Fermzilla

[awfulknauful]

I was thinking it does, (if we are talking bacteria) you can feel the groove and the disadvantage is being PET it cant be scalded. Just have to rely on steriliser, I think once an infection got in it would take some moving.

 

[Norbert]

Hi Norbert
I'm thinking if you are already happy with the level of carbonation in your beer, there is no need to use sugar. You may create bottle bombs if you do.
I'm assuming that you have cold crashed and tried a glass or two.
Here are some handy formulas from Fabian: http://www.fabier.de/biercalcs.html
Also see this chart: http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php
This is what Marshall Schott does and has worked well for me: http://brulosophy.com/methods/carbonation-methods/
The tricky bit will be to get your beer into the bottle without frothing. You will need some sort of counter pressure filler set up.
This is what Gash does:
Of course this assumes you are using PET bottles.
See what you think.
Prost, Elmar

Thanks for you reply Elmar!
No, I don't use pet bottles.
The brew is still in the fermenter, started it Saturday morning. So still a few days to go.
My plan was to syphon it out with a stainless steel bottle filler ( spring seal on the bottom and a tube connection on top).
I guess the beer will be slightly carbonated and will need a little more help in the bottle ( old long necks 750ml), maybe prime it as a stubby?? Just thought there must be someone who's done this before.
Maybe I will have to release the pressure before bottling?? Hope that won't create a big mess.
Will have a look at your links when I get home.
Thanks for your help
Cheers
Norbert

 

[RopesNZ]

Cheers everyone on the replies to the gas leak issue. I applied quite a bit of lube to the seal and now it seems all good. I didn't realise that stuff can make such a difference. I have to do the same with the collection chamber now cos I had a leak coming out of there but ran out of time to apply lube and check. Will do it tonight.

Cheers

 

[Elmar]

Thanks for you reply Elmar!
No, I don't use pet bottles.
The brew is still in the fermenter, started it Saturday morning. So still a few days to go.
My plan was to syphon it out with a stainless steel bottle filler ( spring seal on the bottom and a tube connection on top).
I guess the beer will be slightly carbonated and will need a little more help in the bottle ( old long necks 750ml), maybe prime it as a stubby?? Just thought there must be someone who's done this before.
Maybe I will have to release the pressure before bottling?? Hope that won't create a big mess.
Will have a look at your links when I get home.
Thanks for your help
Cheers
Norbert

Hi Norbert
I have one of those and they don't work well with carbonated beer.
Probably really need one of these to create a back pressure: https://www.kegland.com.au/counter-pressure-bottle-filler-kit.html
That way you also keep oxygen out.
Depending on the pressure in the Fermzilla, your beer may well be carbed enough. Depending on style of course.
You can always do what I did and install a tap[emoji6][emoji23]

 

[RopesNZ]

Gotta say getting pretty disheartened with the Fermzilla. I can not get it to pressurise now.. it leaks out if the lid.. I've tried heaps of lube and varying levels of tightness but it just leaks..

Starting to get pissed off

 

[Ferment8]

Gotta say getting pretty disheartened with the Fermzilla. I can not get it to pressurise now.. it leaks out if the lid.. I've tried heaps of lube and varying levels of tightness but it just leaks..

Starting to get pissed off

Have you taken off the carb caps on the posts? Check the rubber washer under it and they aren't over tightened. If they leak it appears to come from the lid as well

 

[RopesNZ]

Have you taken off the carb caps on the posts? Check the rubber washer under it and they aren't over tightened. If they leak it appears to come from the lid as well

Thanks mate. I will give this a go

 

[RopesNZ]

It's definitely not the carb caps. It's the lid. It just won't go tight enough. You can hear the escaping gas get smaller and smaller as you tighten it, but even using the tool which I know you are not meant to use to tighten it does not completely stop the gas leaking. Super frustrating

 

[Ferment8]

the o ring doesnt have a nick or anything in it? i found i dont have to do it up tight at all. i overtightened at the start thinking it was leaking but it was my post on the cap. ijust spin it and pretty much leave it where it stops. does the lid piece sit inside the fermzilla neck snuggly?

Are you using the steel or plastic posts?

 

[RopesNZ]

I'll have to inspect the o ring closely. That's interesting yours does up that easily. The lid piece does almost seem to easily to place in there?..I'll have another look. I've emailed my seller about getting a replacement. But will keep trying with it.

