Ag Set Up

[spog]

allo,have been tinkering with my brew sculpture today and realised a possible problem with kegs.kegs have 4 gaps around the base and i realised that you should (me had better ) not locate your thermometer,taps directly above these gaps so as not to ruin them with the heat coming from the gas burners.so i guess it,s all about orientating the whole shebang before jumping in.

 

[SJW]

You got it Spoq.

 

[Guest Lurker]

It depends on your burner, but even keeping the tap away from the gap you might find the seals start to smoke. I had to add a heat shield on my setup.

 

[dicko]

Hi Spog,

I found that I didnt need rubber washers with the bulkhead fittings in my kegs, all I did was used flat s/steel washers with some fish aquarium silicon and tighten them up as tight as you can - no leaks and no burning rubber.
Ensure that you only make the hole in the keg just big enough for the fitting to pass through if you use this method.
I any case I would try to position the fittings away from the gaps in the base of the kegs.
I see your location is Port Lincoln so maybe we could catch up with each other some time.

Cheers

 

[Trough Lolly]

Good point re the washers, Dicko...

My setup (which is under construction) has a small nipple so the ss ball valve sits just off the wall of the keg - away from the holes as spog pointed out earlier.
My concern is whether or not I should use a longer threaded valve and move the ball valve away from the keg wall and thus away from the burner flames? Or am I just worrying unnecessarily?

Cheers,
TL

 

[Jazman]

i would extend the ball valve out from the kettle as i have done to mine .the last thing you want is a ball valve getting too hot to handle ect

 

[dicko]

TL,
Jazman is absolutely correct, I would have a long length of thread so as to position the ball valve or tap away from the wall of the keg, otherwise you may find that the heat will melt the nylon bit inside the valve.
I talk from expereince with this
Cheers

 

[Trough Lolly]

Thanks guys, I'll pop over to Bunnings and pickup some threaded pipe - it will probably be brass since our finances are in ruins after Xmas and the missus will kill me if I try to source some threaded stainless...

Cheers,
TL

 

[sosman]

A single fibre washer is your friend:

You can't see it in the pic but it is behind the SS washer. You also need to seal the thread for which I just used teflon tape.

No smoke.

The whole shebang is shown at http://brewiki.org/BrewPot

You guys are all wusses (or just not as stupid as me). I didn't drop the hydrometer even after the tube started melting in my hand, I have a banana shaped hydrometer tube to prove it.

 

[Guest Lurker]

I am equally stupid. I have one of those natty banana shaped hydrometer containers. Its handy cos you can make the hydrometer sit wherever you want it to read.

 

[Jazman]

Tl brass is fine i have had problems getting s/s threaded rod so i used a couple of compression fittings with s/s rod instead.But that may change soon as i ay make the kettle out of ali so a legal s/s keg ready to be used as a boiler could be for sale soon

 

[sosman]

Thanks guys, I'll pop over to Bunnings and pickup some threaded pipe - it will probably be brass since our finances are in ruins after Xmas and the missus will kill me if I try to source some threaded stainless

For anyone trying to track down stainless threaded pipe, Geordi Stainless in Melbourne are good value (with the homebrewers discount that is). I bought 6" of 1/2" BSP stainless threaded for $12.

They also have an interesting range of CIP fittings which could make a home in my brewery one day.

 

[spog]

ahh gotta love this site, just by posting a thread on a possible problem the ideas,suggestions come flooding in,dicko your comment about unwanted heat affecting the ball valves did,nt occur to me.and yes when i finish my ag setup i will get in touch,track you down and get your opinion,ideas to fire me up for my first ag brew, over some homebrews of course! thank,s for the input,help fellas.