Tiny leak in cooler conversion... leave it alone?

[beergears]

I converted a 36 qt Coleman rect. cooler using the 3/8 set of hardware, not the more successful 1/2 set (previously shopped for a 10 gal. round...)

The 3/8 hardware (with extra garden hose gasket fluid-side), is almost OK, except for a tiny leak, a half teaspoon/hr..


Should I just ignore the leak, and live with it during the mashing?

BTW it looks like this:

 

[Soulive]

2 things I noticed when converting my cooler. Every thing wasn't as tight as I could possibly get and some things set themselves with time. Mine leaked before I started using it and so I re-tightened everything even more and waited. Haven't any leaks since then, but if that doesnt work I don't think 1/2tsp is any concern...

 

[RICLARK]

You Might be Over tightening, That is whatr I did. I took it all apart and snugged it up but didn't reef on it, If you get it too tight you will roll that cooler gasket and it will leak.

 

[malkore]

+1 to making sure its not too tight.

also, hot water will make the gaskets expand. my 5gal MLT leaks when cool, but not a drop comes out after i preheat with 120F tap water.

 

[Professor Frink]

Is it leaking with just water or with the mash? I've noticed my 48 qt. rectangular cooler leaks with just water, but once I mash in, the grain bed stops it from leaking.

 

[beergears]

Is it leaking with just water or with the mash?

This is just a dry run, with 5 gallons, room-temp. water.

Rechecked leak rate: a half tablespoon (7.5 mL, it says on the measuring cup) in two hours... not much.

 

[ScottD13]

I just did a Colman conversion too. See here - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50237

Same as you I used all 3/8” and had a tiny leak. What I found was that the cooler wall around the spigot kind of depressed so as I tightened everything down the cooler’s seal depressed and caused a leak. No matter what I did, tighter or looser it leaked.

I really should have taken pictures but did want to take it apart when it was all done. What I did was pick up a small box of mixed gaskets for sink repairs. In the end I put two gaskets on the connector piece that went through the cooler wall and one large, 2” I think, gasket around the cooler seal itself, the cooler seal fit perfectly inside. Once I retightened it the washer it pressed the gasket against the cooler wall in addition to the cooler seal and the leak stopped.

If you look at my thread and scroll down to the third pic you can see the tiniest part of the black gasket.

Good luck.

 

[redtail28]

Try a high temp o-ring.

 

[BrianP]

You could try wrapping a fair amount of teflon tape around the nipple (hey, that sounds dirty). I had a small leak and that helped. I also threw in a neoprene washer on the inside between the wall and the SS washer.

 

[Bsquared]

I got some 2 inch OD 5/8th inch ID neoprene washers and Home depot for my Bulkhead when it leaked. Now I don't have any leaks. the larger surface area helps reduce pinching your washer.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

One easy fix is to use some silicone - the 100% silicone aquarium-grade stuff should be fine for mash use and you can get a nice watertight seal.

 

[beergears]

Yes, getting some goo (technical term) there is a thought, and would sort of cement the assembly in place. Good thing?


Does one take the nipple assembly apart, ever?



.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Silicone 'goo' won't cement anything in place. It'll stick, but you can still pull things apart if needed. You shouldn't need to be taking it apart very often, if ever, anyway.