Morgans 30 ltr fermenter

[Beerbom]

Hi all,
I have 2 Morgan's 30 ltr fermenters. I have had trouble since they were new getting them to seal, to make the airlock bubble.
So for the last 2 years I have been tightening the crap out of them to the point I struggle to undo them when time for kegging.
Have I been overnighting them...?
I'm thinking purchase 2 x new large O'rings for them and the just tighten to firm... or are others out there tightening the crap out of them as well...?
Cheers.

 

[philrob]

No need to do what you do.
I mostly don't use the lid on mine, just cover the top with a couple of layers of clingwrap, and seal it with the rubber ring from inside the lid. The CO2 will find a way out.
If I do use the lid, I put a bottle cap over the airlock hole.
And, of course, always use a hydrometer to confirm your beer is stable and fully fermented.
Never had a problem doing this in 18 years of homebrewing.

 

[Feldon]

You are travelling a path that most of us have trodden at some time in the past. There’s a couple of things you can do.

First, if you are keen to keep using an airlock, you need to smear the O-ring with a tiny smidgen of a food safe lubricant (homebrew shops carry the right stuff). You see, if used dry the O-ring tends to pinch up when tightened leaving small gaps where the CO2 can escape, bypassing the airlock.

Secondly, you can just dispense with using the lid and airlock altogether. Use a sheet of kitchen cling-film (eg. Glad Wrap) to cover the fermenter opening. Use the O-ring from the lid as a big rubber band to keep the cling-film in place

(to remove the O-ring from the lid use two teaspoons to wiggle it out - don’t use a knife because if you nick the O-ring it might tear apart when you go to stretch it over the fermenter).

Now, you might be worried that using cling-film does not make an airtight seal and could let air (oxygen) in. But the experience of hundreds of homebrewers is that it doesn’t make a perceptible difference. There are legendary threads on this forum that debate to pros and cons of using cling-film.

I use cling-film on my old Coopers fermenter. But I do miss the pleasant sound of a blooping airlock. Something comforting about it.

 

[YAPN]

I've been using the cling-wrap method for years without any problem. The only time I use the lid and airlock is when I put novelty condoms over the airlock, they inflate about three feet...keeps the punters entertained.

 

[Beerbom]

Ssorry I meant to sa

Hi all,
I have 2 Morgan's 30 ltr fermenters. I have had trouble since they were new getting them to seal, to make the airlock bubble.
So for the last 2 years I have been tightening the crap out of them to the point I struggle to undo them when time for kegging.
Have I been overnighting them...?
I'm thinking purchase 2 x new large O'rings for them and the just tighten to firm... or are others out there tightening the crap out of them as well...?
Cheers. Overtightening

No need to do what you do.
I mostly don't use the lid on mine, just cover the top with a couple of layers of clingwrap, and seal it with the rubber ring from inside the lid. The CO2 will find a way out.
If I do use the lid, I put a bottle cap over the airlock hole.
And, of course, always use a hydrometer to confirm your beer is stable and fully fermented.
Never had a problem doing this in 18 years of homebrewing.

Thanks Philrob

 

[Beerbom]

You are travelling a path that most of us have trodden at some time in the past. There’s a couple of things you can do.

First, if you are keen to keep using an airlock, you need to smear the O-ring with a tiny smidgen of a food safe lubricant (homebrew shops carry the right stuff). You see, if used dry the O-ring tends to pinch up when tightened leaving small gaps where the CO2 can escape, bypassing the airlock.

Secondly, you can just dispense with using the lid and airlock altogether. Use a sheet of kitchen cling-film (eg. Glad Wrap) to cover the fermenter opening. Use the O-ring from the lid as a big rubber band to keep the cling-film in place

(to remove the O-ring from the lid use two teaspoons to wiggle it out - don’t use a knife because if you nick the O-ring it might tear apart when you go to stretch it over the fermenter).

Now, you might be worried that using cling-film does not make an airtight seal and could let air (oxygen) in. But the experience of hundreds of homebrewers is that it doesn’t make a perceptible difference. There are legendary threads on this forum that debate to pros and cons of using cling-film.

I use cling-film on my old Coopers fermenter. But I do miss the pleasant sound of a blooping airlock. Something comforting about it.

Thanks for your wisdom Feldon, I have actually tried using clingwrap before, but wanted to persist with the lid and airlock. I will step out of my comfort zone and try the clingwrap for a time, will be much easier than trying to unscrew that lid...
Cheers.

 

[Beerbom]

I've been using the cling-wrap method for years without any problem. The only time I use the lid and airlock is when I put novelty condoms over the airlock, they inflate about three feet...keeps the punters entertained.

Thanks Yapn, I'm going to give the clingwrap a go.
Cheers.