Font Mounted Cpbf For Filling Any Bottle

[Nick JD]

Have you tried filling a growler with on of these?

It's not fat enough - champaign bottle is the biggest this will fit. It'd just need a bigger box. The principle is the same though, so it'd work fine.

 

[Nick JD]

That's fantastic! I've been thinking about getting a CP filler but wanted a solution for different sized/type bottles. Hmmm, this may have sold it for me.

As I was reading through the post, a thought crossed my mind. I was wondering if it would be beneficial to perhaps have the CP filler on a movable slide and have the bottom of the bottle hard against the bottom of the frame or bench/table. Much like a bench bottle capper where you would adjust the height of the CP filler according to the bottle size.

You'd need to have the bottle against the bottom of the box, or it'd just lift the box when you turned the CPBF if it was on the bench/table. You might also have an issue when doing very short bottles because the CPBF's hoses all come off on wacky angles and would jam in the box. Could be done, I think it might be a little more complicated though.

 

[TidalPete]

It's not fat enough - champaign bottle is the biggest this will fit. It'd just need a bigger box. The principle is the same though, so it'd work fine.

Maybe big dia PVC pipe with an end cap to suit? Can't see why not? Must do some measurements soon.

TP

 

[Nick JD]

Maybe big dia PVC pipe with an end cap to suit? Can't see why not? Must do some measurements soon.

TP

Good idea - slide the growler in, clip on the "filler unit" seal and fill. That'd take care of alignment too.

I'd be keen to have a door on mine for a growler with the CO2 turned up to double serving pressure ... I fill with safety glasses on.

EDIT: what about the handle? And is there a PVC that diameter? Sewer pipe? Something that I didn't think would be the case is just how much downward pressure you need (and the CPBF can give) to seal at 150kPa.

 

[TidalPete]

Good idea - slide the growler in, clip on the "filler unit" seal and fill. That'd take care of alignment too.

I'd be keen to have a door on mine for a growler with the CO2 turned up to double serving pressure ... I fill with safety glasses on.

EDIT: what about the handle? And is there a PVC that diameter? Sewer pipe? Something that I didn't think would be the case is just how much downward pressure you need (and the CPBF can give) to seal at 150kPa.

Only gone into this briefly because my Stones growler is wide (158mm) with a long neck. Will be taking it up to Bunnings soon to see what's on hand.
If fortunate enough to find the right dia pipe I would prefer 2 x slots opposite each other for extra strength & make the base out of thick perspex\waterproof ply or similar & reinforce underneath similar to what you did.
At times like these it's a good idea to be mates with a ss sheetmetal worker.
As for a handle --- a ss csk hd mt screw & a standard black beer tap handle would work. PVC pressure pipe walls are quite thick. You could tap the handle to suit the thread on the mt screw.
A door! --- heat a bit of clear perspex around the OD of the pipe with a hair dryer & attach with ss hinges & ss csk hd pop rivets popped from the inside. And a catch of some sort of course.
Just off the top of my head ATM but I reckon all this depends on finding the right dia pipe for your needs.

Just curious --- why double serving pressure? I fill at my serving pressure of 80 Kps without problems?

TP

 

[Nick JD]

Just curious --- why double serving pressure? I fill at my serving pressure of 80 Kps without problems?

TP

Dunno really. Heard it was the done thing. Perhaps to ensure that you get at least your dissolved CO2 level?

Anyone know why this is touted? (said so in my "chinstructions")

Oh, and Pete - I meant the growler's handle.

 

[TidalPete]

Dunno really. Heard it was the done thing. Perhaps to ensure that you get at least your dissolved CO2 level?

Anyone know why this is touted? (said so in my "chinstructions")

Oh, and Pete - I meant the growler's handle.

Different growlers, different shapes I would think Nick? Don't anticipate the handle of my Stones GROWLER getting in the way? Sounds like the handle on your growler is closer to the neck?
Chewed things over while having a surf & it clicked! Higher pressure would mean the carbonation in the bottle would last longer I think? :unsure: Was told this was the case when filling straight from the tap but not sure if it would apply when filling from a CPBF?
Anyone?

TP

 

[AndrewQLD]

Different growlers, different shapes I would think Nick? Don't anticipate the handle of my Stones GROWLER getting in the way? Sounds like the handle on your growler is closer to the neck?
Chewed things over while having a surf & it clicked! Higher pressure would mean the carbonation in the bottle would last longer I think? :unsure: Was told this was the case when filling straight from the tap but not sure if it would apply when filling from a CPBF?
Anyone?

TP

I remember this discussion from a while back, Jye gave a pretty good explanation.

Using it at a higher pressure will pretty much eliminate any foaming. If you use it at carbonation pressure then you will get foaming since cracking the bung to release some pressure from the bottle exposes the beer to a pressure lower than its carbing pressure, thus allowing it to release co2 and foam. Operating at a higher pressure never allows the beer to see a lower than carbing pressure and you can also fill quicker since you can have a greater pressure differential between supplied pressure and vent pressure.

From Here

 

[Nick JD]

I remember this discussion from a while back, Jye gave a pretty good explanation.



From Here

AHA! Thanks Andrew. :icon_cheers: Makes sense.

