Techni ice drink dispenser

[Muzduk]

http://www.techniice.com/drink-dispenser-information

Anyone own one of these? The good lid sounded handy

 

[shaunous]

http://www.techniice.com/drink-dispenser-information

Anyone own one of these? The good lid sounded handy

Good looking design, bet they ain't cheap though...

 

[OneEye]

$129

 

[Rurik]

I have seen a mash tun made out of one. According to the owed it worked well.

 

[Muzduk]

I didn't think $ 129 was too bad. 35 litre about size I after too.

 

[Phillo]

The 40L classic ice box on the same website is going for $79.00. Looks perfect, so I ordered myself one to replace my current mash tun.

 

[Bribie G]

They could make a good mash tun as the more usual, smaller, brands you get from BCF or Kmart have a push button tap that would be totally unsatisfactory for draining.

 

[Jrrj]

I recently bought two of these as they were on special for $89 (plus $15 postage each). I have other techni-ice coolers and did a mini-mash recently in one of their 12lt picnic boxes, and it held temperature excellently for 1hr.

There are a lot of things to like about the design (I'm planning to do a youtube video when I actually assemble my mash tun and HLT with these), but I currently have two problems with them:

1) I'm going to need 4" of 1/2" parallel thread to clear the wall sufficiently for the tap to go off. This length is proving difficult to find (so far I've tried G&G and Geordi, neither of which have what I need)
2) False bottoms are not an option for two reasons a) the outlet is recessed at the bottom so false bottom can't get underneath and b) the inside is tapered to 11" (I thin the Rubbermaid drink coolers are straight-walled?).

Having said that, they are going to be an excellent option for cooler BIAB because they don't have a screw lid, so the bag can sit out the sides and cooler close properly.

 

[kaiserben]

They could make a good mash tun as the more usual, smaller, brands you get from BCF or Kmart have a push button tap that would be totally unsatisfactory for draining.

I found that out the hard way on my first ever all grain brew. (the hot wort caused the push button to spring a leak that nearly hit the roof of my kitchen).

 

[Mardoo]

1) I'm going to need 4" of 1/2" parallel thread to clear the wall sufficiently for the tap to go off. This length is proving difficult to find (so far I've tried G&G and Geordi, neither of which have what I need)
2) False bottoms are not an option for two reasons a) the outlet is recessed at the bottom so false bottom can't get underneath and B) the inside is tapered to 11" (I thin the Rubbermaid drink coolers are straight-walled?).

1) Try Nev at onlinebrewingsupplies.com. He's offered to make up lengths of SS all-thread for me before in odd lengths and he may still do so.

2) Can you post a pic? I'm sure someone here can figurew out a workaround. And you can get 10" false bottoms so the taper shouldn't be a problem. I just plugged up their outlet on my Techni-Ice mashtun with Selley's Knead-It Aqua (confirmed food safe at mashing temps) and drilled my own hole.

 

[DU99]

Still same price.

 

[Jrrj]

I solved my first problem by fitting the ball-valve with a cheap brass reducing bush from Bunnings. Seems to go ok and I'm doing a leak/temperature test for 60 minutes now.

 

[Jrrj]

I'll post the internal photo for false bottom suggestions when i finish the temperature test.

 

[Jrrj]

The mash tun inside, with a braided hose until a figure out a false bottom solution.

 

[Mardoo]

You stainless braid looks like it will work. Plenty of folks on here brewing good beer using braid. It doesn't look like this false bottom with legs will work from the measurements you give, but maybe you can find an 11" one or come up with something like a ring cut out of a heavy duty food grade bucket to raise a domed false bottom up far enough. If you like the braid but it's crushing under the weight of the mash, again, Nev at onlinebrewingsupplies carries heavy duty steel braid.

 

[Jrrj]

Thanks for your advice Mardoo! The false bottom you linked would have been perfect if not for the size.

I'm hoping that if I continuous sparge, the (rather flimsy) braid won't crush.

 

[mkj]

Still same price.

Bleh, back ordered until 30 October. Guess I'll wait. 10" false bottom I've got should fit nicely.

 

[Pogierob]

Ring and ask if they have seconds. A mate bought me one and got it for $100

 

[mkj]

Rob good idea, will do.

For a mash tun what's the advantage of a stainless ball valve and barb versus a boring hdpe fermenter tap? Just bling?
Stainless is always nice but it's before boiling so sanitising isn't really an issue. Silicone hose fits on the plastic taps fine.

Edit: forgetting about the inside of the tun - at the moment the inside of my tap just uses an old cutoff coopers fermenter yeast-avoider (whatever that's called?) to attach to the false bottom hose

 

[Jrrj]

Let us know how you go with the 10" false bottom. I gave up on it - I reckon it needs to be 11" with feet to sit above the flattened side with the outlet recess. I'm just doing BIAB in the this cooler, but it is still excellent.

Given the price is still $89, my next temptation is to pick up a third one for a 9L picnic-keg dispenser. I believe it will comfortably hold the keg, ice, sodastream bottle and regulator. Install a tap in the side and you are laughing.