coleman xtreme 52at cooler question...

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the_mox

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hey all,

I'm getting a coleman xtreme 52qt cooler to use as a mash tun (finally going all grain). what size ball valve should i get? planning on getting the valve from bargainfittings.com, should i get the "thick walled" or the regular? i dont have the cooler yet, im trying to have everything ready to go at the same time (i.e. i dont want to wait for the cooler to show up to see what size ball valve i need) thanks for all your help guys!
 
I use the same cooler. I got mine from Target and I went to Home Depot and got the ball valve. If you have a Target you should be able to just go and measure the hole. I'm not at home so i can't do it.
 
I can't find the cooler locally, otherwise I would have done just that.

you in a hurry to use it? wait until it shows up in the mail then measure and go to hardware store and buy what you need. is bargain fittings really that much cheaper? was at ace hardware the other day prices looked reasonable
 
I got a 1/2" nipple and it was loose on the inside. I used washers on the outside to decrease the "play" and I haven't had any problems. Not sure if that helps or not.
 
I am currently converting a 70 quart coleman xtreme, if the dimensions for the plug are the same, the wall thickness at the plug is half an inch for that cooler. I've read people using a 1.5 inch brass nipple, I personally am using a 2 inch because that is what they had in stock at home depot at the time, I am just probably going to need to add a washer or two to make up for the extra half inch.
 
I am currently converting a 70 quart coleman xtreme, if the dimensions for the plug are the same, the wall thickness at the plug is half an inch for that cooler. I've read people using a 1.5 inch brass nipple, I personally am using a 2 inch because that is what they had in stock at home depot at the time, I am just probably going to need to add a washer or two to make up for the extra half inch.

ya, I think 1-1/2" will make a tight fit, but might be hard to work with. I had the 2 inch with 2 washers to bridge the gap.
 
I've got the same cooler and have done 2 AG batches so far. I like it although I think efficiency was poor due to the small grain bill I used. The base of the cooler isn't small so the bed probably wasn't deep enough. It seemed like everytime I poured any water in, the grain bed was disturbed. My runnings were never "clear" and always seemed to have chunks of things floating in it.

Another problem I have is my fitting rotates if I apply torque to it. I used the directions that Paul linked to. I don't think it really affects the brew but I'd prefer to keep it stationary if possible. Do others have this problem? Any thoughts on a way to fix this? Maybe better rubber gaskets? I used the one that came with the cooler on the inside since I figured this would fit the hole best. I don't have any rubber gaskets on the outer wall. I filled the space in between the walls with that clear DAP aquarium sealant. I haven't had any leaks but the loose fitting seems like it could be problematic at some point.
 
I have the same cooler. I got my valve kit from bargain fittings. I got the thick or thicker kit I forget but it fit just fine. The drain valve pops right out and this slides in perfectly with no drilling/cutting.
 
Just built a MLT last week out of a 52qt Coleman Xtreme. Used all 1/2 inch stainless, with a 2 inch nipple. It was a pretty close fit lengthwise--I barely had enough thread to connect everything up (I did not use any washers, but I used a SS locknut on each side). I used the existing inside piece that came with the cooler, and it held the nipple really snugly. I also put O-rings inside both locknuts, and the thing didn't drip one bit.

Since I was in a hurry to brew over Thanksgiving weekend, I went quick-and-dirty and stuck a SS braid on the inside. I'm going to buy some half inch CPVC and build a manifold before my next brew. Just need to figure out what piece I need to connect the nipple to the manifold.

Definitely would NOT go 1.5 inch nipple--you won't have enough thread.
 
I am in the process of converting the same Coleman Extreme cooler. I got my ball valve assembly from NB but had to go to a plumbing store to order a longer nipple, the 1.5" wasn't long enough to thread onto the valve. I ordered a 2.5" and will go home tonight and do a dry fitting. There was another post on HBT that mentioned brass may not be safe due to lead in the finish and because wort is acidic it may leach some of the lead into the beverage. So I went stainless so I don't have to think about what I am ingesting.
 
@Jturie - how was your efficiency with that braid?

Not great....I didn't take the time to calculate it, but it was about 65% max. Also seemed to be quite a bit of dead space in the cooler.

OG in the Robust Porter I was making was supposed to be 1.070. I hit 1.063.
 
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