Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

I had to go to 3 different HW stores to get all of the parts, but I got them all for less than $20. I couldn't find a SS 5/8" washer, but the last place I went had them in brass. As a matter of fact, they sold their brass washers by weight, and since 1 washer didn't even move the scale they gave it to me for no charge . Now the only thing I'm missing is the Rubbermaid 10 gal. cooler. I hit all of the local mega-stores, but all they had were the 5 gal. A quick google search turns up a price of $75 for this cooler. Any idea where I might pick this up for cheaper? If not, I'll just go with a standard rectangular cooler. Again, thanks for the awesome parts list and illustrations!

 

Glad to hear you got the parts. I had a REALLY tough time finding 10 gal coolers here in Calgary, but lucked out and spotted 3 of them for $35 ea. Look to an early post in this thread by GFI for some sources:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=223775&postcount=16

Hope you find one. If not, a smaller rectangular cooler should work well, too. Just watch to not go too big with a rectangular cooler because the grain bed depth could get more shallow. Those Igloo cube coolers are probably best. Cheers!

 

So if I were to do the same thing over here in Australia we have the rubermaid 45L coolers (10 gal) but I only do 5 gallon batches of around 1.040 - 1.065 will my grain bed be deep enough for a good batch sparge and not get stuck? and whats the efficiency going to be like?

 

I can't answer from experience, but when I decided to make my 10 gal MLT, it was based on the general consensus of this site that a 10 gal cooler will serve you better than a 5 gallon one. Having said that, the main reason was to allow room for bigger grain bills (say 12 lbs and higher). If you don't think you will ever brew beers bigger than that, perhaps a 5 gallon is all you need.

I am actually thinking that I should have both a 10 gal (made that already) *AND* a 5 gal cooler MLT. For small to moderate grain bills, I would use the 5 gal MLT for mashing and the 10 gal as a hot liquor tank. For bigger beers or for 10 gal batches, I would use the 10 gal MLT for the mash, and the 5 gal MLT as a hot liquor tank. I am thinking this way because I am mostly limited to stove top brewing, although I intend to get a keggle (one) for 10 gal batches. Having two cooler MLTs would allow me to do a cheap 3-tier setup that is really flexible and easy to run. But I have to admit, I may need to think this through a bit still.

Cheers!

 

A little more research has found that I can get the 10 gal. coolers for around $45.

I plan on batch sparging, where grain bed depth is not nearly as important as in fly sparging. My thinking is that the 10 gal. round cooler is not significantly larger in diameter than the 5 gal. and will be suitable for 5 or 10 gal. grain bills.

 

Thanks ErikH, and thanks FlyGuy, you both gave me enough confidence to go with the 10galon because, I like big beers but I also like small beers, and with batch sparging I guess it doesnt make a difference! thanks again!

 

FlyGuy - if it helps I was thinking the exact same thing this weekend. I'd say that's enough to validate the hypothesis

 

Does the external o-ring on your setup acutally make a seal? I have a Gott cooler, and it was manufactured a little different. There open space in the hole between the inside and the outside of the cooler. I was thinking of filling it with plumbers putty. I question whether an o-ring in my configuration would actually trap any liquid that is leaking around the brass nipple.

 

FlyGuy-
I hope you know the Beer God's are toasting you right now. Great post on MLT, just what I was looking for. I am collecting parts now, have cooler, on my way to HD. Parts list and pics very valueable to me and I want you to know I appreciate your postings! Prost!!!!!

 

Glad to hear that you found everything useful! Best of luck finding all the parts easily (those stainless steel washers were tough for me and a few others -- talk to skifast1 if you need one -- he bought a bunch and is selling them for $1 to anyone who needs one, postage included http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=235056&postcount=38).

Cheers

 

Thanks again, I just sent an email concerning washers. It sounds like they are hard to find.

 

Thanks you Flyguy , been preparing to go all-grain and this will speed the process ! Im going to out today and buying all the parts and building it tonight .
Thanks !

