Who currently makes the best bulkhead kit for Rubbermaid coolers?

[GNBrews]

I've got one of the old homemade, stainless coupler, stainless nipple, teflon tape, washer, o-ring, ball-valve on the outside affairs, that's recently started leaking. The problem seems to be that the insulation between the inside and outside layers of the cooler yields too much during the mash, and the tension provided by the ball valve screwed onto the nipple and bearing on the outside surface isn't enough to pull the coupler against the inside wall and seal the o-ring.

I know a few guys here have come up with alternative designs (e.g Bobby M), but going through old threads is proving fruitless; designs have changed for many of those products. What are folks using these days? I'm partial to a trip-to-the-hardware store approach, but something more elegant (machined) would be great as well.

Thanks!

 

[brew_ny]

http://www.bargainfittings.com

I got my stuff from these folks , it works well for me

all the best

S_M

 

[kh54s10]

All the parts in one purchase. They have brass and other sizes also.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/s-s-cooler-valve-w-barb.html

 

[GNBrews]

Thanks fellas. Unfortunately, that's the design I'm currently having problems with. It relies too much on the inner and outer parts of the cooler wall to be rigid; mine evidently squishes irregularly and leads to leaking.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Thanks fellas. Unfortunately, that's the design I'm currently having problems with. It relies too much on the inner and outer parts of the cooler wall to be rigid; mine evidently squishes irregularly and leads to leaking.

Food grade silicone and you'll fix that problem. One guy locally told me he drilled a drain hole in the outside portion of his cooler just as a preventative measure. He said if it started to leak it would fill up between the walls of the cooler and the drain hole would let him know he has a leak well before his entire mash ended up in the cooler walls.

 

[GNBrews]

Food grade silicone and you'll fix that problem. One guy locally told me he drilled a drain hole in the outside portion of his cooler just as a preventative measure. He said if it started to leak it would fill up between the walls of the cooler and the drain hole would let him know he has a leak well before his entire mash ended up in the cooler walls.

Great idea. I currently have set of more rigid orange-colored silicone o-rings. I'll invest in a few of the softer, translucent variety.