KegLand Questions and Answers

[peteru]

I think you might be confusing Speedgas with someone else. Speedgas in Brookvale, NSW will fill any legal CO2 bottle that is in good condition. They certainly fill aluminium "My Keg On Legs" bottles and steel KegLand/KegKing bottles. They will inspect (but not certify) the bottle and valve as part of the service to ensure that their staff and customers are safe. All done while you wait.

 

[Ferg]

@KegLand-com-au Do you have any updates on the cryo hops? I've heard rumours Bintani are not making these available to homebrewers this year...

 

[Thomas Wood]

I think you might be confusing Speedgas with someone else. Speedgas in Brookvale

Unfortunately they're a long drive for me. I called the Newcastle branch and they can't fill on site. They ship to the Sydney one for filling.

Both the Newcastle and East Maitland LHBS won't refill Kegland either. Maitland said they only deal with Keg King and that it "was complicated". What a joke! They won't ever be getting anything from me in the future. Everywhere else is closed as well.

 

[Outback]

None of the "Country Brewer" franchises will fill Kegland. I reckon this is a really good business decision. right up there with "let's fill this dirty great balloon made of super flammable material with hydrogen gas".

 

[Kenf]

Um that’s not exactly true - I know of at least one!
Their main issue was the the RPV’s being faulty, two issues one that it makes people think the cylinder is empty & when the person filling goes to take the valve out - it shoots across the room and two in my case faulty O rings which mean the valve is not doing it’s job!
I notice now KL sells replacement RPV’s - I got mine replaced for free!
Afterall it is a pressure vessel and should not be faulty from new!
I spoke to Kee about this (& the reseller who I actually got the cylinder from!). They both apologised & Kee fixed the problem!
But it does highlight the dangers of buying stuff from a country that manufactures to a price - not a standard! It also means that government certification is a total waste of time!
Cheers

 

[Outback]

I offer my apologies then. I should have said, Of all the ones I have tried, and I did cart one around with me for a while and tried about four or five, and received the same response.
As for the rest of your post, I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Thomas Wood]

Their main issue was the the RPV’s being faulty

I didn't even realise this was a thing but it makes sense as I managed to drive down and see Brewman and he filled up my cylinder for me... Right after he threw my RPV in the bin because it flew out of his garage! I'll be emailing Kegland this week to sort out a new one.

 

[billygoat]

Had the same problem with the RPV on my new KL CO2 bottle. Thought l must have been unlucky. Couldn’t get any gas out but l knew it wasn’t empty. Took it to my normal refiller who took the RPV out, pulled it apart, think he may have replaced an O ring. Has been fine ever since. Didn’t charge me either.
Obviously a common problem.

 

[Neil Buttriss]

Unfortunately they're a long drive for me. I called the Newcastle branch and they can't fill on site. They ship to the Sydney one for filling.

Both the Newcastle and East Maitland LHBS won't refill Kegland either. Maitland said they only deal with Keg King and that it "was complicated". What a joke! They won't ever be getting anything from me in the future. Everywhere else is closed as well.

Try Brewman I think he refills

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

Hi kegland. I see the flow control disconnects are already sold out. Any idea when they'll bee back in stock?

 

[stevodevo]

Hi Kegland,

I have a question about using the Icemaster G40 chillers pretty much exclusively for fermenters (and perhaps chilled fonts as a bonus), rather than mainly for chilling warm beer as intended. I have an Ss Brewtech Unitank and have ordered the FTSs kit, but I've now discovered I fundamentally mis-understood the difference between using the FTSs kit with the their glycol chiller vs the Icemaster chiller. While doing some research I came across how the Icemaster 100's are produced and sold in the US (example https://www.morebeer.com/products/icemaster-100-glycol-chiller-stainless-bulkheads.html) and now I'm wondering if it would be possible to adapt the G40 to operate in a similar manner?

As I'd initially only be using it to chill one fermeter, the easiest option would be if it's possible to squeeze the FTSs submersible pump down into the reservoir and run the coolant lines and power cable through the hole at the top of the unit (the hole for the agitator power cable), but it's hard to tell from pictures how much room there is in there. The other option, considering I'd be willing to forgo ever being able to chill beer, is to cut two or more of the eight "beer in/out" lines (one in, one out) and run hose off those to a submersible pump and return line straight back onto the tank (as described in the MoreBeer ad). The agitator pump may or may not be able to stay in place, but may not be needed anyway.

Anyway, hopefully that all makes sense? I'm really looking for ways to make my situation work, but sometimes I miss something important, so this might not be possible. I'd be interested to hear any other suggestions you have that might work with the equipment I have (Unitank with FTSs kit). I'll probably end up calling to discuss in more detail, but thought it might be worth posting here as well in case it helps someone else in a similar situation.


