Cooler Conversion Question

[Hwk-I-St8]

I want to switch to a different cooler for reason you can read about below if interested. I bought a coleman 50 qt cooler and a bulkhead setup from bargain fittings. My problem is that I cannot seem to keep it from leaking.

Here's what I did after removing all the existing drain "hardware".

-------Inside------------cooler wall-------outside
Nut | silicone washer | cooler wall | washer | valve

I noticed that the "hardware" includes a very nice gasket that is bigger and has a protrusion that goes through the cooler wall. Is there any reason I can't use that to help get a good seal? Food grade with hot liquid I guess would be the primary concern. I would do this:

----------------Inside-----------------------cooler wall-----outside
Nut | silicone washer | coleman gasket | cooler wall | washer | valve

If that's not an option, does anyone have a trick for getting these to seal?

________________________________________________________________________

Why the new cooler? The one I have was part of a bulk used equipment purchase and just has the high temp hose stuck into the drain hole. It works well enough, but the cooler has wheels so the bottom isn't flat and I need to take the hose assembly apart every time I clean it. A bulkhead won't work because the hole goes through at an angle, so the valve quick connect on the outside would protrude lower than the bottom of the cooler.

Going forward, I want a true bulkhead/valve/quick connect that I can use with my existing silicone hose and quick connects. That way I can easily connect the output on the kettle to the cooler then underlet the strike water. Similarly, just connect the hose the same way to drain the wort into the kettle when the mash and sparge are ready.

 

[jalc6927]

The washer you refer to is the help seal the fitting

 

[IslandLizard]

Shouldn't the large stainless washer go between the silicone gasket and the nut on the inside? That's the way I have it.

But I also kept having a little leak, so I also used some silicone caulk to seal everything.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Shouldn't the large stainless washer go between the silicone gasket and the nut on the inside? That's the way I have it.

But I also kept having a little leak, so I also used some silicone caulk to seal everything.

Not sure, but it only came with one ss washer and the nut had a built in washer so I figured another washer there would have accomplished nothing.

 

[jalc6927]

The plastic piece that you left off is more of a bushing/ spacer the makes the whole thing work

You install the plastic piece in the cooler hole, insert ball valve assembly then sandwich it with the plastic gaskets then the SS washer than the nut

 

[IslandLizard]

That clear silicone washer looks a little small, IMO. Mine is red and larger than the nut or SS washer.

I still had small leaks because the hole is not perpendicular to the walls, it slopes downward a little toward the outside. So I siliconed the inside of the hole and under the silicone washer. No more leaks. I used regular silicone caulk, nothing fancy or food grade, there's hardly any of it exposed.

[Added] Put some silicone or teflon tape in the threads too, under the nut. Maybe you have seepage along the threads.

I wonder if the blue (RV) gasket maker stuff would be even better. My mechanic used that to set a front crankshaft seal in place. RV = Room temp Vulcanization, not Recreational Vehicle.

 

[jalc6927]

Part of the problem is that we’re trying to use flat pieces to seal a rounded soft contour, not the greatest engineering but cost effective

So we tighten the crap out of it which makes it worse

The bushing is there to give the gasket something to seal

If that makes sense

Of course sealant works too

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Part of the problem is that we’re trying to use flat pieces to seal a rounded soft contour, not the greatest engineering but cost effective

So we tighten the crap out of it which makes it worse

The bushing is there to give the gasket something to seal

If that makes sense

Of course sealant works too

Actually, I'm using a rectangular cooler, so it's pretty much flat. The main issue was that the silicone gasket from Bargain fittings was a bit too small I think. I reassembled it this morning using the gasket that was in there with the original drain port and that seems like it will work much better. I won't get a chance to test it until later today or tomorrow.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

But I also kept having a little leak, so I also used some silicone caulk to seal everything.

I have a little leak also, but as soon as the grist is added to the strike water my leak stops. If I was to seal it with silicone adhesive (caulk), would I need to source a food grade adhesive, or would any clear 100% silicone suffice?

 

[Roland_deschain]

Food grade would always be safest.

 

[IslandLizard]

I have a little leak also, but as soon as the grist is added to the strike water my leak stops. If I was to seal it with silicone adhesive (caulk), would I need to source a food grade adhesive, or would any clear 100% silicone suffice?

I used regular, not food/aquarium grade silicone. There's not a real lot of exposure to it, the silicone is underneath the silicone rubber "washer."