 

The Pol- That shelving unit you bought, is that what you use for your 3-tier system? Do you run your lines around the shelves or through them? It looks like it would be fairly easy to drill a couple small holes to run the lines straight through the shelves since they are made of MDF. Also, did that shelving unit come with wheels or did you have to add them? If so, what kind of wheels did you get to fit onto the legs of the shelf?

I had already drawn my three tier system out and was going to use wood but this seems much easier and less time consuming considering my construction abilities are on the low. I also like the fact that it can come apart easily and be taken on the road for whatever reason if I wanted to.

FlyGuy- Are these the same exact parts you can use to install a bulkhead onto a stainless steel brew kettle? I didn't know if any of them had to be different for temperature purposes.

 

No, I think for a boil kettle, you would want to use parts that withstand the higher temps -- particularly the o-rings. They should be silicone in a boil kettle.

Also, the bulkhead has to be a bit different because you don't have the depth of a cooler wall to go through. On a kettle, therefore, you should actually need FEWER parts. That is my next project (once I locate a keg). I actually bought the proper silicone o-rings already, and I will design a bulkhead to fit the keg once I have a keg in hand. The basic design will be similar, though, to the cooler.

 

Thanks Flyguy... we used this design on our 48 quart Coleman Xtreme conversion.

For the most part, it worked, but with some slight modifications, including a longer nipple (heh... I said nipple) and some flat rubber washers to stave off some leaks.

Also.. anyone having a hard time finding stainless washers should check with Ace Hardware. That's what the guys at the Depot told me... LOL .. and sure enough, they were there.

 

I figured that about the o-rings. Would I need to just find a smaller nipple to put through the kettle? That would be easiest I guess but wouldn't using more of the SS washers work the same with a kettle as with the cooler/mash tun to make a tight fit?

 

Yes, you should be able to find a smaller nipple, and then elminate the washers on the outside. I used those only to tighten up the fit of the bulkhead. Just use as many or as few washers as you need.

You might also want to consider using 1/2" components instead of 3/8". They might be more stable on a kettle.

 

I bought a Gott cooler as well for my build. Assembled everything, filled it with water and have a small leak. Looks like its coming from behind the washers. Any ideas what could be done to seal up the leak? I was thinking about maybe just putting a bead of silicone around the washers on the front???

 

The sealing should probably be accomplished on the inside. This will prevent wort getting into the gap between the inner and outer plastic walls. A good mechanic would diagnose and rectify the fit up issues. I, on the other hand use a lot of RTV.

 

Spoken like an authentic Jeep owner

 

My shelving system... here it is. http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u189/PolTavern/ I used a hole saw to cut perfect holes through each of the shelves in order to accomodate the tubing (hole saw set at Harbor Freight Tools 1.99!!). Also, the TOP shelf is cut in half so that I can remove that half when I am brewing, so that I can mix my mash easier.
The wheels I purchased at Harbor Freight Tools... they were on clearance for like $3 each, simply bought some long bolts and washers in order to affix them to the shelving system. Each shelf is rated at 1,000 lbs, it cost me $55 and it took all of 60 minutes to assemble. It was one of my best purchases yet. I have my thru the wall thermometers installed at $11 each and it is looking pretty sweet! My neighbors will be in AWE when I wheel this baby out into the driveway in April!

Pol

 

UPDATE:

I took my MLT out today to clean it up for a brew session, and noticed that the hose clamps on the stainless steel braid didn't look so good:



Despite that the packaging said they were all stainless steel, they are corroding. Not good.

So, I did a quick modification to my original design using a piece of 7/16" x 5/16" vinyl tubing (food grade, high temp). I cut a length to fit inside the SS braid, and then notched it along the entire length to allow liquid to flow through.



I capped it at the end with my brass nut, and slipped the tubing inside the braid. Then I slipped the other end of the tubing on to the barb inside the cooler. The SS braid fits nice and snug over it, so there is no need for hose clamps anymore.

