KegLand Questions and Answers

[KegLand-com-au]

Hey @KegLand-com-au - Do you have any ETA for the new Brewzilla? No pressure and understand it's likely to change, but just curious as I'm sticking to FWK and K&K until the connectable Brewzilla comes out.

I hope that we are able to get BrewZilla Generation 4 unit finished and get the electricals approvals done by May this year. If we are able to do that we should have stock by about July.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

OK so seeing as a commercial solution to this may be a while off (if ever), I'm going to look at making a prototype out of commercially available parts.
It seems the best way is to get a 4" TC x 2" TC offset end cap reducer (here, shipping is a pain so would love if there was a more local option), then drill some clearance holes for a gas and liquid post bulkhead (here & here). The sticking point for me now is a PRV in the lid but can't seem to find a suitable bulkhead/weldless PRV. @KegLand-com-au do you have any PRV parts that could be used in this setup?

Another option you might want to consider is using the BrewZilla Collection container. These are made from Tritan Plastic so it can handle boiling water, vast range of chemicals etc.

This container is used in the BrewBuilt fermenters that are sold by More Beer in America. As you can see for the American customer we supply this custom made lid for them that has the 2inch tri-clover. So you could use this for dry hopping and then just use the carbonation caps to purge the oxygen from the container. Then if you wanted to use a PRV we are in the process of making this PCO 1881 to pressure relief valve cap that looks like this. Have you considered this type of solution instead.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

Is the accordian style tubing that connects the Kegerator fan to the font available to buy? (so that you can cool down the taps)

I ended up throwing mine out -- some previously spilled beer got a bit of mould on it, I assumed I could just replace it.

This is a good point. You can purchase some electrical conduit from Bunnings that would do the same job but we should probably stock this ourselves as the other conduit types that you get from Bunnings are quite rigid and this may not really be desirable.

 

[Nullnvoid]

It looks more like you have a calibration issue. Have you checked the default k-factor that is in the flow meter manual here:

https://www.kegland.com.au/media/pdf/KL14694%20-%20Fill-O-Meter%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf

By default we have these normally set at 9.4. Can you please refer to the above instruction manual and let us know what your k-factor is. Perhaps your unit may have got changed at some stage but it sounds a lot like this is the issue from what you are saying.

Ok for some reason it was set to 7.5, not 9.4. Never even been into that screen, so perhaps it got sent out wrong.

Anyway, I have changed it to 9.4 and will give it another test.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

Ok for some reason it was set to 7.5, not 9.4. Never even been into that screen, so perhaps it got sent out wrong.

Anyway, I have changed it to 9.4 and will give it another test.

If it was 7.5 then that would certainly be the issue. Sorry I should have sent the instruction manual link earlier I just assumed it would have the standard calibration figure already in there.

 

[Nullnvoid]

If it was 7.5 then that would certainly be the issue. Sorry I should have sent the instruction manual link earlier I just assumed it would have the standard calibration figure already in there.

Ok, just ran some water through it, still seems to be out. at 20L it outputs only 18.75L.

1L and 2L were also out. I didn't get pictures as I was in a hurry. Will give it another test tomorrow and confirm back.

 

[MontPel]

Another option you might want to consider is using the BrewZilla Collection container. These are made from Tritan Plastic so it can handle boiling water, vast range of chemicals etc.

This container is used in the BrewBuilt fermenters that are sold by More Beer in America. As you can see for the American customer we supply this custom made lid for them that has the 2inch tri-clover. So you could use this for dry hopping and then just use the carbonation caps to purge the oxygen from the container. Then if you wanted to use a PRV we are in the process of making this PCO 1881 to pressure relief valve cap that looks like this. Have you considered this type of solution instead.

The collection container would only replace the sight glass, and whilst it allows for a larger hop charge I don’t think the hops would drop out easily due to the sudden change in area.
It also means the butterfly valve is between the PRV and the vessel. Something I would like to avoid.
The relief valve cap adapter is the closest thing to a weldless PRV that I can find so far.. but would need further adaptors to fit to the lid.

 

[Bourkie]

Then if you wanted to use a PRV we are in the process of making this PCO 1881 to pressure relief valve cap that looks like this.

I'd definitely buy one for my FermZilla

 

[KegLand-com-au]

I'd definitely buy one for my FermZilla

Yes this part should be in stock in about 2-3 months. We only just started making the tooling for the PCO 1881 to PRV adaptor about a month ago.

 

[crowmanz]

OK so seeing as a commercial solution to this may be a while off (if ever), I'm going to look at making a prototype out of commercially available parts.
It seems the best way is to get a 4" TC x 2" TC offset end cap reducer (here, shipping is a pain so would love if there was a more local option), then drill some clearance holes for a gas and liquid post bulkhead (here & here). The sticking point for me now is a PRV in the lid but can't seem to find a suitable bulkhead/weldless PRV. @KegLand-com-au do you have any PRV parts that could be used in this setup?

