Building A Sight Gauge Or Sight Glass

[mobrien]

Darren,

I posted this earlier in the thread:

I actually wondered about this, but solved it (in my head anyway) by waiting until rolling boil, then using a funnel, adding a litre or so of boiling water through the sight glass. This cleans out any froth from the initial boil, and also forces the non boiled wort into the boiler.

During the boil the water in the sight glass often boils anyway - I'm not that worried. Its only got to get about 75 to kill any nasties.

Curious what other people think though?

M

 

[mobrien]

An update on this thread.

I've done three brews since I put the sight guages on the brewery, and there is no going back. Everything is so much easier.

The glass on the outlet of the HLT works perfectly. People were concerned about false readings, but in practice this is nothing but good. When filling the HLT from the bottom, the reading is elevated above what is *really* is, which means I don't overflow the HLT. When draining out to underlet on the mash tun, the reading is depressed, but this is excellent also - I do a temperature check and stir before adding the last litre, just to make sure its all good - then add the final litre. Its perfect - if I was doing it all again, I'd still have the sight glass on the outlet of the HLT.

The guage on the boiler is also really good. This is on the thermometer port, so no depressed readings here. There was some concern about the sanitation of it, but my "add boiling water till no colour is in the sight glass" method works well, and all brews have been fine. I like having the sight glass on the boiler, as I can ensure I meet the volumes I want easily.

So in conclusion - all is working well - I highly reccomend it!

Matt

 

[lokpikn]

I thought i would re do my site tube today while i was in the shed and thought i would take a few photos to show as i thought this was quite easy to do.

I did get this 90deg bend welded in but you could use a weldless fitting but i dont think i would cost much different.


I have used polycarbonate tubing and some heat proof glue which is on the outside only so it will not touch the water in the HLT.


This thing ( I dont know what to call it )was the perfect fit and you can buy it as is there was no modification at all to any bits in this setup.


And all that is left is to wait for the glue to dry (or use 5min araldite which i ran out of ) and screw in into the 90deg bend and once it is on the HLT you can draw up all the marks.

 

[nabs478]

I was looking at compression fittings at my local bunnings, and they only had ones with copper olives.

Has anyone used these compression fittings with polycard tubing with sucess?

 

[niceshoes]

I was looking at compression fittings at my local bunnings, and they only had ones with copper olives.

Has anyone used these compression fittings with polycard tubing with sucess?

Hi Pip,

I've used Bunnings brass compression fittings with plastic (polypropylene??) olives using polycarbonate.
Never tried the copper olives but I do know you can buy the plastic olives separately in a bag of 20 or so.


Ian

 

[afromaiko]

Parts list:

PCTI12/9 Polycarb tube 1/2" x 3/8"
$28.60/3m
From Acrylic Rod and Tube supplies
13 Brennan St Slacks creek - PH 32905621

Anyone know where to get this in half inch in Melbourne? I've only been able to find 19mm stuff on the Geordi website so far.

 

[TidalPete]

I was looking at compression fittings at my local bunnings, and they only had ones with copper olives.

Has anyone used these compression fittings with polycard tubing with sucess?

Yes! you will have no worries there but be careful not to scratch the poly when you put them on.

Afromaiko,
Any plastics shop worth their salt will stock poly tubing.

TP :beer:

 

[schooey]

Try Dotmar Plastics

30-32 Garden Boulevard, Dingley VIC 3172

(03) 9552 4444

1/2" x 3/8" x 3m length is $26.16 +GST

Maybe do a share buy with someone?

oh.. no affiliation yatter yatter

 

[afromaiko]

Excellent, thanks guys.

 

[enoch]

Having read this thread I might update mine which is a bit bodgey to be sure...
Vinyl hose with the top held by whats left of the top keg chine.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

How do you take measurements are there markings somewhere?

Cheers

 

[enoch]

How do you take measurements are there markings somewhere?Cheers

As its only the HLT I am primarily using it to make sure there is enough water in to avoid cooking the element. Other than that its a case of eyeballing it.
I use a steel ruler in the boiler and work it out from a chart.

 

[sanders4_]

There has been some bad press regarding polycarbonate use in food grade applications lately - so glass may be a better way to go. After hunting around for some 1/2 inch (12.7mm) glass tubing i could use with a compression fitting, I located a glass blowing place in Sydney that had some 13mm glass tubing that they will cut to length.

Bit pricey - but they had exactly what i needed, they do mail order, and have very fast, friendly service. Highly recommend them:

Custom-Blown Glassware

Address: 12 Mary St, St Peters, NSW, 2044
Phone Number: (02) 95172916

I got two 450mm length, 13mm outer diameter glass tubes for $45 delivered - so not cheap - but perfect for the job and completely inert. Nylon olives fit over the top with no modification - but the 1/2 inch compression fitting (from bunnings) required a slight drilling to increase its diameter slightly.

 

[muckanic]

There has been some bad press regarding polycarbonate use in food grade applications lately

Yeah, I scrounged one of those upside down polycarbonate water coolers a while back, with a view towards using it as a more permeable secondary fermenter than HDPE. Then I started reading about BPA. Heat and alkaline conditions seem to be the worst combination for plasticiser leaching. Dunno about heat and acidity, nor alcohol for that matter, but I have a feeling the cooler may be going back whence it came.

 

[muckanic]

An afterthought on ploycarbonate. Whether you believe the BPA scare or not, it is instructive looking at the damage that acetone does. Extrapolating, I can't guarantee my brews don't contain diacetyl. Wiki also suggests that several higher-weight esters are incompatible.