keeping the heat in the mash tun

[makapol]

hey all

just wondering how anyone reinforces thir cooler mash tuns to keep the heat inside. i know some do great with no other additions, others wrap with blankets, ect....mine does ok on its own, but i would be interested to hear of any modifications i could make to seal it up better.

thanks!

 

[GeoXP]

I've only ever once had to do anything else and that was because I was brewing in 8 degree weather. On that day I literally pulled a Carhart jacket over the top of my mashtun. (Brewing in the garage) Even then it was probably overkill. Over the course of the 60 minute mash I recall only losing 1 degree.

 

[Revvy]

I've only ever once had to do anything else and that was because I was brewing in 8 degree weather. On that day I literally pulled a Carhart jacket over the top of my mashtun. (Brewing in the garage) Even then it was probably overkill. Over the course of the 60 minute mash I recall only losing 1 degree.

and you never thought of snapping a picture, to go along with all the T-shirted carboys out there?

 

[WBC]

A wind break or insulation helps a lot. Look into automotive foil insulation used on automotive firewalls. This really does the job well.

 

[Orfy]

If you need it then you could probably do with a better cooler.
But if you have a problem then sleeping bags, duvets or blankets will help.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

At home depot you can buy this insulation called "reflectix". It's basically bubble wrap sheeted in aluminum foil. Pretty cheap, very easy to work with, does a good job, and (perhaps most importantly) it's shiny

I used it on my 50qt ice cube and I didn't see even a one degree drop in an hour, in warm (but not hot) weather - and this is with just one layer.

 

[malkore]

the lid is the piece you'd likely wanna insulate first on a cooler MLT. that lid is usually hollow, not filled with the insulation the sidewalls contain.

i think someone use the spray insulation foam, the kind that doesn't expand so much, and reported good results.

 

[AN_TKE]

i have used a "space blanket" that I got for hiking - its reflective on one side and red on the other. They are kind of expensive - like $15 or so at an EMS or other outdoor gear store, but they have lots of uses. I insulate fermenting carboys in the winter with it when the house is at 60-degrees all day.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

the lid is the piece you'd likely wanna insulate first on a cooler MLT. that lid is usually hollow, not filled with the insulation the sidewalls contain.

i think someone use the spray insulation foam, the kind that doesn't expand so much, and reported good results.

I've also seen someone cut out a piece of rigid foam insulation (the pink foam that comes in sheets) that was the same shape as the inside of the MLT, and then you just set it in there so it floats right on top of the mash (or just above it, if it was a snug fit). That's probably as good or better than any lid insulation you could manage, plus it reduces dead space above the mash which limits oxygen exposure and also minimizes the heat loss through the top part of the side walls when the mash tun is far from being full.

 

[JustDave]

How much heat are you losing?

 

[Brew-boy]

the lid is the piece you'd likely wanna insulate first on a cooler MLT. that lid is usually hollow, not filled with the insulation the sidewalls contain.

i think someone use the spray insulation foam, the kind that doesn't expand so much, and reported good results.

Exactly what I did, fill the lid with foam, wow what a difference it made.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

the lid is the piece you'd likely wanna insulate first on a cooler MLT. that lid is usually hollow, not filled with the insulation the sidewalls contain.

i think someone use the spray insulation foam, the kind that doesn't expand so much, and reported good results.

WHere do you spray it in at?

 

[devaspawn]

I am in the process of converting to AG. I drilled holes in the TOP of the lid and expanded the hole that was already there in the rim of the lid. made them just big enough for the straw of a "Great Stuff" insulated foam can to fit in. Made sure I filled all the holes to overflowing. Once the foam dries (about an hour or 2) I used a painted scraper to lightly go over the drill holes and the excess came off. No fuss no muss. I believe there is a high temperature "Great Stuff" in the plumbing isle at your home depot. I would definitely use that stuff.

 

[makapol]

If you need it then you could probably do with a better cooler.

yeah i figured for as much as i could "reinforce" this cooler i may be able to find a new one that does the trick just fine. but i guess i didnt want to abandon this cooler right away without a little investigation or slight modifications.

How much heat are you losing?

about 4°+ an hour

I am in the process of converting to AG. I drilled holes in the TOP of the lid and expanded the hole that was already there in the rim of the lid. made them just big enough for the straw of a "Great Stuff" insulated foam can to fit in. Made sure I filled all the holes to overflowing. Once the foam dries (about an hour or 2) I used a painted scraper to lightly go over the drill holes and the excess came off. No fuss no muss. I believe there is a high temperature "Great Stuff" in the plumbing isle at your home depot. I would definitely use that stuff.

that sounds like a good idea.

 

[Bobby_M]

How much of that heat do you lose in the first 5-10 minutes? This could be an issue of not going in hot enough in the first place. IOW, check the temp at 15 minutes in and then 60 minutes. You'll probably only see a 1F delta.

 

[tdavisii]

Now that im using a stainless steel kettle as a M/L tun im having heat loss issues a little myself. I lost five degrees today. Although i dont think it will make a huge difference i would like to be as close to perfect as i can. Also my strike temp is all jacked up. Im use to my Plastic bucket as a mash tun. If its not one thing its the other right????