Cracked Home Depot Cooler

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Baja_Brewer

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So back at the end of May I purchased and converted a 10 gallon, Home Depot, Rubbermade style cooler to start doing large All-Grain Batches. I used it about 3 times and a bubble formed on the inside, running up the side. I realized something may be wrong with it, but I did my best to run water down the walls of it to preheat it ans such before using it.

Yesterday was my 5th batch using it and a crack appeared on the inside :mad:

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any recommendations on how to avoid this?

I'm going to bring it in with the original hardware and see what they have to say, I'm just worried about this issue occurring again. I'm also wondering if I go with a square cooler if there is a lesser chance of this happening.
 
Yeah, that is kind of my worry. I'll see what they say when I bring it in, but I'm not expecting much from corporate America.

What are some thoughts on square coolers?
 
If you bring it back, tell them you used it for a hot beverage and you know that the "beverage" never reached higher than 168-170F.

I dont see why they wouldnt replace it for you.

I have a round igloo, and havent had any issues with it, ever. Sorry.
 
That was the plan... It smells a bit like coffee, as I've done two batches of BM's Guinness in it, including when it cracked yesterday... I'll go with that

Its just frustrating.
 
Yeah, it can't hurt, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. I'm sure they'll tell you that the coolers aren't designed to handle hot liquids. I haven't had any problems with my rectangular Coleman Xtreme, but then again, I haven't heard of any issues with these coolers, either.

EDIT: FWIW, I have always preheated my Xtreme with a small amount of boiling/near-boiling water, with no ill effects so far.
 
I've never used boiling water to preheat it, always heated my water an extra 10 degrees and waited for it to get down to my intended strike temperature. So the water that has gone in it has never been above 180-185 for sparging.

Using even hotter water probably wouldnt have made a difference. I think it wouldnt have cracked if it hadn't bubbled in like it did... That obviously induced some strain as the crack formed right in the middle of the bubble...
 
I thought those cooler were rated for hot liquids, so you can serve coffee in them?

Crap, I was planning on using THD 10 gallon coolers for my new HLT and MLT.

I will drill holes in mine for thermometers and sight gauge, so taking it back will not be possible.

Later, the HLT will have a big heating element. If it won't take heat, it won't be able to handle the element.
 
I had a Friend that had a problem with one.. it didnt crack but the bottom lifted and was bowed upward, like it got to hot.. He tossed it. and bought a Igloo Ice cube like i have.. Works Great!
 
Home Depot is pretty good with returns. Just tell them it cracked, don't offer any more info and they'll swap it out. I've returned a lot of stuff there before, never any problems.
 
Mine has bent the plastic on the inside, I think on my second brew but has not budged since then (10 batches later)

I am thinking of picking up another one here soon so I could do 2 beers at the same time.
 
Mine bulged but never crack as well. About 12 batches so far.

Doesn't Pol use these or something like it with heating elements that actually boil the water in them?
 
Well it doesn't matter where the heat comes from. You wouldn't boil water in them even with an element if you set your controller to 180F. When you think of how the liner is molded, heating the whole thing causes an expansion and there's no place for it to go. When the cooler is full of water, it provides some outward pressure to hold the liner from buckling. If you sprinkle hot water down the sides, it doesn't have that help.

Coolers have been used in brewing for a long time but certainly their lifespan is limited to a certain point, especially as an HLT running at 185F or so.
 
I had the exact crack in mine after 4 batches, They have a 1 year over the counter replacement warranty. DO NOT try and get rubbermaid to honor the warranty they will tell you you are out of luck. Return it and tell them it cracked when you filled it with hot water to clean it. It worked for me.

Good Luck
John
 
Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Its good to know what others are doing and to hear about others experiences. I just hope they have some more in stock!

And I guess this is another plug to keep the original hardware!! (like you guys would throw anything away :D )

When it comes to drilling holes, thats a risk we all take at some point, whether its brewpots, fridges, or mashtuns!
 
I never pre-heat mine and it's been through dozens of batches. Same cooler:

IrishStout002.jpg
 
No problem with the exchange! I took in the receipt with it, which said the store exchange policy of 90 days ends on 8/02 but the lady seemed receptive when I showed her the crack, before I even offered forward the slip.

She even said that if it happened again they'd swap it out another time.

For those who are looking they are still 39.67 or something like that.

I'm a happy camper, can't wait to get another batch giong this weekend!
 
My five gallon Rubermaid did that too. I have a Igloo cooler that bobbled but has not cracked that used to hold sparge watter. Neither has been over 185F. I use a Gott 48 without any of those problems. It's like the Rubermaid is made from more brittle plastic.
 
for anyone looking for an igloo ice cube big lots sales them for 25 a pop. i scored 2 at dollar general for 20 a couple years ago. and found them at biglots a couple weeks ago. the only difference is there is no spigot. also i do believe the lids are not insultated on the cubes. id drill a whole through the plastic and find out if it is or isnt. if it isnt then id drill a couple holes and use spray foam.
 
I'm wondering if it was a bad batch of coolers. My replacement has had no problems. My original bubbled out after the first time I used it and cracked on the fourth. The new one is as good as new with 4 batches in it.
 
I had the same problem. The bowing in the bulkhead that soon cracked. Then the top rim cracked off and then a crack formed along the valve at the bottom. A giant piece of crap is what it was.

I wrote Rubbermaid to enquire about their "Lifetime Guarantee" They said they would honor and would send me a voucher towards a new one. I waited six weeks, got it, and it was a coupon for $6 off any Rubbermaid product.

I returned it and told them to go #$%% themselves.

Then I bought a new one, and returned the old one with the receipt for the new. I told them I had filled it with ice water and when I rinsed it out with warm water the cracks happened. No questions were asked.
 
Today was my first brew with the new one and there were no issues. I pushed it as high as I had the other one.... heard the unsettling pops of the insides swelling due to the heat, or whatever it is, I imagine its the same when you first fill it with cold liquid, but no problem. I have 3 more batches scheduled before I go back to school, and if I have ANY trouble with it before then I'll bring it in and swap it out again. Once classes start my brewing will slow, so I may not even make 4 batches in a semester. Either way, I hope this new one holds out!
 
My Rubbermaid 10 gal HD logo cooler has a liner that bows in when the 170F preheat water is put in......but no leaks or other ill effects. As a previous poster has noted, it would be amazing if it didn't. That plastic has to go somewhere when it expands, and it can't go out. From reading this thread, it appears that these coolers are not all created equal. As long as HD will exchange the ones that fail, no worries.
 
I have a 7 month old Rubbermaid 10 gal that has probably been through 5 batches and is now cracked. Ace Hardware says I'm out of luck...
 
The Rubbermaid coolers have a 1 year replacement warranty just take it back with the receipt and get a replacement. I just went in and told them it cracked when I filled it with hot water from my tap to clean it.
 
I really don't think those style coolers are for hot liquids. However, exchanges should be hassle free. That's a type item that the retailer receives automatic credit from the vendor for any defective returns, so Depot wouldn't be out anything.

Of course that doesn't mean to expect a lifetime warranty.
 
For the most part Rubbermaid will not honor that warranty. They will claim user related failure. Mine broke on the second batch and they "honored" the warranty by sending me a $6 coupon.

The best thing to do, and in my mind this is completely justified, is to buy another one and return the broken one with the new receipt.

HD will only exchange them according to their exchange program which I think allows for 90 days.
 
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