Cheers for your help

 

[Ferment8]

No problem. Good luck

 

[Schikitar]

It's the lid. It just won't go tight enough.

That indicates that you've taken it too far and probably stuffed the o-ring. You should have got a spare in the kit, put that on, add some lube and DO NOT over-tighten.. seriously @KegLand-com-au, you need to drive this message home more, so many people here and on the FB page that have had this issue, I'm starting to feel like Level 1 tech support - time for a YouTube video me thinks (you guys, not me)!

 

[Grok]

O-ring seals are good by design, but they have to have smooth surfaces to seal against and a little compaction as they come together, they don't rely on screw pressure. Take the o-ring off and check carefully with magnifier glasses or something similar and use your finger as well to see/feel imperfections in the groove channel where the o-ring sits and the inner surface of the vessel. The groove surfaces have to be smooth, as well as the surface of the vessel that the outer o-ring seals against. I have a brand new 55L Fermzilla, as yet unused and untested for pressure. After reading these posts, I checked mine, and found a very slight manufacturing moulding join bump (x2) on the inner ring of the o-ring seat of the lid (under the o-ring). This sort of attention to detail is important! I carefully and very lightly filed the moulding join bumps flat so that the o-ring can sit flat against the surface and do it's job properly. As yet still untested, but from previous experience dealing with o-ring seals, this usually fixes the problem. I'll borrow a line from the Lion King movie....LOOK HARDER!!!!

 

[KegLand-com-au]

The Fermentasaurus does not have this problem. Hard to say what can happen but scratches and micro cracks are great places for bacteria to survive the cleaning process and cause havoc in the next brews.

Part of me wants to ignore this politics on this forum but at the same time this is a direct attack at us and I also feel that we need to defend ourselves.

COE Keg King - Will Fiala are you serious? Since you started manufacturing the Fermentasaurus you have had hundreds of issues. We regularly get customers complain about leaking valves, the clarity of the container and other faulty components. You were having so many leaking issues with the valve in particular you had to make sell a snub nose with no valve as it was the only way you were able to make some tight containers and even then you have still had issues with leaks at the top of the Fermentasaurus. I see you have made some attempts to re-design the valve with the Fermentasaurus 3 but the new design is absolutely ridiculous and is flawed. Will Fiala you have destroyed what used to be a great business.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

O-ring seals are good by design, but they have to have smooth surfaces to seal against and a little compaction as they come together, they don't rely on screw pressure. Take the o-ring off and check carefully with magnifier glasses or something similar and use your finger as well to see/feel imperfections in the groove channel where the o-ring sits and the inner surface of the vessel. The groove surfaces have to be smooth, as well as the surface of the vessel that the outer o-ring seals against. I have a brand new 55L Fermzilla, as yet unused and untested for pressure. After reading these posts, I checked mine, and found a very slight manufacturing moulding join bump (x2) on the inner ring of the o-ring seat of the lid (under the o-ring). This sort of attention to detail is important! I carefully and very lightly filed the moulding join bumps flat so that the o-ring can sit flat against the surface and do it's job properly. As yet still untested, but from previous experience dealing with o-ring seals, this usually fixes the problem. I'll borrow a line from the Lion King movie....LOOK HARDER!!!!

Yes we would generally check the o-ring to make sure that it's in good condition. When the o-ring for the lid is not lubricated it can easily roll out of place. If this happens then you can chop the o-ring or damage the o-ring. This is one of the reasons we include a free o-ring kit in FermZilla units. Even if a small piece of rubber gets chopped out of the o-ring it will prevent you getting a good seal.

We have started to pre-lubricate these o-rings that come assembled on the lid just incase you guys forget but ultimately we would recommend you get some food grade lube. I think we just sound out but we have another shipment arriving in about 3 days.

It's not normally the seam line on the moulding that is the issue. I mean I can't say it's impossible that a small bit of flashing could potentially be the issue but we have not seen this ourselves. If you have the right amount of o-ring compression the injection moulding seam line is normally tolerable. From our experience some small amount of lube and a good new o-ring almost always fixes it.

 

[awfulknauful]

Part of me wants to ignore this politics on this forum but at the same time this is a direct attack at us and I also feel that we need to defend ourselves.