Thanks,
Steve

 

[Ferg]

Hi Kegland,

I have a question about using the Icemaster G40 chillers pretty much exclusively for fermenters (and perhaps chilled fonts as a bonus), rather than mainly for chilling warm beer as intended. I have an Ss Brewtech Unitank and have ordered the FTSs kit, but I've now discovered I fundamentally mis-understood the difference between using the FTSs kit with the their glycol chiller vs the Icemaster chiller. While doing some research I came across how the Icemaster 100's are produced and sold in the US (example https://www.morebeer.com/products/icemaster-100-glycol-chiller-stainless-bulkheads.html) and now I'm wondering if it would be possible to adapt the G40 to operate in a similar manner?

As I'd initially only be using it to chill one fermeter, the easiest option would be if it's possible to squeeze the FTSs submersible pump down into the reservoir and run the coolant lines and power cable through the hole at the top of the unit (the hole for the agitator power cable), but it's hard to tell from pictures how much room there is in there. The other option, considering I'd be willing to forgo ever being able to chill beer, is to cut two or more of the eight "beer in/out" lines (one in, one out) and run hose off those to a submersible pump and return line straight back onto the tank (as described in the MoreBeer ad). The agitator pump may or may not be able to stay in place, but may not be needed anyway.

Anyway, hopefully that all makes sense? I'm really looking for ways to make my situation work, but sometimes I miss something important, so this might not be possible. I'd be interested to hear any other suggestions you have that might work with the equipment I have (Unitank with FTSs kit). I'll probably end up calling to discuss in more detail, but thought it might be worth posting here as well in case it helps someone else in a similar situation.


Thanks,
Steve

There's a drainage port on the back where you could hook up an external pump to. Drain the glycol from the bottom of the tank, through your pump and chilling coil and then back into the tank through the glycol inlet (not the beer lines). That's how I saw it anyway. On top of that all you would need is the inkbird 308 and a heat mat which would save a lot on the ss option. The nice conical shaped heat pad is cool though.

 

[stevodevo]

Yeah I kinda get how the workaround for fermenters is supposed to work, but I already have the FTSs kit coming, and then I'd also wonder how multiple fermenters would work down the track. Belgrave Brewer has a great looking solution here which I considered, but I'm looking for something a bit simpler for now. I also got the FTSs at a great price due to some reward points I had built up with Newera Brewing from initial Unitank purchase, so given that it's a complete heating/chilling solution designed specifically for the Unitank it seemed like a good option...
Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[Ferg]

Yeah I kinda get how the workaround for fermenters is supposed to work, but I already have the FTSs kit coming, and then I'd also wonder how multiple fermenters would work down the track. Belgrave Brewer has a great looking solution here which I considered, but I'm looking for something a bit simpler for now. I also got the FTSs at a great price due to some reward points I had built up with Newera Brewing from initial Unitank purchase, so given that it's a complete heating/chilling solution designed specifically for the Unitank it seemed like a good option...
Thanks for the suggestion though

Gotcha. I suppose you could drill some holes in the lid and fit barbed bulkhead fittings like the ssbrewtech glycol chiller and use a submersible pump assuming it fits inside?

 

[stevodevo]

Yeah that's pretty much the idea. I figure the existing beer lines are just hollow pipes, so if they were lopped off, leaving an inch or so inside the chiller, that would make 'bulkheads' to attach coolant hoses to pretty much exactly how the MoreBeer 100's are configured to be more suitable for muliple fermenters.

 

[stevodevo]

... I suspect a fair bit of room in the reservoir is taken up by the beer lines, so there may not be much room for adding submersible pumps without some customisation

 

[McPhelly]

... I suspect a fair bit of room in the reservoir is taken up by the beer lines, so there may not be much room for adding submersible pumps without some customisation

Maybe Kegland can provide a few pics so we can see how much space is available. I also have the FTSs setup, and would like to keep things simple and use the submersible pump with the G40. I really don't want to go down the track of another pump, when I have a perfectly good one available. I also want to keep it tidy, and having an external pump is not ideal

 

[stevodevo]

Rather than cutting the beer lines as I previously suggested, it would be better (if possible) to just take two or more (one in, one out) of the beer lines out completely and swap them over to be the same bulkheads as is already on the Water In/Out lines. Going by the pictures, it looks like the beer lines may come out reasonably easy. That way there would still be the option to use it as a beer chiller down the track if desired by re-installing the beer lines. Unless I'm mistaken, that would then make this chiller pretty much the same as the MoreBeer version, and more suitable for fermenters which is is apparently the reason Kegland are selling so many units lately. Compatible replacement bulkheads could be sold as an optional extra "conversion kit".

 

[Engibeer]

The Duotight flow stopper - automatic keg filler doesn't stop the flow properly against ~15psi - it just keeps on leaking.

https://www.kegland.com.au/duotight-flow-stopper.html

First time I did a pressurised transfer I had the spunding valve cracked so that the sound was audible and after the keg filled it just kept on leaking.

I'm not sure whether it's because the float ball I received has some burrs on it?

The main reason that I purchased this is so that I can fill kegs unattended while I'm spending time with the kids!

I subsequently tested it with a PET bottle.

The only way that I can get it to seal upon filling is if I use the spunding valve and turn it way, way down so you can only just hear it during the transfer.

 

[malt and barley blues]

Same as mine, gone back to transfer in the usual manner, but I don't have kids to entertain.