MLT leaking issues

[kmlavoy]

Has anyone else had issues getting their cooler conversion to not leak, or am I just an idiot? I have a 5 gallon cooler from Home Depot that I bought off Ebay for $15. My wife bought me a cooler conversion kit from Northern Brewer. I added a 3/8 barb inside to connect to the false bottom, also provided by my wife.

Do you just have to basically wrap every male part with loads of teflon tape? Or add an o-ring at every joint?

 

[kmlavoy]

Also, does over tightening damage the o-rings? I just saw something about that. It doesn't seem like that would be possible, but if it can be messed up, I will somehow figure out that exact way.

Although, I did manage to finish building my immersion chiller today. It looks like it was coiled by a drunken Polack, but then, it was basically coiled by a drunken Polack. Me.

 

[david_42]

Over-tightening an o-ring can crush it, break it or force it out of position.

 

[mr x]

You definitely need teflon tape on all NPT connections. Where is the leak coming from?

 

[TheJadedDog]

Teflon tape and just the right amount of tightening should solve your problem. You may still have a small leak (I do) but as long as it is just the occasional drip it shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[mot]

I am having the same issue. I have yet to get it figured out. My orings were chipped in a few spots so I went to lowes last night and bought some more, there were the same size but not the same thickness, bought some tape to and it still leaked. Mine is leaking right where the spigot connects to the cooler, if you figure anything out let me know

 

[kmlavoy]

The leak usually seems to happen between the outside nut and the ball valve. One of my o-rings has a chip in it as well. I figure I'll replace that, hand tighten and see what happens. Irritation

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Usually everyone posts something like: I converted the cooler and it held water like a champ!

 

[mot]

The leak usually seems to happen between the outside nut and the ball valve. One of my o-rings has a chip in it as well. I figure I'll replace that, hand tighten and see what happens. Irritation

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Usually everyone posts something like: I converted the cooler and it held water like a champ!

Mine is leaking in the exact same spot...I may have had it to tight but I have to check on that tonight. I took my spigot out of the other cooler and placed it in the one that ws leaking and no leaks so I know it is somewhere in the gasket or something and not the cooler itself

 

[RICLARK]

Make sure the O ring isnt screwed up, teflon tape the fittings and just Snug up to the O rings and cooler gasket, I over tightened the hell out of my and completely rolled the Cooler gasket and it was leaking badly, I took it all apart and snugged everything up and it doesn't leak a drop.

 

[kmlavoy]

So I got it working.

The keys: 3 times as much teflon tape as you think you need. Add a washer next to the oustide o-ring to create some space. Hand tighten.

Thanks everyone for the tips.

 

[mot]

So I got it working.

The keys: 3 times as much teflon tape as you think you need. Add a washer next to the oustide o-ring to create some space. Hand tighten.

Thanks everyone for the tips.

what do you mean add washer next to the outside o ring...dont you normally have one on the outside and inside of the cooler by each o ring?

 

[Moonpile]

If the cooler had it's own rubber seal on the inside of the original spigot fitting consider using that in addition to o-rings.

Teflon tape is definitely a must too.

I had built mine by myself and used a vice grip and channel locks to tighten everything but it was still leaking. We used it for the first time yesterday, but with two people tightening it we were able to get it to stop leaking.

 

[RICLARK]

what do you mean add washer next to the outside o ring...dont you normally have one on the outside and inside of the cooler by each o ring?

There should be a Washer inside and Outside

 

[kmlavoy]

I didn't need to do King Kong tightening. Apparently my earlier problem was partly that my tightening had messed up the o-ring a bit.

The kit from Northern Brewer had 2 washers, but they instruct you to put them both on the inside. I added two more to the outside, and that seemed to do it.

Also, like I said, I hand tightened and then as long as you can still thread everything on there, it seems impossible to use too much telfon tape. That was probably my earlier issue.