Making a Cooler

[TARider]

Our golf cart has a plastic storage bin under the rear seat that I want to use as a cooler. So I don't have to scoop ice and water out when done I want to add a drain to the bottom, run tubing with a valve on it from there down through a drain hole in the rear floor.
I found a push to connect valve I think will work on the tubing but what kind of fitting would work on the bottom of the container itself? The part that would go inside would have to be able to lay pretty flat to drain good.

 

[Fabrik8]

What kind of plastic is it? If you can locally heat it and dimple the bottom of it to recess whatever fitting you use, you should be golden. Or depending on the plastic, you could bond a block to the bottom of the compartment and use a thread in pipe fitting that is trimmed to be flush or recessed to the bottom of the compartment.

There's lots of fittings that have a nut and a seal to use as a bulkhead fitting like you're talking about. Its easy to find a barbed bulkhead fitting that will accept cheap to vinyl tubing if that's what you're after. It's just a drain hose after all.

There are also some flange type fittings for use as turbo oil drain fittings in oil pans and things like that, but I don't think they're probably what you'd want unless the wall thickness of the plastic is fairly stout. They're probably a little spendy for a golf cart cooler too.

Nothing you said sounds very difficult with a little creativity.

 

[rockcity]

A pool supply house has a bulkhead screwed type fitting that is made to seal against plastic, vinyl, etc and has a standard hose connection and I'm sure you can put other type fittings on it. That's what I would use.

 

[mbalbritton]

If you want to drain it fast, think about putting a bathroom sink drain on it. Then all you need is a rubber plug on a chain.

 

[TARider]

Wow, fast replies. The plastic is pretty thin so wouldn't want to hear/dimple too much but could be done.
Pool supply was a good idea, probably something similar to this with a smaller diameter.

 

[rockcity]

Those pool supply bulkhead fittings work with vinyl liner, so they will work with thin materials

 

[TARider]

Thanks again. Searching for bulkhead fittings led me to aquarium supplies. Even found a ball valve too.

 

[ponykilr]

Wow, fast replies. The plastic is pretty thin so wouldn't want to hear/dimple too much but could be done.
Pool supply was a good idea, probably something similar to this with a smaller diameter.

View attachment 200975

You can buy similar to this at boat supply places. For live wells.