Igloo mash tun- yellow or orange?

[dogslapbrewery]

Im looking to upgrade from my little orange 5 gallon mash into the 10 gallon. Now im wondering if the yellow "industrial cooler" is better insulated then the classic orange? I feel like their the same in specs and plastic quilty except your paying for the "OSHA" certification so it can be used in the work place. My 5 gallon cooler would lose a average of 3 degrees per hour, has anyone compared the two side by side?

 

[Cbaddad]

I think the orange one is fine. i used that until I upgraded. I don't know the price difference, but I would bet it would not be worth it. Throw a blanket over the ton if you are losing too much heat.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

Yeah from what I've found its a matter of UV protection but nothing solid...the difference is about 25-30

 

[Dan]

I use the orange round 10 gallon Igloo. Got to admit the coldest outside temp I've mashed in was around 50 degrees but the cooler didn't lose more than a degree over an hour. I always preheat if it's chilly outside. I usually do 10 gallon batches so the cooler is nearly full. On a five gallon batch I lose 2-3 degrees. I doubt a couple of degrees in mash temp would result in much difference in taste to most of us. Purist aside.

 

[cluckk]

I have a ten gallon cooler for mashing ten gallon batches and a five gallon cooler for five gallon batches. The ten gallon is an orange Igloo. The five is blue and another manufacturer. As for loss of heat, I drilled a couple holes on the outside of the lid and filled the void with spray foam insulation, because the the lids come hollow with no insulation. I also preheat before using.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Igloo cooler has a flat-bottom lid that will fill nicely with insulation. I cut a flap and filled with Styrofoam bits from an old "hot seat" that I no longer use for hunting.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

Good idea with filling the lids with foam!

 

[divrguy]

Good idea with filling the lids with foam!

That's a great idea. Looks like I'm going to HD this morning..... Like I need another excuse to go...lol

 

[gwapogorilla]

Orange one, which is 10 gallon. You will need the 12" false bottom for it...the 11" false bottom is too small and will let grain through it.

 

[cluckk]

Orange one, which is 10 gallon. You will need the 12" false bottom for it...the 11" false bottom is too small and will let grain through it.

I use a bazooka screen on each and never have any problems. I've had no stuck sparges and only one slow sparge.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

Month later I tyres filling my lid with foam and it all seems to just shoot out leaving a amber color sticky slime that isn't curing... anyone have experience with great stuff foam??

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[orangemen5]

Month later I tyres filling my lid with foam and it all seems to just shoot out leaving a amber color sticky slime that isn't curing... anyone have experience with great stuff foam??

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You could use this. Helps easier than insulating the lid and does a great job
http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx147/komodo66/brewquipment/disctwo.jpg

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx147/komodo66/brewquipment/discone.jpg

 

[iijakii]

Interesting solution. Wonder if there's a pizza pan or something that's a pretty tight fit, too.

 

[orangemen5]

Would a pizza pan have good insulation. This is styrofoam wrapped in aluminum foil. I made one when I went all grain. And it holds temp within a degree for an hour.

 

[max384]

I have a ten gallon cooler for mashing ten gallon batches and a five gallon cooler for five gallon batches. The ten gallon is an orange Igloo. The five is blue and another manufacturer. As for loss of heat, I drilled a couple holes on the outside of the lid and filled the void with spray foam insulation, because the the lids come hollow with no insulation. I also preheat before using.

What a great idea! Thanks!

 

[iijakii]

Would a pizza pan have good insulation. This is styrofoam wrapped in aluminum foil. I made one when I went all grain. And it holds temp within a degree for an hour.

Oh, I thought it was just foil. I'm sure that works better. I think just keeping the grain separated from the air headspace helps, though.

 

[reelmower]

I have a 5 gallon orange Rubbermaid water cooler (which is usually used as a pre-chiller) and a 10 gallon orange (from the orange BigBox HD home improvement store with their stamp on the cooler) .. that is also made by Rubbermaid. Both hold temperature very well. I have a keggle mash tun .. and wrap it with a insulated blanket .. but use the 10 gallon "HD" Rubbermaid cooler as a Insulated Hot Liquor Storage Tank. I pump 170 degree water to it during my mash .. and gravity feed from it for my sparge. Everything work very well. I would purchase everything again .. in retrospect.

 

[smyrnaquince]

Would a pizza pan have good insulation. This is styrofoam wrapped in aluminum foil. I made one when I went all grain. And it holds temp within a degree for an hour.

I like this! I had been considering filling a large zip-lock with styrofoam pellets, but your solution looks better!

How did you cut that nice, smooth circle of styrofoam?

Did you have to do trial-and-error to get it to fit?

How is the aluminum foil flap handle attached so it doesn't tear off?

Do you push that cap in so it touches the mash, or does it wedge in the cooler above the mash?

Thanks!

 

[orangemen5]

That's not an actual picture of mine. I just found it on the web to paste up real quick.
It doesn't have to be a perfect circle , but close to the diameter of your mash tun so it fits snug. If it's a tad small just wrap more aluminum foil around it.
On mine I poked holes through the styrofoam and looped zip ties through them to use as little handles. It's a lot more stable.
I put it just hovering above the mash. Leave as little head space between the mash and styrofoam but trying not to touch it.

 

[Spartan1979]

Month later I tyres filling my lid with foam and it all seems to just shoot out leaving a amber color sticky slime that isn't curing... anyone have experience with great stuff foam??

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I drilled about 6 3/8 inch holes in mine and and used the tube to get it far inside. I then covered the holes with plastic plugs I bought at Lowes. As far as I know, it cured fine.

Did you shake the can well before using it? How old was it? While I could see it not getting enough air to cure inside the lid, anything that you could touch should have no problem curing.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

I drilled four 1/4 inch holes and tryed again making sure it to watch from each hole. Seemed to work better but the next day the insulation really compacted down to about 1-2 inches high

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[SliverXZennon]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6SHTK/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Used this during 35° weather in the garage, didn't lose a single degree.. Plus it's only $42 with free shipping! That's hard to beat.

 

[dogslapbrewery]

I had the 5 gallon orange igloo and always lost 3-4 degrees mashing inside around 65 degrees

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