Best Way To Attach Tap To Kettle

[johnno]

Hi all,
I'm getting to the stage of taking my kettle in to have a hole drilled for the tap.
Whats the best way of doing this? Like what shall I use to stop the leaking? SS washer and nut? I realise some brewers have welded theirs but I dont really want to go this way. I also have an aluminium kettle so i dont think its possible?
Suggestions and help required.

 

[warrenlw63]

Hi all,
I'm getting to the stage of taking my kettle in to have a hole drilled for the tap.

[post="50111"][/post]​

G'day Johnno,

I just got all my stuff (except gaskets) from Bunnings.

I just used a pipe nipple, sorry can't remember the diameter or length. Two flat brass hex nuts and two rubber gaskets that I took from old fermenter taps.

It's a good idea to take the pipe nipple with you to whoever drills the hole. Get them to drill the hole so the nipple "just" fits in this reduces the chances of it leaking. I just put a washer and hex nut on either side of the nipple and held one with a spanner while turning the other. Then just wacked an el-cheapo ball valve and hose barb on the end. Think they're better known as a bulkhead fitting. :huh:

Only problem is my kettle is electric. Can't guarantee the gaskets will stand up to the power of your NASA burner.

I'll take a couple of pics to better explain.

Warren

 

[johnno]

Thanks warren,
Thats a great help. I didnt realise that you can get rubber washers.
Hopefully if you put some pics up i will get a better understanding.

cheers
johnno

 

[jayse]

Hi Johnno,
I did the same thing for my ali kettle, the washers i used were fibre (not rubber) hot water tap washers, they are a red colour and should be easy to find in any hardware store. I haven't had a problem with them with the heat.
As far as i know doing it this way is called a bulkhead fittings.
Heres a pic of the inside of mine, its all brass with a copper pick up tube which i think is a good idea to have also.

Jayse

 

[warrenlw63]

Don't think I can outdo Jayse but here's mine;

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

And the inside, apologies for my shit digital shots.

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Thanks warren,
Thats a great help. I didnt realise that you can get rubber washers.
Hopefully if you put some pics up i will get a better understanding.

cheers
johnno

[post="50117"][/post]​

No worries Johnno.

Just buy a couple or use a couple of old fermenter taps and rip the rubber washers off them.

However if you're using a gas burner I'd use the red hot water tap ones like Jayse. Less chance they'll fry on you. :wacko:

Warren -

 

[GMK]

i will post a pick of mine when i get home - i use ss and fibre + SS washers inside and out and use a ss lock nut on the inside.

i have sourced 3inch SS bulk head fittings - 3/4 inch bsp inside male to 1/2inch male thread that goes thru the wall and u tighten with a lock nut.

 

[johnno]

Thanks everyone. All very helpful so far.
Just anither question now. How do I attach the pickup tube?
Can it just be screwed on. does it need flaring? what size copper tubing?

cheers
johnno

 

[warrenlw63]

Just anither question now. How do I attach the pickup tube?

cheers
johnno

[post="50136"][/post]​

Actually I'd be interested to know that one too. Maybe you don't need to flare and could use an olive in it's place??

I want to put a pickup tube on mine as well. Get's a bit of a PITA tilting the kettle for the last couple of litres. I end up clouding the runoff somewhat. :angry:

Warren -

 

[Backlane Brewery]

Johnno, all the pics look like the pipe is flared & attached with a comp. (?) fitting.
I think I mentioned on Saturday that when I bought my bits the guy tried to sell me a flaring tool (to do 1 join!) but I hung around til a plumber came in & got him to do both ends of the pipe. So I got 2 flared ends, can cut the pipe to size & (probably) bugger up the first one and will have a spare to get it right.
Unless you have the tool I think it would be tricky to get the flare spot on.

 

[warrenlw63]

Also beware of cheaper flaring tools. Bought one a couple of years ago and it was basically useless.

My wife is an English Teacher she managed to borrow one from the Trade shop at her school. Very old, robust one that looks like it came from the Ark. Worked a bloody treat though. In other words good tools make the job easy. Broke my heart to return it.

Still think you may be able to achieve the same results with a compression fitting and an olive. Not sure though. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[Tim]

I just noticed a lot of you guys are using brass fittings, I assume because they are cheaper and more readily available?
I found that a really good source of stainless fittings is Marine Chandlery shops like whitworths.
They have a range of SS ball valves and baulkhead fittings in nearly all popular thread sizes. With reducers and just about everything else you could ever possible want for you brewery.
They also usually have march pumps and cheaper asian built copies as well.
Tim

 

[kungy]

I attached a pickup tube without flaring, then again i have used a thread pipe as the attachment point. All i used was a 1/2 inch copper pipe annealed and bent, a copper 1/2 olive and a 1/2 inch compression nut which allows the olive to be tightened around the pipe as it is screwed onto the pipe. i got the compression fitting from reece plumbing. You can see what i did on Sosmans great site

http://www.metrak.com/wiki/homebrew/moin.cgi/BrewPot

Will

 

[voota]

Warren, how did you manage to drilll a hole in the side of your boiler did you use a standard drill?

 

[warrenlw63]

Hi Voota.

No I'm not that skilled. Paid a metal fabricator to do it for me. Cost me about $10-15 bucks for the hole for the tap and 2 holes for the elements.

Warren -

 

[Stagger]

Hi Guys i would suggest that you get it drilled by a machinist shop, or if you decide to drill it yourself get a drill called a unidit they are a stepped drill that will give you a round hole. Unidits are available through most stores are very good for sheet metal, they are expensive but if you are drilling more than one keg well worth it.

 

[Batz]

Mine is all stainless , no brass at all

Stainless 1/2" compresson fitting and a piece of copper tube for the pick up

Batz

 

[jayse]

Just anither question now. How do I attach the pickup tube?

cheers
johnno

[post="50136"][/post]​

Actually I'd be interested to know that one too. Maybe you don't need to flare and could use an olive in it's place??

[post="50137"][/post]​

Easiest way to go get all the right parts you need is build it in the store, take the parts you already have with you.
I used a compression fitting, i already had the valve and the only thing i couldn't find for the rest at bunnings was the brass washers that go between the nuts and fibre washers.
For the compression fitting by itself you'll need to go to a fitting shop also, unless! you can con someone in bunnings to sell it to you by itself, i managed to get some dude out and he found a price and sold it to me, i took it off a tee piece of compression fittings and took it to the counter. I didn't tell them i pulled it of another part.
anyway long story short...pick up tubes are great! :super:


Jayse

 

[warrenlw63]

Johnno (others),

Just managed to wander out to my garage. Find a compression fitting, an olive and bend up a bit of copper tube. (can't put new taps in bathroom for SO now :blink: ). Took me 20 mins. to do.

Looks like it might work. Let you all know later. I've got some water draining from the kettle to try it out at the moment.

Only complaint looks like it makes the flow a little slower from the kettle ??

Might even put a pic in later.

Warren -