Sealing Coleman mash Tun tips?

[HLA91]

Hi All

I recently purchased a Coleman 35L pre-converted mashtun, never used, from here It arrived with the tap and hop filter removed and 2 kevlar washers. I tried using just 1 washer but I encountered dripping where the tap joins the box, so i tried 2 washers. I have done everyhting as tight as I can, and covered all threads in PTFE. I thought I had it sorted but went to pre-heat for my brewday today the dripping was back. can anyone suggest anything?

Cheers

HLA91

 

[nobyipa]

its the inner skin that needs to water tight have you got better photo soes to have a look?
cannot see it o the ebay photo but doesn't one of the washers have to be placed inside the tun?

 

[HLA91]

Silly me, I just tried that, along with extra PTFE tape, and so far it has held, I'll have to pick up some spare washers though as un-doing and re-tightening all the tine has already worn them. Fingers crossed this holds now, I have re-scheduled the brew-day for next Sunday, I'll re-test the MT on Sat so fingers crossed.

 

[Dave1970]

A silicon baking sheet from a pound shop is always handy to have on standby for emergency washer failures...just cut your own out, it's good to high temps and food safe :thumb:

 

[HLA91]

Sadly, I thought I had solved the problem but I had just reduced it to the point where you couldn't actually see the water trickling out until, it started running off the kitchen counters and onto the floor, ooooppppssss. Quite cheesed off, I don't know what to do now.
Here are the photos of the tun,tap, coupler and bazooka.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

HLA91

 

[Rolfster]

Silicone sealant.

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=42960

I caked mine in it! The problem I had was tightening the tap moved the walls of the cool box inwards so I couldn't get it to seal and risked damaging my mash tun!
It works a treat now.
R

 

[HLA91]

I did think of sealant, a possible cause is that the washers are being crushed in the centre and not on the outside edges leaving a gap.
Fitting flanges to provide equal compression might do the trick but the barrel nipple isn't long enough to have flanges and a coupler and I can't find a longer nipple on the web.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

The tap should be just connected to the inner skin of the coolbox, not both skins which is what it looks like it is currently to me.

 

[HLA91]

The tap should be just connected to the inner skin of the coolbox, not both skins which is what it looks like it is currently to me.

Looks like I have been stitched up then, any ideas on how to rectify this mess?

 

[Fil]

The tap should be just connected to the inner skin of the coolbox, not both skins which is what it looks like it is currently to me.

Looks like I have been stitched up then, any ideas on how to rectify this mess?

dont think u have been stiched up , as u have a quality make cold box and what looks like good quality fittings , just need to tweek iy a bit

u just need to open up the outer skin a bit and perhaps get a washer and locknut to fit the threaded shank to compress against the inner skin with the filter fitting to make a good seal..

armed with a roll of ptfe tape a bit of old silicone baking sheet for a custom soft washer (£shop silicone cake mold flat bottom even).. you should seal it up in no time u can always backfill the insulation afterwards.

 

[HLA91]

Ok here goes, What if I was to make the outer skin + insulation hole bigger, enough to get the whole tap assembly to sit into the recess, then on the inside of the tun I fit a BSP Flanged Backnut with a kevlar washer, so it compresses the washer instead of crushing/pinching it?

 

[Fil]

if its 1/2" bsp threaded fittings , should work well, i use M20 SS washers with sealing 1/2" bsp fittings. and as i think i said for soft sealing washers made from a foodsafe and heatsafe material u cant beat silicone baking sheet, it easy to cut with scissors and pressure deforms it without damaging it. but as its soft generally it allows u to seal with finger tight fittings

 

[HLA91]

I'm going to cut up SWMBO silicone loaf tin when I get home and order her a new one :-) she will love me, I'm blaming you guys. :party: Fingers crossed I get this all sorted tonight.

 

[nobyipa]

I'm going to cut up SWMBO silicone loaf tin when I get home and order her a new one :-) she will love me, I'm blaming you guys. :party: Fingers crossed I get this all sorted tonight.

she will be coming home to a kitchen like mine MP3 :lol:

[/URL
sounds like an old country and western song

 

[HLA91]

Well I tried my best, I expanded the outer hole, only to discover a slight design flaw, the hole is barely 2mm up from the inside base of the cooler so my flange was no-way going to fit, so I now have one butchered and unless someone can come up with a solution, useless cool-box destined for the bin. SWMBO's is truly not amused :evil:

 

[Fil]

Granted making the seal on the inside is preferable but u can still move the sealing washer etc to the outer side of the inner skin :)

us a combination of the original oring which squeezes into the hole on the inside and soft sealing and metal pressure washer on the outside perhaps, i may noy have the problem visulised correctly.. pfte is foodsafe so also pre the oring wrap the male thru skin fitting with loads of it especially at the hilt..

 

[HLA91]

If I put the flange on the outside of the inside skin, there needs to be something on the inside of the inside skin to pull the tap/flange tight against the skin but the lack of clearance means nothing can go up against the inside of the inside skin. Sounds like a bloody riddle :thumb:

 

[Rolfster]

Don't chuck it!
As a fall back you can always cocoon it in silicone sealant.





I know its not idea, or the way you want to do it, but its always an option!
R