Make A Mash Tun Using Drain Plug On Bigger Eskies.

[kelbygreen]

Hey I Bought a 70lt esky and I want to use it as a mash tun but also want to use it as a esky if/when the time comes. This means I wanted to use the plug which of coarse is a big thread not a small one you could just use the standard 15mm or 1/2" stuff on.

Ok I didnt think of sharing this till I built it so the photos are with things in place but you can see what went where.

Things you need.

25mm BSP to 15mm BSP reducer. So the 25mm is male and 15mm is female
a washer to fit the 25mm male on the reducer.
15mm threaded pipe
15mm female to male 90 deg elbow
15mm compression nut and olive

If its like mine the tap hole has like a plastic block off with holes in it so when it drains it keeps the ice in there. I simply got a thin sharp knife and cut it out (rough) so it had enough room for the 15mm threaded rod to go threw centred. Be careful not to damage the plastic thread.

Now with mine I have a recess inside the esky and the elbow nut fits in there so its best to do a dry run.

Put the washer on the reducer and screw the reducer into the tap (you will notice I didnt use the washer and when doing up it cut into the plastic).

Now screw the 15mm threaded rod into reducer ( I got the reducer from bunnings but the thread wasn't clean so it got stuck and I stuffed the tread on the pipe and the shifter slipped and the thread on the reducer also suffered. So went to reece and got another pipe and reducer. So check in the shop that the threaded rod screws right threw the reducer). If you got a recess then put your finger in there and thread it till the threaded rod is a about 5mm out of the plastic block off you cut off or if you need to come out further push the elbow in till it looks about right pushed up to the thread.

With mine the drain plug is low so you cannot spin the elbow on. This is where it gets tricky. Its best if you have 2 shifters. I had one and multigrips lol, So with the elbow where you want it you have to put a shifter on the reducer (prob not needed the dry run) so when you do the threaded rod up it doesnt screw it in further (why mine dug into the plastic). You will also need to put the compression nut on the outside of the threaded rod so you can screw it up without destroying the thread. Now if you put the elbow on you can start it with half a turn be for it will hit the bottom.

When the elbow is started hold the elbow with one hand and screw the thread up (make sure the spanner stays on the reducer) screw it up till its tight on the elbow.

Now mark the threaded rod where it meets the reducer (so we know where the tape).

Now pull it all apart. Leave the reducer in there and tape the threaded rod from where you marked do a few runs as it may not screw in as far with the tape on it.

Screw the threaded rod into the reducer till its about 5mm out from the block off (or where you want to position the elbow).

Unscrew the reducer but leave the threaded rod in. Once unscrewed put thread tape on the reducer and the end of the threaded rod, where it screws onto the elbow and screw the reducer back in.

Put the spanner back on the reducer and start the elbow and just screw the threaded rod till its tight.

Thats about it now connect ball valve and rig a manifold/false bottom up.