What Am I Missing?

[sremed60]

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I'm attempting to turn a couple of coolers into mash tuns. I watched the videos on youtube and it looked pretty easy. I didn't realize it would be so difficult to buy stainless steel fittings locally. I went to 3 or 4 Home Depots and a couple Lowes, as well as 1 or 2 plumbing supply shops in the area. Everything is brass, or galvanized, or zinc, or pvc, etc...

So I started ordering parts off ebay. Mostly from China since they seem to be able to ship stuff a lot cheaper than someone 10 miles away can (courtesy the USPS - tax payers).

The problem is not being able to match things up to see how they fit before buying. The picture above shows some of the parts I have so far. A 1/2" SS ball valve, a couple 1/2" SS male NPT nipples, (with the hex in the middle). A couple 1/2" SS NPT to 1/2" barbs, some silicone O-rings and a bag of 1/2" SS flat washers.

Still can't get the job done. Found out (the hard way) that the 1/2" flat washers refers to the ID, and since the 1/2" NPT also refers to ID, obviously they don't work. So I have a bag of 25 1/2" SS flat washers if anyone wants them.

Based on what I have can anyone tell me what I need to get this done? I don't believe those O-rings are going to work. I think I need more of a silicone flat washer On the nipple and the thread to barb fitting, the hex nut part isn't very big. The points of the hex area just barely stick out past the threads. So I'm afraid if I get a flat washer that fits over the threads, it will also work it's way over the hex part eventually. The hex nuts I bought have a groove to accept the O-ring, but the nuts are so thick when they're threaded on the fitting there's no thread left to attach anything else.

 

[sremed60]

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This what I'm talking about with the hex part. There's not much sticking out past the threads to hold a flat washer secure. The entire nipple is able to pass through the hole in the cooler. The threaded part fits in okay with just a very small amount of play - but it's enough that if you wiggle it back and forth you can get the whole nipple (or threaded barb fitting) to pass straight through the opening in the cooler. So I definitely need a larger piece (like a flat washer.

I wish they made the nipple without that hex part in the middle. They do, but they're short (like the length of one half of that nipple), so that doesn't solve anything. They have some that don't have that hex part in the middle, they just have a smooth round ring that's even with the threads - but then that smooth ring ends up right at the point where you need to tighten it against the cooler wall.

 

[Konadog]

You could look at bargainfittings.com, they have a few good pictures on how things go together, and some videos you may find helpful. That and they have everything you need

 

[Konadog]

This page in particular: OLDER COOLER BULKHEAD NG INSTALL