pics and other things I have read. They look like the same thing, but I think they may actually be flat washers. My first cue was that the ones in the pics look a little thicker, which would make sense why I need more to make this thing tighter. Plus, so many people have said they don't sell them at Home Depot and I need to go to Fastenal or some place like that. Guess I am hitting Fastenal bright and early tomorrow! If that doesn't work, I will post pics so I can get more input.

Thanks for your post, it was very helpful!

Putting orings behind washers is the worst bulkbead design there is. There is nothing to stop liquid from going between the end device and the washer and once it gets to the threads it goes under the orings.

If you're using a cooler made since ~Aug then the hole for the spigot is larger than the instructions in the original posting. I ran into this myself and I solved it with more gaskets and a couple of neoprene gaskets between the bulkhead and gasket assembly.

I'll find out tonight if the Fender Washers were the only problem. I went all around Raleigh today looking for them. Fastenal didn't carry 5/8" at any of the local stores. I ended up going to Ace Hardware. While they didn't have 5/8", they had M16 Metric Fender Washers. I pulled out one of the 3/8" nipples they had at the store and the M16s seemed to be the right size. Bergy, I think my spigot opening is the right size, as the 3/8" nipple seemed to fit the inner seal for the cooler pretty snugly. Of course, if these Washers don't fix the leaking problem, that might be the next thing for me to look at. If that turns out to be an issue, I might send you a Private Message to get more details. I really want to get this thing up and running by Friday night so I can brew!

Everything I tried failed.... I started thinking that the rubber seal in the cooler I got may have been faulty. I messed with it a bit, and it seemed really loose. I figured with all the tinkering I did, Home Depot wouldn't take it back most likely. So, I did the only thing I could think to do. I silicone caulked the **** out of it. I did use Food Safe 100% silicone. That seemed to do the trick. I sealed the rubber cooler seal into place, then anywhere I found it to be a bit loose. I kept water in in for a couple of hours last night without it leaking a drop. Thanks to all who helped me with this, especially bergy!

bergy said:

If you're using a cooler made since ~Aug then the hole for the spigot is larger than the instructions in the original posting. I ran into this myself and I solved it with more gaskets and a couple of neoprene gaskets between the bulkhead and gasket assembly.

Click to expand...

I was trying to figure out what was going so wrong with my project tonight.. I kept thinking my hole seams so much larger and I'm going to need more gaskets..

I'll go pick up an assortment of gaskets tomorrow

Hopefully the gaskets work. Something still isn't exactly right with mine. It started leaking a bit into my second batch. Fortunately, I have a friend who has done this before who is going to help me tweak it a bit.

I used a couple large rubber washers on each side. Worked perfect.

WhiteEagle1 said:

I used a couple large rubber washers on each side. Worked perfect.

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Does your valve still spin? I worked on this some more last night and have it so tight I'm sure the cooler is about to break and still getting water and the valve will just spin around because the hole is so large that when the vessel heats up it starts to move.

bergy said:

If you're using a cooler made since ~Aug then the hole for the spigot is larger than the instructions in the original posting. I ran into this myself and I solved it with more gaskets and a couple of neoprene gaskets between the bulkhead and gasket assembly.

Click to expand...

This is the problem I'm having right now too! I bought my cooler last fall so I think it was made after August.

Anywho, any chance of you describing or showing some pics of the gaskets you used?

Did you make any other modifications?

I got the valve fitting kits from Northern Brewer (after costing out the parts and being unsuccessful in getting what I needed at Home Depot--and I didn't know about bargainfittings.com yet). It was still impossible to get anywhere close to a seal, until I'd realized they sent me the longer nipple for a thicker walled cooler. The Rubbermaid wall at spout is only about 1/4-3/8" thick.

They replaced it asap and now I'm all set. I did notice that when they are full of hot water, the valves do spin pretty easily, but that hasn't become a leak. I may put a couple gallons of boiling water in, let the heat expand the cooler plastic, then tighten them down a bit. Maybe. It's not leaking now.

Bobby_M said:

Putting orings behind washers is the worst bulkbead design there is. There is nothing to stop liquid from going between the end device and the washer and once it gets to the threads it goes under the orings.

Click to expand...

I've seen an actual bulkhead fitting on Northern Brewer for about $20 each. How does that compare to other prices for real bulkhead fittings?

Trippel-A said:

I've seen an actual bulkhead fitting on Northern Brewer for about $20 each. How does that compare to other prices for real bulkhead fittings?

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You mean this one?


Not a good design at all, especially for $20

There are a lot of different bulkhead designs out there and some are complete crap and others are passable with a little tweaking. Obviously the prices are all over the map.

After working with a lot of different designs to figure out what I personally could support regarding customer service issues, two designs worked out...

Thinwall:


Coolers:


I always use 1.25" diameter silicone flat gaskets. They deal with slightly oversized holes and are really hard to roll out from under the fittings like orings do. I understand the locknuts have a gland to hold the oring in place, but the hole tolerance has to be pretty tight to the nipple for it to seal.

Bobby_M said:

You mean this one?

Not a good design at all, especially for $20

There are a lot of different bulkhead designs out there and some are complete crap and others are passable with a little tweaking. Obviously the prices are all over the map.

After working with a lot of different designs to figure out what I personally could support regarding customer service issues, two designs worked out...

Thinwall:

Coolers:

I always use 1.25" diameter silicone flat gaskets. They deal with slightly oversized holes and are really hard to roll out from under the fittings like orings do. I understand the locknuts have a gland to hold the oring in place, but the hole tolerance has to be pretty tight to the nipple for it to seal.

Click to expand...

Actually, I was talking about this. http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/polar-ware-bulkhead.html. It's more like $30, sorry. When I called it an actual bulkhead, I mean that water has no way to get under the washer, into the threads, because there is no washer. It's one piece, a real bulkhead.

I like the flat silicon gaskets on your setups, though.

I wrestled with the decision to either have real bulkheads made or continue to assemble them from off the shelf parts and ultimately, I found that a $29 real bulkhead is impractical for most customers IF I can make the assembly version ($12) effective almost 100% of the time. My design puts the gasket between the vessel wall and a large locknut is that is sealed to the nipple. There is no way for liquid to get to the interior of the gasket like the coupling/washer versions that are so troublesome. I was fully on board with manufacturing true bulkheads if I found that the assemblies were going to be a customer support nightmare but in something like 8000 units sold, I've had maybe 5 issues where a leak was persistent. I'm just saying, there are good bulkhead-like assemblies and not as good.

On the cooler bulkhead, sealing the locknut to the straight nipple is the key to success. It's just a matter of a few wraps of teflon tape. Once you seal that locknut to the nipple, the gasket does the rest. No bulging orings or any other trouble.

Not trying to jack the thread.But do all of the components of your tun have to be food grade. I made gaskets for mine out of a sheet of rubber gasket material wondering now if that was a mistake.And then I soldered a manifold system,probably not a good idea probably didn't even need to solder it would have created better drainage.Will the flux create problems with mashing it was water soluble flux.I have not used this tun yet on a positive note it did not leak with boiling water in it

You can get the flux out by just soaking with some dish detergent and hot water, flush it well by running hose pressure through the drain valve. Grab a sample of your rubber sheet, wash it off with some soap and water, then let it soak in a cup of 170F water for about an hour. When it cools, taste the water and see if it's something you're willing to have in your beer. Keep in mind that the rubbery flavor will probably dissipate after several uses so it may not be that big of a deal.