I'm getting ready to attempt to use Denny Conn's method (mini-keg bung, vinyl tubing, nylon inline valve, stainless steel braid) for converting a rectangular picnic cooler into a mash/later tun, but I'm hoping for some advice. It says to use food 1/2 inch OD x 3/8 inch vinyl food grade tubing, but I've been having trouble finding the right size tubing. Adventures in Homebrewing has the right size tubing but only in the extreme temp silicon tubing. I'm afraid the hose clamps would slip off of the silicon tubing or pinch the tubing shut. does anyone know if that silicon tubing would work for this or if I'd have to worry about it being pinched shut? My other question is about the food-grade sealant needed to bind the mini-keg bung to the spicot hole? Does anyone know what kind of sealant would work here and be fine at mash temps as high as 170 degrees?
That tubing should be fine. I have a similar set up and just have silicone gaskets, no sealant and no leaks.
They should also offer high-temp reinforced tubing, which will absolutely not collapse under those conditions.
@ChrisMyhre Thanks. Do You have silicon gaskets instead of the mini-keg bung, or in addition to it? If instead of, what size and type did you use and where would you suggest I find them? Did you just squeeze the tubing through the gasket and jam the gasket in the hole where the spigot had been, making sure it was a tight fit? do you have any way of posting a picture by any chance? Thanks for your help!
Sorry for the delay in responding, I was on the road for work yesterday and looking for a decent picture. Mine looks like this except I used a sheet of gasket material to cut my own in stead of an O ring. http://www.brewmorebeer.com/build-a-cooler-mash-tun/