COE Keg King - Will Fiala are you serious? Since you started manufacturing the Fermentasaurus you have had hundreds of issues. We regularly get customers complain about leaking valves, the clarity of the container and other faulty components. You were having so many leaking issues with the valve in particular you had to make sell a snub nose with no valve as it was the only way you were able to make some tight containers and even then you have still had issues with leaks at the top of the Fermentasaurus. I see you have made some attempts to re-design the valve with the Fermentasaurus 3 but the new design is absolutely ridiculous and is flawed. Will Fiala you have destroyed what used to be a great business.

I hardly think thats fair, he put forward a point of view, not a political attack. For the record I have one of each, since getting the replacement valve for the fermentasaurus I have never had a leak, the Fermzilla on the other hand arrived with a permenet dent, and also the same groove around the top which some are saying is a stress fracture, and remember the new valve is an improvement on the design you guys did. I for one am waiting to see the new design of the fermentasaurus 3, I would doubt very much it has been shown to you to pass your critical eye over. As for the snub nose I don't have one but havent you guys copied something similar?
It all sounds like sour grapes to me.

 

[RopesNZ]

I think I must have stuffed my first o ring.. I used one of the replacement ones and now it's holding pressure far better than the first one. Still have a slow leak coming from somewhere... Don't have anything big enough to submerge it in though. Cheers everyone for the help. Might not need a replacement after all.

 

[Grok]

Dear Kegland, I was not having a go at you or your product, just imparting some practical advice from experience I've had dealing with o-ring seals and potential issues of none sealing, every setup has its own quirks(if any). I actually really like your innovative attitude and focus on the whole home brew scene, and the fact you are actually reactive to suggestions in a positive way and try make it happen. Well done I say, and applaud any go-get-em and have-a-go behaviour! We need more of it in this great country I reckon, sometimes there are to many armchair "knockers".

 

[KegLand-com-au]

Dear Kegland, I was not having a go at you or your product, just imparting some practical advice from experience I've had dealing with o-ring seals and potential issues of none sealing, every setup has its own quirks(if any). I actually really like your innovative attitude and focus on the whole home brew scene, and the fact you are actually reactive to suggestions in a positive way and try make it happen. Well done I say, and applaud any go-get-em and have-a-go behaviour! We need more of it in this great country I reckon, sometimes there are to many armchair "knockers".

Hello Grok. No offence taken at all. It's really only CEO Keg King we have an issue with. It's already been the case that Will Fiala used fake profiles to make other posts. On one instance he accidentally used one of his fake profiles and accidentally replied as Keg King and then quickly tried to delete this post. This type of deceptive behaviour doesn't impress me. With that said we appreciate genuine feedback positive or negative. Customer feedback is the greatest driver for us to make better gear. Good feedback has caused us to make several new products in the past 2 years and many product improvements.

The best feedback is feedback that is well documented so we can appropriately act on it. Ideally the most helpful thing for us is when customers take photos and videos of things they would like to see changed, or issues they have or ideas of products they would like us to make. I can assure you that all well documented feedback is taken seriously and it's acted on.

Definitely all forums will have some armchair "knockers" but hopefully you guys are able to see through these comments fairly easily.

With regards to the o-rings it might be possible for us to make the o-ring a tighter fit in the seat. This would also reduce the chance of it rolling out of place and getting chopped. With that said I don't think this is a large issue at the moment. If we were seeing many o-rings get damaged we would see high level of seal kits being sold or requested for warranty. We have now sold many containers of the FermZilla fermenters to date. With these o-ring seal kits here:

https://www.kegland.com.au/fermzilla-seal-kit-lid-collection-container-and-cone-o-ring.html

We have sold 9 sets so far. So based on these numbers I don't think we have a big problem. I think we have an area that we can improve on but by no means a big issue.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Definitely all forums will have some armchair "knockers" but hopefully you guys are able to see through these comments fairly easily.

Pot kettle black.

I don't quite understand the point of this vessel. It's basically got a conical bottom but no valve so you cant dump anything out of the cone. That's the main benefit of a cone in the first place.

Then the handles on the stand are upside down so it's not possible to lift easily or ergonomically.

As this container has no benefit of being a conical vessel why not just ferment in a 19L ball lock keg that's even more compact. You can ferment in a second hand keg or a brand new keg if you want to spend a bit more money.

Why does this product exist? Who designed this product and who thought this was a good idea?

And now you have copied it!

 

[Ferment8]

I think I must have stuffed my first o ring.. I used one of the replacement ones and now it's holding pressure far better than the first one. Still have a slow leak coming from somewhere... Don't have anything big enough to submerge it in though. Cheers everyone for the help. Might not need a replacement after all.

