Mash tun used to be fine but now loses temp.

[bob3000]

I've had my mash tun for about a year now and in the past it has kept the mash to within a few degrees. For the last few months now it has started dropping from 156 to the low 140s. I reheat the tun before mashing, I cover with blankets but it is still losing too much heat. I thought maybe it is just because it is winter but I mash inside so this shouldn't make a difference. I do store my tun in the shed so i wondered if dampness could be the problem.

Anybody else have this happen to them? Any solutions?

 

[worksnorth]

Do you preheat it? I see where you said you reheat it but just so there is no confusion, do you preheat it prior to starting any of the mashing. And I guess I'm assuming its an insulated cooler of some sort.

 

[janivar123]

Insulation might have gotten wet
What kind of mashtun is it?

 

[bob3000]

Its a cheap insulated cooler, and i do preheat it with 1.5l of boiling water.

i wondered if damp insulation could be the problem.

 

[audger]

Insulation might have gotten wet
What kind of mashtun is it?

thats what immediately came to mind as well...

 

[janivar123]

Unless it can be undressed and dryed I suspect its dead

 

[bob3000]

The insulation is polystyrene. Do you think this could be effected by damp?

 

[janivar123]

Hmm that would be werry strange
It does compact around 212f so it might be damaged by boiling water

 

[dragonbreath11]

I think that even at mash temps, after many mashes, the insulation slowly shrinks and starts to separate from the walls reducing the effectiveness of the cooler.

 

[bob3000]

Any Possible solutions?

 

[bob3000]

Maybe I could open it up and replace polystyrene with expanding foam.

 

[dragonbreath11]

Any Possible solutions?

Time for a new cooler or direct heat insulated mash pot.