Capping Cubes Avoiding No Chill Leaks

[jimi]

The single hassel I have with the no chiller method is the capping!
I can screw the lid down super tight and have the cubes thread laden with plumbers tape, but once I turn that cube over on it's side to santise the handle & cap, the heat seems to loosen the cap and start some dripping. Re-tightening often ends with the cap / lid thread just slipping, which is just what happened again today. Currently my only way of dealing with it is leaving the cube up right and placing glad wrap soak in sanitiser rubber banded over the cap.

So what do others do?

Apologies if this has been done before but the search function isn't working for me today either

 

[pants]

I've not had a problem like you describe. Perhaps a different make of cube? Mine are OM Plastics brand (on the bottom). They have deformed slightly underneath, presumably from the heat.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

you need to check the face of the lip on the cube - it might have lumps and bumps etc. A bit of careful work with a razor blade can even them out.

Plumbers tape shouldn't be needed, it should be sealing from the o'ring on the inside of the lid - the threads should never see liquid in the first place. A smooth face on the outlet and a smear of food grade lube on the face and the oring should seal it up ... also check the o'ring doesn't have chunks out of it or something like that.

You could maybe try an after market o'ring - making an extra "gasket" out of a silicon baking tray or something - or... if you can't get any joy. I have a spare lid and can get more... I will post you one to see if that helps. PM me.

TB

 

[Beer&Kebab]

Does your cap have the rubber washer in it ? I have noticed that sometimes they are missing. I also have no such problem. If anything it is hard to open again.

 

[jimi]

Thanks folks, I particularly like the extra gasket idea - thanks thristyboy.
I have 5 cubes ATM and all are subject to this leaking. All have 'o'rings in the cap. All cubes claim to be HDPE plastic although only one had it printed on the plastic. I'll have a closer inspection of the face of the threaded end and see if it needs shaving / smoothing. Otherwise I'll take an inner 'o'ring from one of these lids and add it too another lid to see if that will help tighten things.
Unfortunately all the joys of cubing can be tested by the paranoia of not getting a tight heat packed cube :angry:

 

[Pollux]

I had an issue like this with one of my cubes once...

I later deduced it was because I had lifted it full of near boiling wort without the lid on and therefore the cube flexed a little and didn't line up right.

Now I always have a system of fill, cap tightly, move to wall to squeeze air (I use jerry can shaped cubes), tilt the jerry so one of the lids in the highest point, apply pressure with my knee and THEN release the lid just enough so the air/steam can escape.

Then I lie it on it's side and leave it while I clean the urn.

 

[jimi]

I had an issue like this with one of my cubes once...

I later deduced it was because I had lifted it full of near boiling wort without the lid on and therefore the cube flexed a little and didn't line up right.

Now I always have a system of fill, cap tightly, move to wall to squeeze air (I use jerry can shaped cubes), tilt the jerry so one of the lids in the highest point, apply pressure with my knee and THEN release the lid just enough so the air/steam can escape.

Then I lie it on it's side and leave it while I clean the urn.

I cap as tight as I can before moving the cube after squeezing all the air I can out "thigh master" style. I've now removed the 'o'rings from two unused cubes and when I do my next batch of cubing I'll add a second 'o'ring to see if this improves the seal.
Just ckecking on the cube I filled about 3hrs ago, the cap had loosened and required re-tightening <_< .... again

 

[jimi]

For closures sake - I'm now agreeing with Pollux.
After using the cube and cleaning it up I filled it with boiling water and tried the lid again. This time I didn't use any plumbers tape and I didn't pick up the cube and move it after tightening the lid as firmly as possible. Cube didn't drip at all, it was the easiest and best seal for ages.
Pollux' conclusion was that the picking up of the cube immediately after filling warps the cube a little altering the threads tracking and causes it to slip, which rings true for my experince here too. From now on I'll drape something over the cube rather than move the cube to a dark recess of the brew shed after filling.

 

[rude]

I made a tightening tool up it fits over the lid with a bar across the upright bars for leaverage.

When its time to pitch the cube & yeast I use the tool to loosen the cap on the cube & hear a nice hiss sound which reassures me it was air tight.

 

[TidalPete]

I made a tightening tool up it fits over the lid with a bar across the upright bars for leaverage.

When its time to pitch the cube & yeast I use the tool to loosen the cap on the cube & hear a nice hiss sound which reassures me it was air tight.

Got a pic rude?
I have only no-chilled once in 104 AG's but it turned out ok. Unfortunately the cube is still in the "sucked-in" position but should expand again if I ever need to NC again & clean with boiling water.

TP

 

[kabooby]

I have some of the blue jerry shaped cubed and some of the white cubes. I only have this problem with the blue ones and I solved it by not doing the lid up to tight. If you over tighten you can strip the thread and sealing is a problem. The white cubes tend to have a stronger plastic and thread.

Kabooby

 

[DKS]

You bunch of bumsteads, you put the mocka on me. Ive never had a problem until after I read this thread on Friday. I did 1st AG on Sat and the bugger leaked.
Im still thankful I had no major dramas.
Daz

 

[rude]

Will post a pic Tidal when the misus brings the camera home tomorrow

I take my cube into work with napisan in it & use the hot water from the zippo (instant hot water heater for cuppers) & use about 5 Litres then shake the shite out of it nice & clean.

I used the jerry can type cubes before but they were old ones with the taps in them, had nothing but trouble with them leaking so now new cubes with the tap area still with plastic over it one thing less to worry about. Never had an issue with the lid though.

 

[clean brewer]

I have some of the blue jerry shaped cubed and some of the white cubes. I only have this problem with the blue ones and I solved it by not doing the lid up to tight. If you over tighten you can strip the thread and sealing is a problem. The white cubes tend to have a stronger plastic and thread.

Kabooby

Same here, the White Cubes are the best..... And dont tighten to much....

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[Spiesy]

Damn... another leaking cube today. That's two in 2-months.

Enough to drive a man to chill!
Might have to make the most of the Therminator and HopRocket that are sitting in the garage gathering dust.
>> kicking out the cube will remove all plastic storage vessels from my brewing process, which I've been keen on doing for a while.

 

[Bribie G]

2015 the year of the Necro

I only no chill for a couple of days at the most, and if I can't pitch (due to a starter being a bit sluggish to breed up) I always stash the cube(s) in the fermenting fridge at zero.

However I feel your pain, over my brewing career using 20l square cubes of the Bacchus variety I've lost 3 through cube infections.

Last winter I bought a coil chiller, a pond pump, heaps of hose and it's still sitting there. Whenever I try to pluck up the motivation to connect it all together and freeze 60L of ice etc etc, I just wave my handbag in the air and say "nah, cubes are easier" :lol: :lol: :lol:

edit: ok here's the sticking point. How TF do you make so much ice? I've got a chesty but I don't eat icecream so don't have ice cream buckets. Here as in most points North the ambient mains temp is warm enough to have a shower so feckin useless for chilling unless I want to fill the local swimming pool.
Bulk ice manufacture suggestions are welcome.

 

[Mozz]

Bribie I've got the same problem in Darwin. For a 5 gallon batch I've been using flow through with the garden hose connected to the chiller (a roll of copper tube) to bring it down to about 35-40C. Tap water is 30C. Only then do I switch to a small pond pump recirculating ice water to an esky. I can get away with about 4-5 frozen soft drink bottles this way and get it to 19C. Just need a couple of hose disconnects to switch it from flow through to recirc with the pump.
I was liking the sound of no chill cubes but sounds like it is not all joy if you fellas are looking to chill again.

 

[Yob]

Could use a 10lt bucket to freeze large "bricks"?