Beer Forum

I've got an old rectangular igloo cooler I am converting to my first mash tun. I intend to start all grain and batch sparging. Got myself a 1/2" ball valve, 1/2" x 1" brass nipple (short enough to eliminate needing a ton of fender washers on the outside of the wall). Seeing that I went with 1/2" (3/8" was too narrow with too much play give the size of the cooler spigot hole) I haven't had any luck finding a SS 3/4" fender washer for INSIDE the cooler wall. Got plenty of zinc coated ones for the outside. I do have the original cooler's washer and round plastic piece that was held up against the inside wall with the spigot attached. Can I get away without the fender washer inside?? Should I use some kind of sealant between the plastic hoop and the inside wall? If so, what kind?

In looking at my pics, should i revers the plastic ring and rubber washer, so the washer is up against the wall, and the plastic ring is between the washer and the brass fitting?




The outside barb is 1/2, but I went from the 1/2 to a 3/8 barb on the inside to better fit the stainless steel hose braid I had.

pics too big

I had some trouble getting ss washers when I made my tun. I ended up buying the largest ss washers I could find and then drilling them out to work.

Fill the mash tun with water, let it set overnight and see if it leaks, if it does keep looking for a washer, i was able to find a SS washer for my cooler at Lowes.

Oring or Gasket needs ot be on the ID of the metal washer to make sure you have a good compression set on the sealing surfaces and Oring/gasket. You are just compresing the oring/gasket causing it to expand outwards. May work if you do not damage it. I, unfortunately, have access to bulkhead fittings that control the compression set on the Oring, giving a great seal. Look up bonded seal washers or ISO9974 style sealing. FYI.

LanMan wrote:pics too big

pics cropped and resized

here's the shot with the rubber washer (original from the cooler) on the correct side. Using the cooler's existing plastic "washer" (seeing that I don't have a fender washer that fits yet) between rubber washer and the brass fitting. Going to tighten this thing up later this weekend and test for leaks. If it leaks I'll need to find a SS or brass fender washer big enough to fit over the 1/2 nipple.

found a SS 3/4" fender washer for inside. Needed to use the dremel on it to get it to fit over the brass nipple. Tried using the old washer that was already on the inside of the cooler, attached everything, and just gave it a test... and it leaked.




Thinking the washer on the inside is ancient, so I will use try a new one, and possibly even some caulking.

Rats... oh well, hopefully the next test will hold water!