To start over?

Hey everyone, I've been on this site almost everyday for a while trying to learn as much as possible and now I'm making the switch to all grain. Thanks for all your help thus far.

I've got a similar question to many people on here and I hate to ask this but I seemingly obviously have a leaky mash tun. I built mine with a 48 quart rectangular cooler and a series of 3/8" fittings. i.e. ball valve, washer, nipple, cooler o-ring, washer, coupler to a stainless braid.

When I was fiddling around with the fittings, I stretched out the original hole where the fittings go. I'm currently debating whether I should use some aquarium sealant, try another silicone o-ring or just simply start over. The leak seems fairly substantial - about 1 drip every 2 seconds.

Any thoughts?

 

Yeah, a different o-ring would help. Possibly a bigger washer might be needed too. They have a dizzying array of o-ring/gasket choices. One of them will do the job.

 

I've had good luck with the flat silicone washers. They cover more surface area than the red o-rings that come with a lot of the weldless kits. I use one on the outside and one on the inside.

 

Great, thanks! Think I'll have any luck at Home Depot?

 

Not sure if HD would have those or not. I'd imagine they would. This is similar to what I use only mine are clear:

http://www.homebrewing.org/product.asp?itemid=2871

 

Awesome thanks! I'll check HD later today and hopefully they'll have something.

 

I highly doubt it. Sorry. You'll probably have to order from Grainger or McMaster-Carr or one of the homebrew equipment websites like brewhardware.com.

 

You can buy a 12" square sheet of silicon gasket material for about $10 from amazon or elsewhere and you can make it into any shape or size gasket. Works great for all my weldless connections.

 

Cool I'll check that out - I didn't know that!

 

Another thing you could try is to use a baby bottle nipple. You cut off the nipple part and use the base. They are silicone, food safe, and can be heated. I originally got the idea from a post on HBT and have used it - it works.

 

Great idea.

This forum is awesome. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.