Flooded Font

[Benniee]

Does anyone have any details of how the internals of a flooded font look?

I have a mate who is a really top stainless fabricator and I'm toying with the idea of a custom flooded font, but I'm wondering how to ensure an even flow of the coolant through the font.

Benniee

 

[mika]

I was looking at this, but never figured out how the snaplock adaptors had the beer line sealed into the back of them. You have a coolant in and a coolant out, my plan was have the coolant in just sticking thru the base of the font, have the coolant out as high up in the font as you can get it, with maybe a flow constrictor so that the coolant can't get out of the font as fast as the pump can push it. Then you have the cool coolant flooding in from the bottom and it's gotta rise all the way to the top before leaving the font. Seems simple enough.

 

[Benniee]

I was looking at this, but never figured out how the snaplock adaptors had the beer line sealed into the back of them. You have a coolant in and a coolant out, my plan was have the coolant in just sticking thru the base of the font, have the coolant out as high up in the font as you can get it, with maybe a flow constrictor so that the coolant can't get out of the font as fast as the pump can push it. Then you have the cool coolant flooding in from the bottom and it's gotta rise all the way to the top before leaving the font. Seems simple enough.

I was thinking something along the same lines - I think the trick will be to get the coolant to fill the font without too much air remaining in there. The shape of the font will probably play a major role here.

Haven't looked closely at the snaplock adaptors yet. Hopefully I'll be able to dig up some kind of exploded diagram of them.

Thanks for the input.
Benniee

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I was looking at this, but never figured out how the snaplock adaptors had the beer line sealed into the back of them. You have a coolant in and a coolant out, my plan was have the coolant in just sticking thru the base of the font, have the coolant out as high up in the font as you can get it, with maybe a flow constrictor so that the coolant can't get out of the font as fast as the pump can push it. Then you have the cool coolant flooding in from the bottom and it's gotta rise all the way to the top before leaving the font. Seems simple enough.

Mika The opposite way round, cool the top first where the taps are and draw from the bottom.I tried mine both ways and this is how they work best.I have Celli cobra fonts by the way but I think most would be set up this way.
GB

 

[Benniee]

Mika The opposite way round, cool the top first where the taps are and draw from the bottom.I tried mine both ways and this is how they work best.I have Celli cobra fonts by the way but I think most would be set up this way.

I'm guessing that if you use this method then you need some way of purging out all the air in the font - otherwise you might just end up with a trickle of coolant flowing between the inlet and outlet.

Or am I just thinking way too hard about this?

Benniee

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I'm guessing that if you use this method then you need some way of purging out all the air in the font - otherwise you might just end up with a trickle of coolant flowing between the inlet and outlet.

Or am I just thinking way too hard about this?

Benniee

I see where your coming from but you get a few bubbles to start and then its runs well.Hasn't been a problem.Using non food grade Glycol has given me grieve though.Frozen gylcol bath= no chilled beer.
GB

 

[trevc]

Love those Cobra fonts... have any pics?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Love those Cobra fonts... have any pics?

Due to house renos the bar is in storage ( no pics), still waiting to have the jaraha floors sanded and polished.I cant wait till they come home.At the moment pouring from a picnic tap from the cool room.Soon I hope. :icon_cheers:
GB

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I know its a bit off topic, but...

I'm going to go the freezer conversion for a keggerator soon, and I am under SWMBO instructions that towers are required due to collar systems being too ugly.

I was wondering if instead of a full tilt flooding system, you could get the towers cool enough by installing a small computer fan (like one off a cpu cooler) into the base of the actual towers, to blow cold air up them instead of pumping cold liquid. Maybe even run a bit of flexible hose off the fan outlet to channel the cold air up to the top of the font??

Any opinons?

Thirsty

 

[Ross]

I know its a bit off topic, but...

I'm going to go the freezer conversion for a keggerator soon, and I am under SWMBO instructions that towers are required due to collar systems being too ugly.

I was wondering if instead of a full tilt flooding system, you could get the towers cool enough by installing a small computer fan (like one off a cpu cooler) into the base of the actual towers, to blow cold air up them instead of pumping cold liquid. Maybe even run a bit of flexible hose off the fan outlet to channel the cold air up to the top of the font??

Any opinons?

Thirsty

Works great TB - We recommend it with all the kegerators we sell. works better than using a liquid reservior from the same fridge.'' Ozpowell came up with the ingenious method of attaching the hose to the fan - cut the end off a kids balloon & stretch it over the fan & then stretch the neck of the balloon over the flexible hose.

Cheers Ross

 

[yardy]

I know its a bit off topic, but...

I'm going to go the freezer conversion for a keggerator soon, and I am under SWMBO instructions that towers are required due to collar systems being too ugly.

I was wondering if instead of a full tilt flooding system, you could get the towers cool enough by installing a small computer fan (like one off a cpu cooler) into the base of the actual towers, to blow cold air up them instead of pumping cold liquid. Maybe even run a bit of flexible hose off the fan outlet to channel the cold air up to the top of the font??

Any opinons?

Thirsty

TB,

really, if you have a short run from keg to tap you don't need flooding, you could go with the fan up the tower if you wanted but IMHO, unless you live on the surface of the sun all you need is the circulation fan for the freezer, cold glasses and the MM set at the correct temp, no expert, just my 2 bobs.

Cheers
Yard

 

[paul]

I agree with what yardy said above. If the font is mounted on the freezer you'll be right.

Ive got 2 fonts on my freezer and havent had any problems.

 

[lefty2446]

I see where your coming from but you get a few bubbles to start and then its runs well.Hasn't been a problem.Using non food grade Glycol has given me grieve though.Frozen gylcol bath= no chilled beer.
GB

Sounds like your concentration was screwed up. Food grade glycol will freeze as well if there isn't enough glycol in the bath. We use an ordinary refractometer to check the concentration of the glycol. We aim for 18 - 22 brix but usually down to 16 is still, no reason to panic.

Adrian

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Works great TB - We recommend it with all the kegerators we sell. works better than using a liquid reservior from the same fridge.'' Ozpowell came up with the ingenious method of attaching the hose to the fan - cut the end off a kids balloon & stretch it over the fan & then stretch the neck of the balloon over the flexible hose.

Cheers Ross

Ahhh, thanks Ross.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to muck about with working out a flooded system. The trick with the balloon and the hose will save all the cut and paste work with small plastic funnels that was the best I had come up with as a connection solution.

Yardy - My keggerator is outside and will get a bit of sun till lunchtime. Probably wont need the cooling, but I'd rather have it when its not necessary than be without it if it is.

Thanks for the help guys. An hour or so in the keggerator thread and this has me well on the way. 1 x 200L freezer + 1 x fridgemate + 2 x 2 tap fonts = 1 x happy Thirsty Boy.

Cheers