Might add some height but what about a 2" tee on the 4" to 2" with the 2" ball lock head on the right angle, then your butterfly valve set up on the straight?

 

[dkril]

Ok we will look at both designs and make up some prototypes. I think we should have a minimum load rating as 10kg per shelf. So based on 10kg per shelf we will try to make an adjustable shelf and if we cannot make it adjustable and rigid enough then we will go with specific shelf heights. Either way we will find a solution for you guys.

10kg is (roughly) a slab of cans, and all my fridge shelves can take that so that seems reasonable.

A couple of them have needed bracing to bear the weight of a 60L fermenter, though!

 

[crowmanz]

@KegLand-com-au any updates on the compact benchtop mini kegerators? Will it be similar time that the 8L kegs are expected?

Very keen for one with 12volt capacity to add to my portable and camping set up.

 

[sixfignig]

Can we get some more videos? I find Kee's voice and presentation to be very soothing.

 

[Warwick]

@KegLand-com-au I have a new dual regulator which is connected to a keg that's using the soda water reactor. The co2 is set at 40psi and the mains water is running in at 50psi. I have one way check valves installed on both. The c02 gradually creeps past 40psi to about 50psi (it was creeping more to 60psi when my water pressure was set higher at around 60-70psi as recommended). When dispensing soda water the pressure drops significantly and wants to drop below 40psi and makes a very loud horrible grinding sound. See attached video - you can see the needle dropping then vibrating like crazy. Any ideas please??

 

[Vic]

What sort of one way valve on the gas?

 

[theSeekerr]

The problem is the Duotight check valves don't work.

It makes sense that the soda keg pressure creeps up towards the pressure of the water inlet - you dispense some liquid at 40 psi, so now you have a bigger headspace at 40 psi, then the float valve lets more water in, which occupies some of the space and compresses the headspace up to a higher pressure, with the absolute maximum being the pressure of the water source (since at that point there would be no flow whether the float valve is open or not).

But that higher pressure SHOULDN'T creep past the check valves, and it does.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

10kg is (roughly) a slab of cans, and all my fridge shelves can take that so that seems reasonable.

A couple of them have needed bracing to bear the weight of a 60L fermenter, though!

Hey guys. The samples have just been finished for us so we will start testing them soon and if they pass the testing we will have them in stock shortly. I think with the Series X Plus they will be handy as I it's possible that not every brewer needs all 8 kegs in the fridge all the time. So I think being able to stack stuff up on one side then have kegs on the other side will be more desirable. Here is a photo of the samples.

We did try and make the shelves so the height would be adjustable as you guys have requested but we could not get them rigid enough and it would be really annoying if you accidentally knock a shelf with and everything falls off. As a result we have made them fixed and rigid height.

As you can see in the photo we have three different sizes.

Large size on(shown on the bottom in the image):
This is for stacking Wine bottles. Will fit about 10 champagne bottles standing up or 15 wine bottle standing up.

Medium size (shown in the middle in the image):
Should fit 300-500ml beer cans or beer bottle standing up. Should fit 18 x 300-500ml beer cans or 375ml bottles standing up.

Small Shelf (shown on the top in the image):
This will fit either small jars or something like that or alternatively it will fit wine bottles lying down (three per layer)

What do you guys think? Is this something that you think could work for you guys?

 

[KegLand-com-au]

@KegLand-com-au any updates on the compact benchtop mini kegerators? Will it be similar time that the 8L kegs are expected?

Very keen for one with 12volt capacity to add to my portable and camping set up.

We do not have a time frame on this yet but it's high on our priority list. I think the bench top kegerators will be hopefully available at the end of 2021.

 

[KegLand-com-au]

The problem is the Duotight check valves don't work.

It makes sense that the soda keg pressure creeps up towards the pressure of the water inlet - you dispense some liquid at 40 psi, so now you have a bigger headspace at 40 psi, then the float valve lets more water in, which occupies some of the space and compresses the headspace up to a higher pressure, with the absolute maximum being the pressure of the water source (since at that point there would be no flow whether the float valve is open or not).

But that higher pressure SHOULDN'T creep past the check valves, and it does.

It would be really good if we could get this back from you so we can take it apart and better understand the issue. If you have gas leaking the reverse directly through a check valve it would normally due to something getting stuck on the seal but it's really hard to say without taking it apart and having a look. We would be happy to give you a refund or replace it for you but we would like to get it back to do some testing.

 

[Nullnvoid]

Ok, just ran some water through it, still seems to be out. at 20L it outputs only 18.75L.

1L and 2L were also out. I didn't get pictures as I was in a hurry. Will give it another test tomorrow and confirm back.

Nup this is out. Too much to forgive for a relatively decently priced item.

I have all the packing, can I return for a replacement @KegLand-com-au I really like the idea, just want one that works.