cool box for mash tun

yeastinfection · Oct 10, 2016

http://www.tesco.com/direct/30l-cool-box/210-0484.prd?skuId=210-0484&pageLevel=sku&sc_cmp=ppc_sh-_-sh-_-tesco-_-210-0484&sc_cmp=ppc*sh*msh*bg*px_-_shopping_gsc_-_kitchen*210-0484&gclid=CjwKEAjw-Oy_BRDg4Iqok57a4kcSJADsuDK1TVum65HPs-0n68dxD0vITBdg8IJHIvFOIDtcrz5qhBoCxiTw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&source=others

the best i could find...
i want to make a mash tun but the cool boxes other than this seem expensive, amazon etc... anyone have any better links?boxes? suggestions please,
thank you

ezraburke · Oct 11, 2016

I used freegle to ask if anyone had a sizeable box to hand - was lucky in getting a free 42l one. Give it a bash.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Fil · Oct 11, 2016

a 30l tun should be fine for most 5 gallon brews, the insulation however could probably benefit from an upgrade, if as i suspect simply cut polystyrene tiles, try lining the whole outer skin with Mylar (crunchie wrapper or spaceblankets) or even tin foil, and then wrap the polystyrene too and fill any gaps with bubble wrap.. And dont forget filling the lid void too

with the more expensive boxes like the coleman extreme range you do get superior insulation some guaranteed able to keep ice solid for days, even a week?

Extra volume isnt a huge must have if you intend fly sparging, batch sparging may be more susceptible to limiting due to a smaller tun requiring 3x or more batches.

Bigjas · Oct 11, 2016

I bought a Tesco 24 Litre Cool Box for Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£12 back in the summer. It was hopeless and lost a lot of heat the first time I used it. It had a thin strip of polystyrene inside the box and that was it. There was no insulation in the lid at all. So for its first use, I put 50mm of Celotex roofing insulation in to the lid, but it still lost a lot of heat.

This is how it looked on its first outing

So I bought some foil bubble wrap to coat the outside of it. I put two layers of it on the outside and filled the cavity inside with more thin strips of Celotex roof insulation.

It now looks like this

I put a thermometer in the lid, it sits in the Mash and it shows that there is a 1ÃÂ°c loss over 90mins. If I wrap it with a sleeping bag, I get no loss of heat at all over 90 mins.

A 24 Litre box is right on the limit for 5 Gallon brews, I did a Porter at the weekend with a 5.5 kg grain bill and it was just under the rim. I would go for a 30 litre if I needed to upgrade.

Jas

simon12 · Oct 11, 2016

I used a dirt cheap cool box and found rapping it in a duvet during mash made it loose less than 1c in an hour mash.

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

ezraburke said:
I used freegle to ask if anyone had a sizeable box to hand - was lucky in getting a free 42l one. Give it a bash.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Bigjas said:
I bought a Tesco 24 Litre Cool Box for Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£12 back in the summer. It was hopeless and lost a lot of heat the first time I used it. It had a thin strip of polystyrene inside the box and that was it. There was no insulation in the lid at all. So for its first use, I put 50mm of Celotex roofing insulation in to the lid, but it still lost a lot of heat.

This is how it looked on its first outing

So I bought some foil bubble wrap to coat the outside of it. I put two layers of it on the outside and filled the cavity inside with more thin strips of Celotex roof insulation.

It now looks like this

I put a thermometer in the lid, it sits in the Mash and it shows that there is a 1ÃÂ°c loss over 90mins. If I wrap it with a sleeping bag, I get no loss of heat at all over 90 mins.

A 24 Litre box is right on the limit for 5 Gallon brews, I did a Porter at the weekend with a 5.5 kg grain bill and it was just under the rim. I would go for a 30 litre if I needed to upgrade.

Jas

NASA just called they want there cool box back.
That looks Ace :thumb:

Bigjas · Oct 11, 2016

Haha yes it does look like it belongs in a spaceship :) its nice and shiny, works well though :thumb:

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

Found a thermos one in Amazon.think I'll try that. I suspect all the cool boxes in my price range will need insulation. But I'm hoping that cause it's a brand name it shouldn't be too bad. Time will tell.

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

Hi guys, thank you all for your replies, ive ordered a cool box, but need a tap to go with it. does anyone have any links for them please,i have copper pipe for the drain but need a tap, thanks .

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

Bigjas said:
I bought a Tesco 24 Litre Cool Box for Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£12 back in the summer. It was hopeless and lost a lot of heat the first time I used it. It had a thin strip of polystyrene inside the box and that was it. There was no insulation in the lid at all. So for its first use, I put 50mm of Celotex roofing insulation in to the lid, but it still lost a lot of heat.

This is how it looked on its first outing

So I bought some foil bubble wrap to coat the outside of it. I put two layers of it on the outside and filled the cavity inside with more thin strips of Celotex roof insulation.

It now looks like this

I put a thermometer in the lid, it sits in the Mash and it shows that there is a 1ÃÂ°c loss over 90mins. If I wrap it with a sleeping bag, I get no loss of heat at all over 90 mins.

A 24 Litre box is right on the limit for 5 Gallon brews, I did a Porter at the weekend with a 5.5 kg grain bill and it was just under the rim. I would go for a 30 litre if I needed to upgrade.

Jas

cellotex, is it sticky on one side?

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-loft-insulation-l75m-w600mm/182139_BQ.prd
did you mean this?

Bigjas · Oct 11, 2016

I used Cellotex builders insulation on the underside of the lid. I had some left over from some building work at home. It's this stuff http://www.wickes.co.uk/Celotex-50mm-High-Performance-Insulation-Board-1200x2400mm/p/190544

On the outside of the cool box I used this http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Biard-Doubl...Insulation-1-2m-x-5m-/400770934043?nav=SEARCH

yeastinfection · Oct 11, 2016

Bigjas said:
I used Cellotex builders insulation on the underside of the lid. I had some left over from some building work at home. It's this stuff http://www.wickes.co.uk/Celotex-50mm-High-Performance-Insulation-Board-1200x2400mm/p/190544

On the outside of the cool box I used this http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Biard-Doubl...Insulation-1-2m-x-5m-/400770934043?nav=SEARCH

Thanks for that :)

Fil · Oct 11, 2016

for a valve to fit onto copper tube fed through a drilled/filled out tank connector..

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Lever-Ballvalve-15mm/p/420199

yeastinfection · Oct 12, 2016

:grin:

Fil said:
for a valve to fit onto copper tube fed through a drilled/filled out tank connector..

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Lever-Ballvalve-15mm/p/420199

Thank you.

yeastinfection · Oct 12, 2016

valve bought :grin: cool box on way:thumb:

Fil · Oct 12, 2016

your probably best getting something like :

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Compression-Flang-Tank-Connector-15mm/p/420230

to seal against the inner skin of the coldbox only.

it has a pipe stop ridge inside which prohibits pushing 15mm copper tube all the way through. simply drill or file out the pipe stop which will let you push tube all the way through so you can have 15mm copper tube sticking out the inside and outside for you to fit a valve and manifold to :)

yeastinfection · Oct 12, 2016

Fil said:
your probably best getting something like :

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Compression-Flang-Tank-Connector-15mm/p/420230

to seal against the inner skin of the coldbox only.

it has a pipe stop ridge inside which prohibits pushing 15mm copper tube all the way through. simply drill or file out the pipe stop which will let you push tube all the way through so you can have 15mm copper tube sticking out the inside and outside for you to fit a valve and manifold to :)

I've been looking at those. Trying to work out if I can get a pipe for the manifold in to it. The threaded end is ok. I can screw the tap on to it with a joining piece.

Fil · Oct 12, 2016

a 15mm hss drill bit in a drill will chew out the pipe stop in a second or two

and can be got on ebay for about a fiver..
If you dont have a 15mm hss drill bit or the patience to file out, you can buy predrilled compression tank connectors from the copper kettle online brewshop, for something like a pound premium..

Once you have copper tube inserted sticking out the back you can opt to solder it sealed with lead free plumbers solder and flux. that way you can use the male thread of the fitting to connect directly to a 1/2" bsp threaded valve.

If using copper tube to adjoin a compression fitting valve, it does stick out a bit and can be a sod when lumping about full just be mindful of it and you should be fine.. 1st time i lumped mine up from the floor to waist height for the mash i nearly took my knee off ..

i would also suggest on the out side of the valve you employ a lil 15mm copper tube to feed into a 90 degree end feed elbow, and then an end feed 15-10mm reducer, this will allow simple friction fitting of 3/8" pvc 'siphon' tube over the end to form the outside part of any siphon effect you want to create with your filter/manifold to minimise deadspace.

yeastinfection · Oct 13, 2016

thanks fil, i have a plan with the tap,i should be able to drill out the step so i can slide a tube through and still use the olive between the tap and tank connector to seal it, this will allow the pipe to stick through the inside for the manifold and allso keep the tap length short as poss, thanks again guys,
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cool box for mash tun

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