Hooking Up Ball Valve To Techni-ice Esky

[WarmBeer]

Sorry mate, been meaning to update this thread for a while.

I ended up buying the 40 lt Techni-Ice, and the BeerBelly false bottom. I didn't want to damage the esky, so found the appropriate parts for the plumbing at the Big Green Shed (tm). It basically involves a brass threaded reducing bush (1 inch OD, 0.5 inch ID if I remember correctly) to fit the inner diameter of the bung-hole, and a brass barb-tail screwed into the back end of that bush. The pieces aren't designed to fit together that way, but with brass being a little soft it didn't take much to convince them A piece of 1/2 inch all-thread then comes out the front of the reducing bush, and ball valve goes onto that.

I will try to remember to take a photo, plus an exploded view of all the parts, this weekend.

As a mash tun, it is fantastic! I got about a half to one degree temperature loss over a 90 minute period with my last mash. And it was a pretty cold night that night, too.

Ok, my sieve-brain finally remembered to take a photo of my mash tun tap setup for anybody interested in buying a Techni-Ice

1. 1/2" brass barb tail. I just use a 3" length of silicone hose to attach to my false bottom inside the tun. Use a hose clamp to secure it if you're a little too vigourous with stirring your mash
2. 1" to 1/2" brass reducing bush. You need to force the barb tail into the back end of the bush, as the thread doesn't go all the way through. Brass is soft enough that it will start it's own threading
3. 1/2" BCP adapter
4. Standard 1/2" one piece ball valve
5. 1/2" BCP to male camlock. Wanted male BCP to male camlock, but were out of stock, so added the adapter in the middle.

The assembled pieces:

Next time I brew I'll try to remember to take a shot of it hanging out the front of the Techni-Ice, and show how the false bottom connects on the inside.

 

[zebba]

What happened to the sexy 3 piece ball valves you bought?

 

[WarmBeer]

What happened to the sexy 3 piece ball valves you bought?

That's on the kettle, rather than the mash tun.

Better to have the more-easily cleanable ball valve on the post-boil side of wort transfer.

Doesn't really matter if the mash-tun "out" gets a bit manky, as it's all going to get an hour boil anyway (I do rinse it clean, just can't take it apart to really get in there).

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

You know you're a homebrewer when...

Doesn't really matter if the mash-tun "out" gets a bit manky...

 

[WarmBeer]

You know you're a homebrewer when...

Cross posting, eh? Allow me a cross-post of my own in retort...

Quiet you. This thread is for the people with the guts to share their beers...

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Cross posting, eh? Allow me a cross-post of my own in retort...

Young people these days...

 

[Weizguy]

I have been studying my mash tun and the parts I can get, as stainless steel rather than brass, and would like some feedback on this setup.

from L to R:

1" male to 1/2" female reducer bushing, Straight External Threaded Pipe Nipple 1/2" BSP, 1/2" s/s/ ball valve (I have one already, and this is only for demonstration), 1/2" Male Thread Pipe Fitting x Barb Hose Tail Connector



I plan a 6 leg copper manifold in the 80 litre Techni-Ice esky and I'll connect the manifold to the internal threaded pipe with a piece of silicone hose, and no barb. Thoughts?

 

[Tahoose]

Fair bit of conversation here also

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/69594-false-bottom-ideas-for-100l-techniice-esky/?fromsearch=1

Other than that sounds fine

 

[Weizguy]

Fair bit of conversation here also

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/69594-false-bottom-ideas-for-100l-techniice-esky/?fromsearch=1

Other than that sounds fine

Thanks, guy. I read that in my research. Time to start buying some copper and stainless soon, then. Unlikely to be using the mash vessel very soon, as my brew area is still under a couple of feet of water. Will post pix later in the Brew Cave thread, or elsewhere

 

[stux]

I have been studying my mash tun and the parts I can get, as stainless steel rather than brass, and would like some feedback on this setup.

from L to R:

1" male to 1/2" female reducer bushing, Straight External Threaded Pipe Nipple 1/2" BSP, 1/2" s/s/ ball valve (I have one already, and this is only for demonstration), 1/2" Male Thread Pipe Fitting x Barb Hose Tail Connector

Image2.jpg

I plan a 6 leg copper manifold in the 80 litre Techni-Ice esky and I'll connect the manifold to the internal threaded pipe with a piece of silicone hose, and no barb. Thoughts?

