# Flooded Font (no)idea



## mr_tyreman (22/11/09)

Hey guys the new outdoor bar is being built against the shed wall, reason being is so i can have all the fridges/freezer behind the shed wall out of sight but while still having them close as possible to the bar.

I want to have a flooded font, but i have no idea how they work, without a good posibility of leaking...so i drew a picture to try and get some ideas from you guys.

i pump the glycol into the top pipe through a tube to the end of the font, and the glycol is circulatyed back towards the freezer and overflows back down into the freezer from the lower pipe.

all the beer lines are fed into the font through the top pipe as to not have to try and seal them all from the glycol.

could you please let me know if im on the right track or not...ta

P.S not really an accurate drawing as to pipe size or anything, but gives a rough idea of its workings


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## komodo (22/11/09)

That would work I think. Its obviously not how normal flooded fonts work but i see no reason why it wouldnt work.

Most flooded fonts use a compression washer / gland to make the font "water" tight around the riser lines


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## Wisey (23/11/09)

I thought the flooded fonts I have seen come with an In and out line anyways. that way its already done


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## mr_tyreman (23/11/09)

has anyone got a diagram of how a font works...i cant seem to find anything.

with a standard font i'd imagine that you would have to seal up all the beer lines from allowing glycol to leak past them, since im having 6 taps i really dont want to risk the leaks....but then again i am still unsure exactly how the f/fonts work


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## Back Yard Brewer (23/11/09)

mr_tyreman said:


> has anyone got a diagram of how a font works...i cant seem to find anything.
> 
> with a standard font i'd imagine that you would have to seal up all the beer lines from allowing glycol to leak past them, since im having 6 taps i really dont want to risk the leaks....but then again i am still unsure exactly how the f/fonts work



If you have a flooded (or are you trying to flood or modify a non floodable font) font you will find that there should see two larger tubes at the bottom of your font.That will be an entry and a exit point. There should / will be no possible way if one of those tubes does start to leak internally that you beer will come into contact with the glycol. All beer lines and glycol line are independent of each other.

BYB


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## schooey (23/11/09)

I have an Andale T-Bar style Font... The cold glycolis connected to the inlet (Blue line) and it rises up the font. As it rises, the air trapped in the font escapes through the outlet riser tube (green line) until the font is full and then the glycol flows back out the riser (green). These lines are two pieces of 3/8" copper tube silver soldered into the bottom plate of the font. The beer lines pass through this plate and are sealde with a gland and a fitting


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## komodo (23/11/09)

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=539314 

detailed photos of a flooded font in that thread thanks to lefty


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## mr_tyreman (23/11/09)

thanks for that link Komo, i figured thats about how they sealed, but for ease of build i think i might go with my design and see how i go....i just want a straight bit of pipe coming of the shed wall... and i dont think theres a cheaper way than build it myself....its only temporary til i build my big shed....


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## komodo (23/11/09)

Have a crack tyreman if it doesnt work it doesnt work big deal. worth a shot at least


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## Tony (23/11/09)

I just plumbed up a 3 tap cobra font to a 500 liter freezer and flooded the font.

With the cooling water switched off, the fewwzer barley runs and hold temp wonderfuly.

As soon as i switch on the water th the font in the sunner heat, the compressor kicks in and runs non stop....... all day..... untill i turn off the water.

I now leave it off and will only use it if i have lots of people drinking from it...... the power usage cant be justified for a few beers through out the day.

Just something to think about.

cheers


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## Georgedgerton (23/11/09)

currently designing a font for Celli taps that's possibly of interest. The coolant flows into a tank (from bottom and exits from a higher point) slightly below the taps (so there is no sealing problems) but still close enough to keep the taps cold. I like the idea of being able to take one tap out for service without having your whole system down and sufficient room for maintenance without a "bun fight" on your hands.

Fabricated from stainless the tank is hidden via a false front where the taps are mounted. I know this sounds a bit vague, however will try to get some sketches together for you if interested.

I think you can come up with a lot of great designs that are functional without staying within the boundaries of the "normal" font designs


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## glaab (23/11/09)

another option might be to cool the font with cold air from a computer fan, there is a thread here somewhere where someone has done it but I can't find it. Anyone else know where it is?


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## komodo (23/11/09)

heaps of people do it with a computer fan. 

I say flood it. If you want to chill the font down 15 minutes before a drinking session and then when entertaining just run it 15 minutes every hour I'd suggest it would keep up. I think if you want to run it continuous to get an iced up or condensation all covering the font then you'll need to look to a propper glycol chiller.


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## absinthe (24/11/09)

Tony said:


> I just plumbed up a 3 tap cobra font to a 500 liter freezer and flooded the font.
> 
> With the cooling water switched off, the fewwzer barley runs and hold temp wonderfuly.
> 
> ...






thats why i insulated my font with foam pipe lagging, works great.. ok dont look as good as a nice shinny font, but it also stop condensation so i dont have mold growing in the disconnect knurling anymore, and i can run the pump all day and have no problems


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## komodo (24/11/09)

^ good idea. I've been thinking that i'll get an insulator made up out of wetsuit material that can velcro on so i can leave that on when its just me an the missus. Its something easily cleaned and good insulator and when ive got guest over and i wanna show off some bling I can cool the font down with the flooding then take it off once all the temp has been taken out of the font befor it really has to compete with ambient.


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## mr_tyreman (24/11/09)

computer fan is a great idea, and just flodding it up when i have a people over for brews sounds like the go.

but yeah it wont cost much to build i dont think, so why not just give it a go indeed.


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## Tony (24/11/09)

Im drfinatly considering a velcro style wetsuit material jacket for it.

MHB said i would need one when i spoke to him about flooding the font years ago and i never doubted it.

Might have to speak to my mum... she is a sewing ace!

If i unsulate it it will get foam amd duct tape 

cheers


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## komodo (24/11/09)

That spelling looks like you've been hanging about your beer font a bit tonight tony LOL


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## Tony (24/11/09)

Ahhh i speel like that sobber 

only had 3 beers.

I can spell... just cant type 

cheeers


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## mr_tyreman (25/11/09)

i work for an insulation mob, and we supply 'foam style' pipe insulation....its for hot water pipes and alike, why dont you source something like that.....saves the effort of making something.


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## komodo (25/11/09)

Mr Tyreman has your workplace got a website that we could view said 'foam style' pipe insulation...?


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## mr_tyreman (25/11/09)

i was just on the CSR website but could only find industrial sized insulation for piping, but if you have a store close by go in and have a look if you like....its just like a sectioned foam surround for piping......unless you want to go industrial sized.....hmmm


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