Old Coolers

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

One of these days, I’m going to get around to building my mash tun.  I bought a round cooler, but have also acquired some larger rectangular coolers.  These are used coolers of indeterminate age.  Coleman Polylite 48, IIRC.

Any concerns using an older cooler?  One of them has some stains on the inside, but I can bleach the bejesus out of it.

Also got a newer cooler that has no drain.  I could bore through with a spade bit, but the other coolers seem ideal as long as there’s no concerns about the older plastic or anything like that.

2

I built my smaller tun about 6 years ago out of a cooler that was already 8 years old. I gave it a good scrubbing with 1:1 oxyclean:water. That cooler laying around + Denny’s site made me jump into all-grain.

3

I wouldn’t think there’d be any issue with older coolers. Unless you used them for fish or something (which would be weird).

4

I’m not aware of any problems with older coolers.  Getting a good seal for your drain is a pain if you have to alter the cooler.  If you are lucky, the copper tubing and keg grease will fit perfectly through the existing drain port. My orange, round mash tun had a fairly short life span before it started cracking.

5

One of the coolers came missing a drain port.  A mini-keg bung fits perfectly.  And a 1/2" barbed shank fits perfectly in those, so I should be good on rigging up a line to drain it.

6

I think you should just go for it.

One thing I recommend, leak test it with hot water. My first tun held cold water fine, then dripped sticky wort when hot.

7

+1.  Happened to me before too.

8

Everything that comes out of the cooler is boiled anyways so if infection or associated are your concerns, personally I would have none.

As long is it holds temp and doesn’t leak I would say go for it! Oh, and I’ll assume they’re blue:D

9

The round one is blue. One of the old ones has faded to a greyish former blue.