KegLand Questions and Answers

[RRising]

Yes it is. I found a manual but I'm not sure it makes sense to me. I'll have to have a play I think

I gave it a quick read and you are right, its not very clear, it goes on about the "K-factor" or 9.4L/ min and pulses, which is used for fuel flow meters but its the same principal for water.

At what point in the fill start go astray? You'd have to tweak the k factor down a little and experiment from there.

 

[RobB]

For the best pour, is there a minimum length of line recommended between the KL flow control disconnects and the tap? I have seen photos of taps mount directly on the disconnect on mini keg systems, but I was wondering if this was just driven by the need to keep things compact. The KL video for the disconnects suggests that the benefits come from moving the flow restriction back from the tap, so directly mounting a tap seems counterintuitive to me.

I'm going to set up a mini keg system and I'm tossing up between directly mounting the tap or having a length of line and a Pluto gun. Looks don't concern me, I just want the best pour.

 

[Nullnvoid]

Is that a typo? Is it really 20l out or just 2l?

No typo, it's approx 20l out

 

[Nullnvoid]

I do

I gave it a quick read and you are right, its not very clear, it goes on about the "K-factor" or 9.4L/ min and pulses, which is used for fuel flow meters but its the same principal for water.

At what point in the fill start go astray? You'd have to tweak the k factor down a little and experiment from there.

i don't know exactly but when it first appears on my sight glass at 16l, it was 19l on the flow meter.

 

[Engibeer]

I do

i don't know exactly but when it first appears on my sight glass at 16l, it was 19l on the flow meter.

May be a rough workaround and not an ideal solution, but maybe a quick and easy solution if the error is consistent would be to fill to the correct mark in your kettle, note what it says on the flow meter, and then just set the flow meter to this next time.

Obviously not ideal, but if all you're using it for is to fill your kettle could be a quick solution.

 

[DazGore]

@KegLand-com-au - any update on the digital gauge for inline regulator and blowties?
Thanks

 

[Nullnvoid]

May be a rough workaround and not an ideal solution, but maybe a quick and easy solution if the error is consistent would be to fill to the correct mark in your kettle, note what it says on the flow meter, and then just set the flow meter to this next time.

Obviously not ideal, but if all you're using it for is to fill your kettle could be a quick solution.

Ohh I like this idea for a short term solution!

 

[kadmium]

For those asking questions. I note they are closed till 4th Jan on their website. I hope they are taking a well deserved break over new years. Probably wouldn't expect an answer before then. And happy new years to all those on AHB

 

[MontPel]

@KegLand-com-au - in the attempt to chase an efficient and quality method of oxygen free dry hopping, would you be able to make a new 4" pressure lid for the kegmenter? I envisage it to be as follows:

The larger port would ideally be a 2" TC (a 1.5" TC may also work if dimensions are limited). A larger port here is desired to minimise hops getting stuck. The two smaller ports would be the male threaded ports for the gas and liquid disconnect posts (as are currently on your kegmenter 4" pressure lid). A PRV port would also need to be added between the two smaller threaded ports for safety.

Attached to the 2" port would then be a 2" TC butterfly valve (here), a 2" sight glass (here), then a 2" TC cap with a gas post and PRV for venting and safety (here).

The butterfly valve would be closed for most or all of fermentation. When ready to dry hop the sight glass would be added to the valve, filled with hops, then capped on top. The cap would be connected to a gas line and pressurised/vented several times to purge O2. Then the butterfly valve can be opened and hops drop in.

I have seen a similar set up on much more expensive fermenters (conicals and the like) and have wondered for some time how this arrangement could work on a kegmenter. I believe this is the best way but it all relies on the 4" TC adaptor lid to 2" TC port with posts.

Thoughts?

 

[DazGore]

How many grams of hops do you think you can fit in the sight glass? I suppose worst case you can do multiple batches.

 

[MontPel]

How many grams of hops do you think you can fit in the sight glass? I suppose worst case you can do multiple batches.

You could either batch it, or could add a spool section to increase the hop drop volume.

 

[VicBadgery]

Interesting approach. (And with addition of a sight glass, may be possible to use tilt bluetooth hydrometer.)

