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Author Topic: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour  (Read 3000 times)

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2017, 10:36:23 am »
Phil M - what kind of cooler, out of curiosity? I'm having a hard time picturing the wort leaking into the interior and ruining its insulating properties. But that may very well be the case and a new cooler gets you rolling again. But with all the cooler mashers here, I'd just think we'd hear more stories like this if that were the case ( first time I've heard of it). I know Denny is still on his original cooler, still sealed with the mini keg bung IIRC. Not trying to be argumentative, just puzzled.
Jon H.

Offline Phil_M

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2017, 10:59:14 am »
Igloo Maxcold 50 qt. Seems they don't make it any more, I couldn't find a link.

The drain plug on mine is a bit different from most coolers, basically a plastic through fitting like you'd see on a brew kettle:

https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Replacement-Threaded-Drain-Plug/dp/B0006FQJPY/ref=sr_1_57?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1488304162&sr=1-57&keywords=igloo+cooler

The hole for this fitting isn't jacketed in any way, so if you take it out you have ready access to the insulation. Wondering if something got behind the bulkhead. Perhaps those cheap rubber seals couldn't handle the heat.

I'll take the whole thing apart when I can, but doing so will completely undo how I've got the stainless mesh/drain tube attached. This setup was version two after a bad leak from version 1. I've got the funds to "upgrade" to the 10-gal SS brewtech mash tun, I might just go ahead and do that. The big square cooler can't be drained into my tiny kitchen sink without taking the lid off. The SS mashtun is round, and I wouldn't have this issue. (I can clean my 15 gal kettle on it's side and drain it into the sink without issue.) Still would be a splurge though.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline Phil_M

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2017, 12:45:13 pm »
Well I ordered the new mash tun. I've got another brew day planned this coming weekend, and it kinda has to succeed or there will be no stout at our annual St. Patrick's Day party. Better to perhaps spend too much and be sure of getting a reliable mash I feel, and as I've mentioned this has been something I've been considering.

Still going to get to the bottom of this. If the cooler can be salvaged I'll give it to a friend who's trying to make the jump from extract to all grain.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline Phil_M

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #18 on: February 28, 2017, 02:15:16 pm »
Well it was the bulkhead, wort got past the rubber (which seemed kinda degraded) and into the insulation. Stank to high heaven...
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Online BrewBama

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #19 on: February 28, 2017, 04:21:54 pm »
I got some large OD rubber washers and backed that with large OD stainless washers when I found a leak. It seemed to fix it.


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Offline narcout

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Re: Cooler not holding temp well - Losing more than 15 degrees an hour
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2017, 01:23:10 pm »
Well I ordered the new mash tun.

Let us know how you like it. I'm thinking about buying one of those myself later this month.
Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC