Mash tun insulation upgrade?

[patwestlake]

Hi all,

Just procured a nice 32l cool box for a mash tun with the aim of upgrading the insulation. Box comes apart nicely into an inner and an outer to reveal a massive 5mm of loose polystyrene sheets on all sides and base. Gap is actually 10mm all-round, so plenty of scope for upgrading. I plan to wrap the outside with foil-faced 4mm insulation (3 layers) and a 10-15mm layer of foam depending on which camping mat comes to hand.... but it is the gap I want advice on. Seems to me that there are 3 options;

1. Thicker polystyrene sheet
2. Crazy foam
3. Rockwool loft insulation

The lid is also hollow, so that will more than likely get the crazy foam treatment, filling from one end with two vents at the other.

Any other options?

Regards, Pat

 

[Fil]

Or... make a highly efficient diy thin sheet laminated insulation.

after stumbling across a particularly entertaining website when looking at insulation solutions myself..
www.flyingkettle.com

A very cheap and highly efficient laminated insulation material can be constructed from alternate sheets of mylar (crunche wrapper, or space blankets) and simple bubble wrap.
£shops generally sell 2x 8ft x 4ft space blankets for a quid, and if your ebay habit is anywhere near as bad as mine bubble wrap should be easily obtained.

i used this diy composite myself when cladding and insulating my keg store and was very tight on usable width in the area, i managed to clad and insulate the brick wall with 11mm of materials 8mm stand off battons encapsulating 2 x bubblewrap and 3 x mylar sheets under 3mm of marine ply.

 

[patwestlake]

Given how messy expanding foam can get, Mylar and bubble wrap it is! I'd already used this on the kettle when I used that for BIAB, but thought the foam might be better in the enclosed void. Makes it easy to mod later as well!

Cheers , Pat

 

[patwestlake]

4 layers of Mylar, 2 layers of bubble wrap and the original 3mm polystyrene sheets as an outer layer - done! just got to do a drop test now.

regards, Pat

 

[Fil]

Yup, i have double vision,,