Should work if the reducing bush is internally threaded all the way through. No one could confirm this when I was shopping round. This is where the malleability of brass comes in, I was easily able to force my barb/nipple as deep into the fitting as I wanted, where as I might've had trouble with an SS bush.

Please let me/us know how it goes

 

[Adr_0]

My esky mash tun - in an effort to get 0 deadspace - had a very low sitting draw off point and I did some filling/patching with Knead It Aqua. Unfortunately it didn't stick to the poly very well, so while it was fairly solid I got some leaking between the foam and the skin.

I still wanted to minimise deadspace, so a stainless nut in the side would sit too high, while one in the bottom would also be too high (800mL of deadspace) and would be awkward for the manifold.

So, thought I would solder a stainless washer to a 2.5" length of threaded pipe, then slip my copper manifold in. I haven't measured the deadspace, but it's a tablespoon or two - maybe. It of course goes through a 22mm hole (spade bit) that has been lined thoroughly with Silastic 732.

Photos:




The manifold is 1/2" copper and just slips nicely into the 1/2" pipe.

The catch - if this is one - is that it comes out of the bottom of the mash tun. I have a shelving unit as a brew sculpture, so a 44mm holesaw and tenon saw did the trick. Those with stainless benches may struggle a bit, but those with frames should be fine.

 

[Weizguy]

In the picture above, the reducing bush is not threaded right through, but where the thread stops the internal diameter increases, so it's not relevant as far as I can see.

Was also thinking of maybe this option:


Again, intending to use a silicone hose fitted in the back of the 1" - 1/2" reducer nipple. Better? Cheaper? Prob not significantly cheaper, as the copper is the major cost (~$40, with bends and T junctions).

Used a full 3m coil for this, so far.

 

[Weizguy]

The catch - if this is one - is that it comes out of the bottom of the mash tun. I have a shelving unit as a brew sculpture, so a 44mm holesaw and tenon saw did the trick. Those with stainless benches may struggle a bit, but those with frames should be fine.

Not too bad if you have a shelving unit with mesh grille shelves.

 

[Cocko]

The manifold is 1/2" copper and just slips nicely into the 1/2" pipe.

The catch - if this is one - is that it comes out of the bottom of the mash tun. I have a shelving unit as a brew sculpture, so a 44mm holesaw and tenon saw did the trick. Those with stainless benches may struggle a bit, but those with frames should be fine.

That is killer!

Any pics from below? and the rest of the sealing etc?

 

[Adr_0]

That is killer!

Any pics from below? and the rest of the sealing etc?

The 22mm hole is fairly tight on the 1/2" threaded pipe, but it's just coated with silicone, pushed in around the foam and between foam/lining as much as possible. Going very gently with the spade bit reduces the chances of chunks being taken out of the foam and poly.

The seal on the inside between the stainless washer and the poly lining is a silicone washer, not an o-ring - much better to use a washer in this application as it's not as high and has a wider sealing face.

The outside doesn't have a seal, just another SS washer:


And hooked up with a thread to compression fitting adapter, so it can be disconnected for removal:

 

[Weizguy]

I have ordered the above parts, in lieu of brewing (seeing that it's hard to brew with a foot of water in the brew room, and probably more than a little unclean too).

Here's the almost final configuration for the manifold Need another T, as I chopped it unnecessarily (I realise).

 

[Weizguy]

I also ordered the Female to Female 1"-1/2"reducing bush, just in case, with only one barb, in case I want to try that option.
Always good to have options.Still need to drain-slot the manifold, but it's gonna be a few weeks before I'm likely to be able to brew with it anyway.