New cooler tun question

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Yin_Yang

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i posted these two questions on the cooler diy post, but i dont think many people check that area often, and i really wanna know what to do, so i'm posting it here:

well i tried this w/ my rectangle 58 quart. first, the ball valve, actually ends up w/ part of it inside the cooler, because the nipple seems too short for my cooler. I drip tested it, and it leaked, since i had no room for a washer in between the rubber gasket and the barb adaptor, so there wasnt enough of a seal. I managed to squeeze a washer in there, but it of course made the ball valve go deeper in the cooler...but now no drip.. i mean its functional as it is, and i can work the valve..but should i get a longer nipple?

Also, they didnt have stainless steel fender washers, only zinc coated..is that ok and safe to use?



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well here it is, after a 45 min. leak test, and no leaks..so should i keep it as is, or get a longer nipple?

IMG_3683.jpg


IMG_3682.jpg
 
The design is fine, but the Zink will corrode after the 1st batch. You really DO need the SS washers.
 
Don't know if this will work for you, but I made a larger hole in the outer wall of my Rubbermaid MLT and cleared out the insulation so that the inner wall was exposed. This way the nut, washer and gasket can be tightened without distorting and compressing the two walls together.
 
Another way to do what Anoldur suggested is to cut a piece of pvc pipe (with an ID a tiny bit larger than your nipple OD) to the length that the cooler wall is thick. Slit it long ways to insert into the hole. It will provide rigidity so you can tighten enough for the gaskets to compress.

No to zinc and get a nipple long enough to support putting a washer on the outside. Nothing seems to be holding your assembly from creeping further into the foam and once it heats/cools a few times, you'll get leaks. There's nothing like a quickly developing leak in the middle of your mash.
 
ok i went to lowes, and i got a 2/12 inch nipple instead, and a few more washers, and now it looks a lot better. im leak testing it now, and nothing so far. im forced to put up w/ the steel/zinc alloy until i can find ss...even lowes didnt have brass or ss in the 5/8" washers, so im still looking..

what is the worst that can technically happen? is it safe to use w/ the beer at least a couple times, or is it a question of toxicity? is it just corrosion that i have to worry about? if so i have a few extra washers to use to swap them out as needed, until i can find a ss or brass one.
 
You can use nylon washers too. I've had success finding those. They'll hold up to mash temps.
 
I don't think it could poison you. However:

Zn(s) + 2H+ -> Zn2+(aq) + H2(g)

This reaction releases hydrogen, which reacts with oxygen explosively.

Zinc salts cause a milky turbidity in water in higher concentrations. Additionally, zinc may add an unwanted flavour to water

RDA of zinc is like 2-3g I think, since you can't absorb much of it. I doubt the washer is that heavy, and you'd probably have to eat a couple of them to get Zn poisoning. A couple micrograms spread out over 5 gallons shouldn't hurt. However, I'd still stay away from it, or at the very least switch the washer out at every batch. Zinc oxide is pretty toxic.
 
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