A 48qt Igloo 'Island Breeze' Cooler went on clearance at work. The craftsmanship is obviously lacking. The plastic skin bows inward when minnimal pressure is applied. Noone in their right mind would pay the $32 asking price. The $7.50 clearance price, however, seemed too good to pass up.
So now I need to make this into a worthwhile upgrade from my 5 gallon stovetop BIAB system. I forsee two problems, and I think I have found solutions, but I'd love some feedback.
Problem #1-- With such cheap plastic I expect to lose quite a bit of heat during the mash.
Solution: Drill a series of small holes through the outer skin, just beneath the lip of the cooler. I would fill the walls with expanding foam to greatly increase the insulation of the cooler walls. once the foam has cured, cut back any excess and seal the holes.
Would foam stand up to the temp swings that mashing brings? Would 185 degrees be hot enough to break the foam down or release anything noxious? Are there expanding insulators designed for high-temp environments?
Problem #2-- Again the thin walls come into play. I feel that the weight of the ball valve and attached fittings are enough to cause drooping, potentially bowing the face of the cooler wall and compromising the bulkhead seal. If I have filled the walls with foam, bowing/flexing the plastic could stress the foam and cause it to break down.
Solution: Reinforce the face of the cooler wall. I plan to cut a square shaped plastic plate that I can liquid nails to the outer wall. The bulkhead fitting would be drilled straight through this plate. A second, X-shaped plate cut from some steel scrap will sit flush against this panel and distribute the weight of the valve assembly.
What measures should I take to ensure that the bulkhead seal will funtion with this extra material on the cooler wall? The seal is on the interior wall but I've never built anything that needed to be watertight before and I fear my concept is flawed.
Thanks in advance for any help making this bargain mash tun a reality.
Oh, my fittings are all brass and I'm building a copper manifold, in case those details matter.
So now I need to make this into a worthwhile upgrade from my 5 gallon stovetop BIAB system. I forsee two problems, and I think I have found solutions, but I'd love some feedback.
Problem #1-- With such cheap plastic I expect to lose quite a bit of heat during the mash.
Solution: Drill a series of small holes through the outer skin, just beneath the lip of the cooler. I would fill the walls with expanding foam to greatly increase the insulation of the cooler walls. once the foam has cured, cut back any excess and seal the holes.
Would foam stand up to the temp swings that mashing brings? Would 185 degrees be hot enough to break the foam down or release anything noxious? Are there expanding insulators designed for high-temp environments?
Problem #2-- Again the thin walls come into play. I feel that the weight of the ball valve and attached fittings are enough to cause drooping, potentially bowing the face of the cooler wall and compromising the bulkhead seal. If I have filled the walls with foam, bowing/flexing the plastic could stress the foam and cause it to break down.
Solution: Reinforce the face of the cooler wall. I plan to cut a square shaped plastic plate that I can liquid nails to the outer wall. The bulkhead fitting would be drilled straight through this plate. A second, X-shaped plate cut from some steel scrap will sit flush against this panel and distribute the weight of the valve assembly.
What measures should I take to ensure that the bulkhead seal will funtion with this extra material on the cooler wall? The seal is on the interior wall but I've never built anything that needed to be watertight before and I fear my concept is flawed.
Thanks in advance for any help making this bargain mash tun a reality.
Oh, my fittings are all brass and I'm building a copper manifold, in case those details matter.
