Igloo/rubbermaid round lids

[juggabrew]

So I have noticed the 10 gallon round coolers from igloo and Rubbermaid are diff. One is a screw top lid and the other is pressure fit lid

Seems like the screw top lid makes no sense for a mash tun, since you need to put a digital thermometer inside to get a reading. If the wire is hanging out how are you to screw it down? The wire would rip, am I right on this or am. Being anal

 

[olz431]

How often do you find yourself correcting your temp? I use analog thermometers for single step mashes and have never had to correct temperature as my screw on lid rubber maid has never lost more than a degree, if even that, over an hour. I use green bay rackers mash calc and through 7 batches it has been spot on, and have never really had to worry about temperature.

 

[juggabrew]

How often do you find yourself correcting your temp? I use analog thermometers for single step mashes and have never had to correct temperature as my screw on lid rubber maid has never lost more than a degree, if even that, over an hour. I use green bay rackers mash calc and through 7 batches it has been spot on, and have never really had to worry about temperature.

I haven't done an AG batch yet, I'm trying to research equip. I have both digital and analog but I would prefer to use digital so I don't have to keep taking the lid off to check temp. Just thought the igloo lids would be easer to work with

Another ? Do u use a manifold, false bottom or braided hose? And what's your efficiency with these? Batch or fly sparge?

I'm looking to install a manifold, so I have option of both fly and batch. False bottoms are way too expensive, but probably get higher eff. I can't justify cost of FB over a few % diff from manifold. Prolly use John palmers manifold design for round cooler

 

[Zamial]

LOTS and I mean LOTS of people, including myself use the screw top round coolers. Part of "mashing in" is getting the temp where you want it and leaving it alone.

If I do not have a lot of head space in the cooler I will loose 1F over an hour, if I have more it is closer to 2F, without fail. The need to constantly monitor the mash temp is paranoia and/or OCD.

 

[Zamial]

I batch sparge and use a braid, a kettle screen and a false bottom depending on what MLT I use. (I have 3). IMO The smaller round coolers do well with a toilet supply line as found in Flyguys cooler conversion thread. The 10 gallon coolers do NOT fair well with a supply line, it just gets mangled and I have switched mine out for a kettle screen. My keggle MLT uses a false bottom I made from the cut section of the lid. Efficiency is 70-80% all the way around.

 

[Zamial]

I got my coolers from Home Depot for $20 and $50 for the 5 and 10. You are prob not going to touch a Igloo cooler for under $80.

 

[Nightshade]

Drill hole into cooler lid, fish the digi thermometer through it, food safe silicone the hole around the cord (if you feel the need) and be done with it.

 

[juggabrew]

Yeah the Rubbermaid it is then. Here's my idea for my false bottom with a 5 gal lined pail lid from my work. Here's a pic

Attachment 107859



Attachment 107860



Attachment 107861

The blue top will be the bottom, I'll drill small holes and add a ss dip tube from the center attached to the valve via a coupling. It's 12" in dia. And there's a 1/4" indent for spacing. Should be perfect for only costing a couple $

 

[juggabrew]

yeah the rubbermaid it is then. Here's my idea for my false bottom with a 5 gal lined pail lid from my work. Here's a pic


the blue top will be the bottom, i'll drill small holes and add a ss dip tube from the center attached to the valve via a coupling. It's 12" in dia. And there's a 1/4" indent for spacing. Should be perfect for only costing a couple $

 

[501irishred]

Is that metal? If so, once you drill the holes, you will be exposing uncoated steel to the wort......

 

[Zamial]

That looks like a nightmare. I am not saying it wont work, I am saying it is going to be a PITA, a lot of hard work for something that may fail after 1 use. That plastic is going to get hot and warp, if it is plastic and coated metal is a no go. (It is not uncommon for the coolers to do the same a little on the inside!) Also use the 1/2" fittings because when you get a big boil kettle you will want 1/2" fittings.

If you want to engineer stuff look at: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

If you insist on a FB get one of these on sale for the DIY bug: http://www.target.com/p/oxo-softworks-splatter-screen/-/A-11144562#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=splatter

Or see one of the FANTASTIC vendors here that make/sell them. (I would PM Jaybird.)

I will rest my recommendation as said before with a supply line braid as seen in Flyguys DIY for the 5 gallon cooler and the Kettle Screen for the 10 Gallon.

I can also save you the hassle of a lot of searching and send you to bargainfittings.com (a great vendor here) that has the cooler kits and uses USPS shipping. While you are there do not forget to order the 1/2" silicon tubing, you will want it! http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=47

 

[juggabrew]

Ok thanks for info, I'll check those out if saves me the hassle . I'll ask my co-worker who is a chem. eng. and a former brew master about the exposed metal if I drill the holes. I don't think it would be a problem but what do I know

 

[olz431]

Unless it is stainless, steel will last one brew session, I tried to cheap out and use a small amount of steel with contact to the wort, lasted once. Now i only use brass or 316 stainless for anything in the mash tun.

 

[kh54s10]

I would ditch the wired probe thermometer and just use a handheld probe thermometer, Unless you can change the temperatures without adding water, just get it to the right temperature and close it up and leave it alone. I use the screw down type, and without ever having seen the other type, I think that I would prefer the screw on type.

What is that possible false bottom made out of. It looks like it would be too flexible to take the weight of a large grain bill.

 

[funkadelicturkey]

User of a 10 gallon igloo with a screw top lid checking in... i use a wired probe without any problem, the wire may get squeezed but the lid still seals and the temperature may drop 1 or 2 degrees over an hour, which makes me ask myself why i use a wired probe to keep an eye on the temp if it never changes much.
1. Reassurance, still new to AG
2. The base also has a timer on it, if the probe is in the mash the timer won't walk away

 

[juggabrew]

I would ditch the wired probe thermometer and just use a handheld probe thermometer, Unless you can change the temperatures without adding water, just get it to the right temperature and close it up and leave it alone. I use the screw down type, and without ever having seen the other type, I think that I would prefer the screw on type.

What is that possible false bottom made out of. It looks like it would be too flexible to take the weight of a large grain bill.

These are industrial strength lids. There made for corrosive mtrls. That's why I thought I would try it. If it doesn't work, then I'm out $0.00.

 

[eriktlupus]

My 5g igloo use a prefab FB while my 10g uses a FB made from a pizza crisper pan trimmed to size and bowed slightly with a hammer and drilled to accept a 1/2in topdrain. Both have served me well for 5yrs now with no issues

 

[cluckk]

Check your temp 2 minutes after mash in and don't bother after that. Why do you need to hang a probe thermometer in your mash?

 

[day_trippr]

10 gallon Rubbermaid, one 1/4" hole in the lid, and one of these (the 2' long model) stuck through it. You can even stir the mash with it (well, kinda ) while taking its temperature without removing the lid...

Cheers!

 

[wantonsoup]

I bought the 5 gal Rubbermaid, and then just returned it for the 5 gal Igloo (Lowe's logo). The area where the bulkhead nut goes is flat on the Igloo/Lowes, it's a little round embossed area on the Rubbermaid making it harder to get a good tight seal. Decision made for me.