Put a bit of water and pressure in it and tip it upside down

 

[RopesNZ]

Put a bit of water and pressure in it and tip it upside down

Looks like it was leaking out of my spunding valve from the thread of the disconnect, need some thread tape around it. So I have replaced the o ring on the lid and put it on not too tight and it's working now. I also replaced the o ring on the collection vessel too thinking I butchered that one too.. tried not putting it on too tight but it started leaking water quite bad so tightened it up till it stopped.

I have it now sitting in garage pressured to 15 psi, will check it tomorrow to see if it has stayed that way and hopefully no water on the floor. Hopefully all resolved and I can get brewing.

 

[malt and barley blues]

Put a bit of water and pressure in it and tip it upside down

I think a lot of water would be better, thats the normal way to pressure test something.Liquid resists compression, so some warm soapy water should show the leak.

 

[nala]

I'll have to inspect the o ring closely. That's interesting yours does up that easily. The lid piece does almost seem to easily to place in there?..I'll have another look. I've emailed my seller about getting a replacement. But will keep trying with it.

Cheers for your help

Sorry to hear that you are having the same problems as me.
I posted a few days ago asking for suggestions as how to overcome this.
I wasted a full gas bottle of gas ($31.50) to try to find where the leak was.
Like you...from the lid !
Theoretically, the the lid should not really need to be too tight, it's function is to hold the inner lid which is sealed with "O" ring around it's diameter, most hydraulic seals are designes in the same way, without problems.
The issue at stake here is how to know when the outer lid is in contact with the inner sealing lid !
Without trying to reinvent the wheel and also trying simple solutions, I have today bought an "O" ring from a shop dealing in hydraulic parts and sevices. The "O" ring is approximately 3.5 mm in thickness and large in enough in diameter to go between the outer lid and on top of the inner lid. My intention is to have the pressure of the outer lid onto the inner sealing lid without the need to use the expanding tool to tighten and untighten it.
I have it on test as I write.
Should this meet the criteria which I am looking for I will post again with pictures.

 

[sp0rk]

Part of me wants to ignore this politics on this forum but at the same time this is a direct attack at us and I also feel that we need to defend ourselves.

COE Keg King - Will Fiala are you serious? Since you started manufacturing the Fermentasaurus you have had hundreds of issues. We regularly get customers complain about leaking valves, the clarity of the container and other faulty components. You were having so many leaking issues with the valve in particular you had to make sell a snub nose with no valve as it was the only way you were able to make some tight containers and even then you have still had issues with leaks at the top of the Fermentasaurus. I see you have made some attempts to re-design the valve with the Fermentasaurus 3 but the new design is absolutely ridiculous and is flawed. Will Fiala you have destroyed what used to be a great business.

Eh, ignore me...

 

[RopesNZ]

After all that I still have a massive leak. Came home from work had no pressure left in the vessel. Put more gas into it and it's escaping from under the lid again..Does anybody's look like this I noticed it's a bit warped on the lid?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

After all that I still have a massive leak. Came home from work had no pressure left in the vessel. Put more gas into it and it's escaping from under the lid again..Does anybody's look like this I noticed it's a bit warped on the lid?

Ask for a replacement lid definitely a defect there.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

When pressure testing vessels i don't use c02 i just hook up a barbed disconnect to my bike pump. I also do this to flush my kegs.

 

[Norbert]

Thanks for that Elmar,
Guess that it won't matter anymore, I took a sample last night gravity is at 1005 ant the beer is completely flat.
I'm a bit disappointed with that.
I noticed that the pressure was going down on day 3 when the fermentation slowed
(guess I have the famous leaking lid everyone is talking about), now day 8 and flat beer. In the fridge since last night and bottling tomorrow.
After that I will try to find out where my leaking comes from.

Hopefully Kegland will find a solution to this problem, so everyone can be happy.
Overall, I believe the FermZilla is a great product, just needs a bit of fine-tuning.
Thanks
Norbert

Hi Norbert
I have one of those and they don't work well with carbonated beer.
Probably really need one of these to create a back pressure: https://www.kegland.com.au/counter-pressure-bottle-filler-kit.html
That way you also keep oxygen out.
Depending on the pressure in the Fermzilla, your beer may well be carbed enough. Depending on style of course.
You can always do what I did and install a tap[emoji6][emoji23]

View attachment 116699View attachment 116700

 

[awfulknauful]

I hope this isn't going to be a common occurrence.