Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
-
- Steady Drinker
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:23 pm
- Location: Penarth, South Wales
Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
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
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
FV : #99 Highway to Helles (Munich Helles)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
- Wonkydonkey
- Drunk as a Skunk
- Posts: 847
- Joined: Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:37 am
- Location: In the Stables
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
I guess when your talking crazy foam, you mean expanding foam in a can. I've filled a cheap cool box with this stuff.
There's two things I will say.
The box, when I did mine, I drilled holes in each bottom corner and inserted the tube all the way in. and squirted for 4 or 5sec. Then on to the next, and so on. I then went round again but only inserted the tube less than half way and squirted till it came out,
I tried to put some gaffer tape over the holes to stop the stuff comming out.but as it was already around the holes it did not want to stick. I then had to fill the cool box with water to stop the stuff pushing the sides in.
The lid, I never had a lid that was hollow, it was only a single skin. After filling the bottom I was glad that I did not do the lid
If I had to do it again, I would think about it a bit more, and probably make a few more holes a bit closer together and do it in two stages, ie go round once, let it set and then do it again.
Anyhow, let's see what other peeps say
There's two things I will say.
The box, when I did mine, I drilled holes in each bottom corner and inserted the tube all the way in. and squirted for 4 or 5sec. Then on to the next, and so on. I then went round again but only inserted the tube less than half way and squirted till it came out,
I tried to put some gaffer tape over the holes to stop the stuff comming out.but as it was already around the holes it did not want to stick. I then had to fill the cool box with water to stop the stuff pushing the sides in.
The lid, I never had a lid that was hollow, it was only a single skin. After filling the bottom I was glad that I did not do the lid
If I had to do it again, I would think about it a bit more, and probably make a few more holes a bit closer together and do it in two stages, ie go round once, let it set and then do it again.
Anyhow, let's see what other peeps say
To Busy To Add,
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
Careful with crazy foam in the lid. I did my ilgoo and it expanded so much it doesnt really fit anymore
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
If it was one of those nice round coolers I'd suggest just sticking a vacuum in the space Not sure a flat sided one would work so well but I can see a cylindrical cooler working quite nicely!
-
- Telling imaginary friend stories
- Posts: 5229
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:49 pm
- Location: Cowley, Oxford
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
an alternative lid filler is garden centre perlite or vermiculite, drill a hole big enough for a funnel spout and pour in the granules. the when full tape over the hole, or employ a more sophisticated solution.
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
-
- Steady Drinker
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:23 pm
- Location: Penarth, South Wales
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
Cheers all - abandoned the foam idea and will give the vermiculite a go. As for the body (which is slab sided), I wrapped it in alternate layers of Mylar and bubble wrap, 6 layers total, then finished it with the original 3mm polystyrene. Nice snug fit in the 10mm gap - just got to do a drop test now, then put a piece of ply where the tap will go to stop it crushing.
Anyone done a bottom outlet (with bend) from a cooler before?
regards, Pat
Anyone done a bottom outlet (with bend) from a cooler before?
regards, Pat
FV : #99 Highway to Helles (Munich Helles)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
-
- Telling imaginary friend stories
- Posts: 5229
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:49 pm
- Location: Cowley, Oxford
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
i think a pic would help here..patwestlake wrote: Anyone done a bottom outlet (with bend) from a cooler before?
regards, Pat
am i reading double btw.youve posted the same elsewhere and i think ive answered the same twice too DOH!!
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
If its not enough I just put a duvet over mine.
- orlando
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
- Posts: 7197
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
- Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
simon12 wrote:If its not enough I just put a duvet over mine.
Or you can go mad buy some Kingspan and make something along these lines.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
-
- Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
- Posts: 637
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:12 pm
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
I have a igloo(extreme?) 36qt that I done use anymore that I used to mash with, also has a manifold filter, never dropped a degree over 90 mins ( with a coat over it), I would be willing to part with it for a modest offer. I also have a 100l big igloo (marine ? ) that I didn't get around to using either ( bought the brewbuilder high end thermo instead), again available for a decent offer ?
-
- Steady Drinker
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:23 pm
- Location: Penarth, South Wales
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
photos will be forthcoming once the (Chinese) valve arrives and I can show the build in full glory. In the meantime, as it doesn't have any valvage at all, I will be BIAB-ing with batch sparge, so will test the temp drop then.
Love the Kingspan Orlando!
Yes Fil, I did post on another forum - not sure who reads where! The bottom outlet idea was basically to reduce the heal. Many thermopots & kettles have bottom outlets - just wondered if anyone had done it with a cooler? It would need a support frame to get the height, but nothing a pair of bricks or some 2x2 wouldn't solve!
Regards All,
Pat
Love the Kingspan Orlando!
Yes Fil, I did post on another forum - not sure who reads where! The bottom outlet idea was basically to reduce the heal. Many thermopots & kettles have bottom outlets - just wondered if anyone had done it with a cooler? It would need a support frame to get the height, but nothing a pair of bricks or some 2x2 wouldn't solve!
Regards All,
Pat
FV : #99 Highway to Helles (Munich Helles)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
Next up - #100 Farmhouse in Your Soul (Saison)
Drinking :
#98 Bells Light Hearted (3.9% IPA)
#97 Decadence 64 (Mosaic IPA)
#96 Wicked Weasel (Fursty Ferret Clone)
#95 Penarth Gold (Loweswater Gold Clone)
#94 Cheeseburger Cavalry (US IPA)
-
- Telling imaginary friend stories
- Posts: 5229
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:49 pm
- Location: Cowley, Oxford
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
A bottom drain in a tun works well with a false bottom, the difficulty in fitting a FB in a cold box is in making it a good fit. some commercial homebrew cold box tuns (viking brand) do appear to use perspex false bottoms, (THEY ARE NOT perspex, but more likely Polycarbonate sheet) Perspex is not a suitable material I know i tried it.. it will become brittle after a mash or 2 Very brittle.. another foodsafe FB option is to find a large plastic chopping board, probably best to avoid any with antibacterial treatments as i dont know how they might react with the mash enzymes?
A manifold could still be done, ive seen pics of thermopot tuns with manifolds but its less common than a false bottom with a bottom drain.
A manifold could still be done, ive seen pics of thermopot tuns with manifolds but its less common than a false bottom with a bottom drain.
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
- orlando
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
- Posts: 7197
- Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
- Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt
Re: Upgrading insulation coolbox mashtun - which method?
Before you try making a false bottom have a look at this. There are 10" and 12" versions too. Better than a bazooka or manifold in my view.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer
Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,
Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer