How the heck do I assemble this OBK cooler bulkhead?

[TimG]

So got an OBK cooler bulkhead/valve..



The assembly order of the picture makes no sense..

There are two o-rings, a fat and skinny one. I would assume the fat one goes on the inside of the cooler (where the sealing is required).. but the nut groove nut only fits the skinny one. So I figure I'd use a big washer to crush the fat o-ring against the inside wall of the cooler. Then use the nut on the outside (no o-ring required out there??).

I'm not sure I have enough washers to make it work, but I guess I can use any old washer on the outside (doesn't need to be SS).

Am I just dense tonight??

[RubberToe]

Take my advice with a grain of salt with this one as I've never had one of these or have done a cooler bulkhead. I do have 3 weldless fittings on my BK though.

Try removing one washer, not sure why there are two, maybe only for spacing so you might need it back. Assemble it as you see it there with the cooler wall in between the two o-rings.

All of my weldless fittings have one o-ring on the inside with a nut over it.

[chalmers]

Or maybe it IS as illustrated, and the two washers are pushed into the oring and cooler by the coupler/nipple being tightened. And tighten the nut on the outside to maintain pressure, and the skinny oring will fit ok in the groove nut for a final seal.

[GuingesRock]

I think the small O ring in the nut with the groove gives the best seal and should be on the inside. The big O ring would cushion and protect the outside surface of the plastic cooler from potential damage that might otherwise be caused by direct pressure from a metal washer against flimsy plastic. I think they have supplied a spare washer to be used as a spacer on the outside if required. It doesn't look like you have enough spacer washers. I wish that threaded piece of 1/2" tubing would be threaded all the way. Might need to replace it with a shorter one that is.

Interesting thread by the way. I could be totally wrong.

...maybe it would work fine as is.

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

Here is the way they intend it to go:

coupler-washer-big oring-cooler wall-small oring-washer-locknut-ball valve

What you need to do:

coupler-washer-big oring-cooler wall-small oring-ball valve.

And if you don't over-tighten it too much you don't actually need the inside washer either. There's a reason I don't sell that one, I have the parts and I'll be selling the correct combination soon enough, but that one give you an extra locknut, 2 washers and no real idea of what to do.

[Jayme]

Pretty sure my mash ton is put together the 'right way' as Dave just described. All that extra hardware would look goofy/is not necessary.


Sent from a rotary telephone using taps talk

[GuingesRock]

Dave, without the support from the larger diameter washer or locknut on the outside as well, wouldn't the whole thing me more "wiggly" when you turned the tap on and off?

I'd rather have the flexible plastic sandwiched between two metal discs of some kind.

[GillettBreweryCnslt]

The outer diameter of that washer isn't going to give you much more stability, it'll help, but not necessarily significantly.

While you can put the inside washer in the cooler, the outside washer isn't probably a good idea. The wort will still run through the threads of the nipple under the o-ring and under the washer, since there is no gasket between the washer and ball valve you'll sometimes get a leak between the washer and ball valve. Eliminating that washer allows for a direct seal between the cooler wall and the ball valve body and no leaks.

If you really want that outside washer then you should add a second outside o-ring. So it would be: Cooler Wall - O-ring - washer - o-ring - ball valve. Which may negate any stability you'd gain anyway.

You definitely need the oring between the cooler wall and the washer in that case too, that plastic is textured and uneven and will leak 100% of the time without a gasket between them.

IMHO.

Dave