EDIT: If you use the tubing insert idea instead of hose clamps to secure your braid, you MUST use stiff, high temp, food grade tubing. This works exceptionally for myself and many other people. However, if you use rubber tubing, or soft tubing, or tubing that is not rated for high temperatures, it will collapse under its own weight inside the SS braid and cause a stuck sparge. Further, you do not need the tubing to reinforce the SS braid -- it should not collapse under the weight of the mash (if it does you either have a deceivingly similar-looking plastic braid, or the quality of your SS braid is too poor to use in an MLT).

 

Zip straps or wire ties might work as a replacement for "all stainless" steel hose clamps...that is if you can tighten them down enough to prevent the braid/hose from coming loose.

 

I like the vinyl tube. Where did you find that at? Seems like that would work out pretty well and be very easy.

 

I got it at Home Depot.

 

Anybody try zip ties in MLT? Would the plastic hold up to the heat? That seems to be the simplest solution...If soft vinyl tubing can stand hot temps than I would think hard plastic zip-ties would too. Jeez, I just gotta do it and see what happens.

 

Hey FlyGuy, thanks for the post. I used your list to get all the parts I need, and am gonna put together one of these this weekend! Woo hoo!

 

Just went and bought the stuff to make this, except the washers went to two different places and no luck.

 

I agree the washers are the hardest to find.

I bought my 2 Ten Gallonn coolers 2 weeks ago and have already brewed 5 times it is awesome. My first crack at all grain

I use one for MLT then the other as my liquor tank.

I also use the Zappa false bottom which I just love, it is easy to clean afterwards.


I went one step further. I used epoxy on the seal and actually put in 3 quarter inch fittings which allows me more flexability in th flow.

Great way to start All Grain.

Later

Lochboy

 

Well i got all the parts for making my MLT, this worked out very good !! I'm only doing a 5gal atm so had to change the size's a bit . Like the vinyl tube idea as for the washers i was able to use Hole Grommets 3/4" they work great and tighten down to make a great seal just use then on the out side, worked great and have 5gal of hot water in it now testing

 

Well got mine built today, thanks to skifast1 . I didn't buy an O ring, what is the point in this part? Just filed mine with hot water and it does not leak at all. Is their any kind of special treatment or cleaning that i need to do before I use it.

 

Finally did it yesterday. brewed up a irish red. Held the temp rock solid and the lautering/sparge went w/o a hitch.
Initial gravity ended up 10 pts higher than target, 1.050, shoulda been 1.040. Ended up w/ ~5gal.
I did add a smaller washer to take up dead space between exterior spacing washers and the cooler wall where theres an indent, and replaced hose clamps w/ small plasic zip ties.

OOT, i had to replace what i thought was a SS braid becaue it was plastic look alike! Thanks to posters I thankfully avoided that mess.

 

Wow, nice.

 

Yes, I agree.

 

does your guy's valve turn when you open and shut it, or are you getting it tight enough that everything stays in place?

 

Mine wiggles a bit, but I just hold the valve body with my other hand to minimize any lateral movement. I'd be curious to know if those who've purchased the purpose-built bulkheads from NB have seen a stiffer connection to the cooler body

 

Mine doesn't budge at all. It is rock solid. That's why I added three washers on the outside -- to really tighten it up good and snug.

 

Hey, skifast1, great avi. i came across that pic during a search one time, lol. my kind of women.

 

Thanks - I know it's a popular one, but I think it's worth repeating....and repeating...and repeating

 

Looking at going ag. Thanks for the great post! Couple of questions...
1. Why does the cooler have to be 10 gallons if I am doing 5 gallon batches?
2. Why is everyone buying 2 of these (do I need a seperate mt and lt?)? Is it for rests? Why do you need rests?
3. What is a"hot liquor tank"? DO I need one? Why can't I just use my brew kettle?
4. How do I figure out the efficiency after brewing?
5. How do I figure out how much water to use with the grain, then how much with the batch sparge?
6. Do you still steep specialty grains or put then in with the base grain?
I saw an earlier post where a guy was using a 5g cooler and a similar homemade setup, put in 160 degree water held for an hour, then let it run into the brewpot. Then soak (sparge) the grain with 170, recycle that water a few times, then into the brewpot. What does the second cooler do? Thanks!!!

I think this calls for a new thread....nevermind