Igloo MLT walls warping

[klyph]

I did my first all grain batch over the weekend, all went well, I suck at beer math, but my mash tun got 6 gallons of 1.053 wort out of 10 lbs of 2-row, so i think I'm getting decent efficiency.

However, a weird thing happened to my igloo cooler after mashing. The inner walls seem to have softened under the 170 degree water and warped on the inside. It's still usable, but disconcerting none the less. This is the cooler I have:

Has anyone had this happen to their coolers, I'm wondering if the internal walls of this cooler are particularly thin or made of inferior plastic. I put 170 deg F water into it and added the malted barley ending up around 150, my thermometer is calibrated, I didn't think that it would be hot enough to warp the plastic.

Thoughts?

 

[EvilTOJ]

Oh yea the first few batches warped both of my Coleman XTreme coolers a little bit. It actually made them seal better than when I'd originally bought them.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Has anyone had this happen to their coolers, I'm wondering if the internal walls of this cooler are particularly thin or made of inferior plastic. I put 170 deg F water into it and added the malted barley ending up around 150, my thermometer is calibrated, I didn't think that it would be hot enough to warp the plastic.

Thoughts?

The liner in mine eventually cracked from the expansion / contraction and flexing, almost top to bottom. Many have had good luck with coolers, warping, bulging and nothing beyond that. I am thinking that the materials in a cooler are within specs for the design, but have enough variation that some work, some don't.


Ed

 

[bradjoiner]

happens to everyone dwrhahb

 

[Ohio-Ed]

happens to everyone dwrhahb

Wow, how can you argue with logic like that...

Truth is, there is nothing you can do about the warping.

However, you might want to start thinking about what you will do if a crack develops. I think the cooler liners are perfectly safe, but I have no idea what the insulation is and I don't want my wort in contact with it.

When mine first warped, I had the same sinking feeling you probably do. But you already have the $ and time invested in converting it so you might as well use it. You might get 2 brews out of it, you might get 200?

I figured I had two options when / if a problem developed; move the hardware to a replacement cooler, or redesign.

I wanted something more robust so I converted a keg that will be taking its maiden voyage this weekend.

Ed

 

[lowlife]

My thoughts are that it wont happen if you add the grain first. I'm only speaking from my (and my friends) experiences.

 

[Hammy71]

Not sure if the grain first method really maters....Strike water is usually 15-20 degrees hotter than the mash. These things are called "coolers" for a reason. I don't think they are designed to hold hot chocolate or anything like that. Most thermos bottles are glass lined..not plastic. Anyway, I'm on my second cooler. The first one warped after about 5-6 uses and finally cracked after 25 batches. Didn't think twice about trying to repair it (as a previous member stated...who knows what that insulation has in it.) Building a new one was super easy because all the parts were there and it was a 5 minute job at best. My new cooler hasn't warped (yet). I think the main reason was I was warming up the cooler before I used it with near boiling water. I now warm up the cooler with 170ish water and so far (knock on wood)....all is well.

 

[wildwest450]

I've done 40+ beers in my Rubbermaid "extreme", I use 195f sparge water, no warping at all.

 

[ChrisS68]

I was wondering if those igloo industrial coolers would be more durable. I guess not...

 

[homebrewer_99]

I was wondering if those igloo industrial coolers would be more durable. I guess not...

They are...on the outside...

 

[SkiSoloII]

I use the Home Depot 10-gallon round orange cooler. I've got about 17 batches through it. So far, no warpage.

Dave

 

[brrman]

My 10 gallon round warped within 5 batches. Nothing too bad though

 

[klyph]

Yeah, the warpage isn't that extreme, I guess I'll just see how she holds up.

Thanks guys.