I just did a few to give to a mate for being my bottle supplier (owns a board factory, so they go through shitloads of crowntop euros) and I filled at 100kPa (my serving pressure is about 60). I get almost zero foaming, to the point where I can't "cap on foam", there just isn't any.

 

[Nick JD]

Here's how it goes.

The CPBF 2.0 goes on the stove which is next to the fridge. You might have guessed that this would be Stovetop Bottling.

Underneath the taps is a 10mm hole that's usually covered with a fridge magnet.

In goes the BEER line and I chuck on an OUT quick disconnect and attach it to the keg I'm bottling from.

My gas bottle has a 3-way where I have a permament gas QD for purging kegs for storage and force carbing. I take that off and put on the CPBF gas line.

 

[MarkBastard]

Haha, I love the use of bronco faucets as fridge taps. It's ghetto but I bet they're better than any other tap available in the world in a lot of ways.

 

[Nick JD]

So here's the CPBF with the lines attached.

A glass goes under the filler and the tap's opened to fill the line with beer (shock-horror, it's a 4% cross between XXXX and Carlton - half cluster and PoR).

Bottle goes in; CPBF turned anticlockwise to seal.

Whole thing turned sideways so if it blows the fridge takes the blast, not MY EYES B) Give it a quick fart or two to blow out the O2.

Filling. Bugger all foamz.

Almost zero foamz.

Into the SUPERAUTOMATICA that I bought just so I could have an excuse to use that word often. SUPERAUTOMATICA! Sounds like slang for an AK47 if you put on an Afghani accent. "Hai KEEEL you wit my SUPERAUTOMATICA."

Done. One sweet bottle of Aussie Lager to be drunken straight out of the bottle, of course. There's no aroma anyway.

 

[Nick JD]

Haha, I love the use of bronco faucets as fridge taps. It's ghetto but I bet they're better than any other tap available in the world in a lot of ways.

They pour with a super-fine creamy foam. I could get lacing with sodawater.

 

[MarkBastard]

Yeah I used one for a few years just inside my chest freezer. I miss them in a lot of ways. So convenient.

I've seen fridges that have a sort of window for easily accessing juice / milk or whatever without having to open the fridge door. Silly gimmick but if you used one as a keg fridge you could have the ends of the bronco taps sitting in there and then just open the little door whenever you pour a beer without letting all of the cold out.

 

[Nick JD]

Yeah I used one for a few years just inside my chest freezer. I miss them in a lot of ways. So convenient.

I've seen fridges that have a sort of window for easily accessing juice / milk or whatever without having to open the fridge door. Silly gimmick but if you used one as a keg fridge you could have the ends of the bronco taps sitting in there and then just open the little door whenever you pour a beer without letting all of the cold out.

I mounted those two into some tassie oak. They go in like a key; sideways then twist to lock. Can remove them in 2 seconds for a napisan soak.

 

[TidalPete]

I remember this discussion from a while back, Jye gave a pretty good explanation.

From Here

Thanks for the link Andrew. That was just a distant memory to me. :icon_cheers:
With this CPBF I just fill slowly at normal serving pressure ala Florian & get hardly any foam at all.

Been to Bunnings checking out PVC pipe to fit over my Stones growler & not finding any except the 200mm which is pretty bulky. Frankly I don't think I'll bother as with my CPBF I can fill pets & tallies so that's good enough for me ATM.
When filled, the contents of both my growlers are normally consumed within 24 hours anyway so there's hardly any point in making up a special "growler adaptor".
Having said that, Nick JD's invention is certainly a good one & there's probably lots of growlers around that WILL fit inside 150mm PVC pipe it's just that my favourite one won't.

TP

 

[Frag_Dog]

That looks really good. I think I'm going to have to steal the bulk of the design. One possible option for the sliding floor...

Measure out the height of the majority of the bottles you fill it with. Drill holes in the sides of the box and have dowel or steel rods you insert to lock the base at that height. Adjustment would be more time consuming but movement wouldn't be an issue.

Maybe a clear plastic "blast door" as well :blink:

 

[Nick JD]

Maybe a clear plastic "blast door" as well :blink:

I've got some 5mm clear perspex for the blast door, but I have to shave a tad off the sliding base as it sticks out slightly.

The second bolt and wingnut on the slider worked a treat. No movement now.

Make it from something water resistant too - like choppingboard PE or similar. This one is more a proof of concept thing.

 

[Florian]

One possible option for the sliding floor...

Measure out the height of the majority of the bottles you fill it with. Drill holes in the sides of the box and have dowel or steel rods you insert to lock the base at that height. Adjustment would be more time consuming but movement wouldn't be an issue.

Or even better just get the small shelving holder thingies IKEA uses on all their shelving. You get them at Bunnings too.

something like this

or the plastic version of it.

 

[Nick JD]

Or even better just get the small shelving holder thingies IKEA uses on all their shelving. You get them at Bunnings too.

something like this

or the plastic version of it.

That'd work a treat. You'd need a lot of them - and a database of all the bottle heights. Some of them a painful - Stella and Carlsberg bottles are almost the same height, but enough out to need to adjust the base.

You could always stagger the support lugs if they got in the way of each other, or there wasn't enough room between them for the thickness of the base. The filler has about 10mm of vertical movement, but you need at least 5mm of that to get a seal.

Which reminds me. Why did the walrus go to the tupperware party?

To find a tight seal.