@KegLand-com-au - in the attempt to chase an efficient and quality method of oxygen free dry hopping, would you be able to make a new 4" pressure lid for the kegmenter? I envisage it to be as follows:

View attachment 119753

The larger port would ideally be a 2" TC (a 1.5" TC may also work if dimensions are limited). A larger port here is desired to minimise hops getting stuck. The two smaller ports would be the male threaded ports for the gas and liquid disconnect posts (as are currently on your kegmenter 4" pressure lid). A PRV port would also need to be added between the two smaller threaded ports for safety.

Attached to the 2" port would then be a 2" TC butterfly valve (here), a 2" sight glass (here), then a 2" TC cap with a gas post and PRV for venting and safety (here).

The butterfly valve would be closed for most or all of fermentation. When ready to dry hop the sight glass would be added to the valve, filled with hops, then capped on top. The cap would be connected to a gas line and pressurised/vented several times to purge O2. Then the butterfly valve can be opened and hops drop in.

I have seen a similar set up on much more expensive fermenters (conicals and the like) and have wondered for some time how this arrangement could work on a kegmenter. I believe this is the best way but it all relies on the 4" TC adaptor lid to 2" TC port with posts.

Thoughts?

 

[Mick Chopps]

Any ETA on stainless and/or flow control Nukataps back in stock @KegLand-com-au ?

still listed for Dec 24th on the website.

 

[MontPel]

Interesting approach. (And with addition of a sight glass, may be possible to use tilt bluetooth hydrometer.)

That may be possible too, although I have heard you can now get boosters/repeaters that work with SS fermenters. The other issue depends on your setup. My kegmenter fits in a small fridge and would only be enough height to fit a valve. When ready for dry hopping I would take the fermenter out of the fridge, attach the sight glass, hops and cap, then purge/drop. Once dropped I would need to close the valve, remove the sight glass and return the fermenter to the fridge. So the sight glass is only on temporarily. This wouldn’t be a problem if you had a larger fridge or some other temperature control setup that doesn’t have a height restriction.

 

[fdsaasdf]

@KegLand-com-au if you were to manufacture the 4" TC lid described by @MontPel above then you'd also have customers of stainless fermenters like Spike conicals interested...

 

[Nickedoff]

@KegLand-com-au this might be covered in another thread, but can you add your thermowell to the fermzilla lid and still ferment under pressure?

 

[Ferment8]

@KegLand-com-au this might be covered in another thread, but can you add your thermowell to the fermzilla lid and still ferment under pressure?

Sure can

 

[Nickedoff]

Sure can

Awesome, thanks mate

 

[DazGore]

@KegLand-com-au if you were to manufacture the 4" TC lid described by @MontPel above then you'd also have customers of stainless fermenters like Spike conicals interested...

And one to suit SSBrewtech would also be good.

 

[Meddo]

You can already do airlocks with off-the-shelf parts for most conicals @fdsaasdf/@DazGore, see my build thread from a few years back (Google "Dry hop airlock for pressurised FV"). Stainless CCVs have a separate racking port in the body of the vessel so the entire top port can be used for the airlock, albeit 4" parts are bulky.

The same 4" airlock arrangement from my build could be applied to a kegmenter if you drill a hole in the top of the vessel to install a separate ball-lock bulkhead for attaching the floating dip-tube to, rather than using the one in the 4" TC lid.

Edit: BTW I suspect @MontPel's mocked-up layout above might struggle for clearance on the disconnects once the 2" TC butterfly valve and clamp are installed. For that design I'd suggest the ball-lock posts be installed on tubes welded through the TC cap with bends to clear the other hardware. Something like below (excuse dodgy paint skills).

Edit 2: Even better the below mockup if the elbow tube has a 19/32" male thread for screwing the ball-lock post onto, so it could also be adapted to 5/8" (5/8 Male x 19/32 Female (K-Lok to Corny Keg Adaptor)) for those of us with an abiding dislike of ball-lock fittings.

Edit 3: @MontPel, I can say from experience that 1.5" is definitely not big enough for the airlock if using a butterfly valve, the hops get bound up and won't drop past the butterfly. Maybe a full bore valve like a ball valve would avoid this problem but I haven't tested that.

Edit 4: Just remembered that you would already be familiar with the vessel in that build thread @fdsaasdf...