Problem Sealing fermenter lids?

[Truman42]

I have two 30 litre fermenters (unknown brands) and they are a real bitch to try and seal.
if I am cleaning them or sanitising them, when I tip them upside down or give them a shake, they always leak. Same problem when I used to shake them up to aerate the wort. (Although I oxygenate now instead)

I have to wet the seal first which sometimes helps, but then the lid has to be screwed on so tight that I struggle to get it off again.
I end up having to hold the bloody thing betwen my knees and trying to undo the lid.

Is this something that happens when the seals get old? (They look fine, not perished or any nicks etc)

Anything else I can try that might help?

 

[Yob]

Anything else I can try that might help?

you could try manning up?

:lol: ... sorry... :lol:

 

[Drew]

I won't answer your question (Yob has you covered there anyway!), but I will provide an alternative solution.

Go without the lid!

I cling-wrap the top of my fermenter, and even use the seal from the lid to keep the glad wrap on. I love it.

• You can see the wort
• You clearly see when the yeast is doing it's job
• No need to get a seal on the lid
• No need to use an airlock

Once I tried it I was addicted.

 

[kcurnow]

How about ditch the lids and go the glad wrap route?

 

[acarey]

Gladwrap is the answer, forget the lid. I just started doing this a couple of brews ago and I love it..
Take the black seal out of the lid and use it to secure a sheet of gladwrap around the opening. Prick a hole in it and away you go. Really good to see whats going on inside also.

edit: Beaten to the punch, twice! You have to be quick around here

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Prick a hole in it and away you go.

Unnecessary.

Also glad wrap suggestions dont allow OP to shake cleaning fluid around.

 

[acarey]

Unnecessary.

How come? How does the CO2 get out?

 

[Drew]

I don't prick mine either. It billows up (which is AWESOME!) and that's about it. The C02 manages to squeeze out just fine.


(Regarding the sloshing around of liquids - not sure how to solve that, sorry OP)

 

[Camo6]

My old lids would only leak when over tightened. A tip for opening them is to wrap a leather belt around it and pull on the tag.
Don't they leak from the airlock hole when shaking anyway or are these secondary vessels?
I find the bunnings fermentors seal well. Gladwrap for the ferment and if I rack to secondary, spin on a lid lightly.

 

[acarey]

I don't prick mine either. It billows up (which is AWESOME!) and that's about it. The C02 manages to squeeze out just fine.

Fair enough. I might give it a try, I always assumed it would burst.

 

[Bribie G]

How come? How does the CO2 get out?

Gas molecules are tiny beyond comprehension.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Vaseline around the O ring or Wet Stuff from Coles you have a duel use then.

 

[sp0rk]

Vaseline around the O ring or Wet Stuff from Coles you have a duel use then.

Good suggestion!
only problem with Vaso is it's oil based so it'll kill head retention if it comes in contact with the beer

 

[Truman42]

Firstly I should have said that I do use glad wrap and always have. I like how it rises up with CO2 and as soon as it starts to droop you know its done. (Bit like me really. )

But as DJ_L3thAl said Its more so when im trying to shake around sod perc or star san. Often I will put a couple of litres of starsan and hot water into my fermenter and tip it upside down for 5 mins to sanitize the top half of the cube.
Or for the odd time when I couldnt be stuffed (or have ran out of oxygen) using my oxygen to aerate the wort and so have to shake it instead.

And yes Yob I do need to man the **** up I suppose..LOL

@Camo6...One is a secondary the other I have taped up the airlock hole with duct tape. I like the belt idea and might give that a try.

Is the wet stuff from Coles water based? If so could also try that.

Here is one I prepared earlier. The krausen hit the roof and overflowed so I had to replace the gladwrap.

 

[QldKev]

wet stuff is same as KY jelly, so yep water based.

 

[MaltyHops]

But as DJ_L3thAl said Its more so when im trying to shake around sod perc or star san. Often I will put a couple of litres of starsan and hot water into my fermenter and tip it upside down for 5 mins to sanitize the top half of the cube.
Or for the odd time when I couldnt be stuffed (or have ran out of oxygen) using my oxygen to aerate the wort and so have to shake it instead.

Could just put the upside down fermenter into a just big enough wash tub?

As for shaking to aerate, easier to shake wort in a half filled sanitised cube.

 

[jaypes]

Vaseline is petroleum based and should never be used on any rubber gasket or o ring as it will eat away at it over time

 

[Cube]

Gas molecules are tiny beyond comprehension.

Maybe to some. Not to others.

 

[macca05]

My next brew im going to go the glad wrap trick too as it will help with fitting into my ferm fridge and cuz i too am sick of tightening the lids on. I will miss the air lock noise tho.
Pls can someone link to these bunnings fermenters that camo6 talks about. Been looking but cant find anything that is about 25l capacity
Macca

 

[pressure_tested]

http://www.bunnings.com.au/water-storage-drum-bmw-30l-nat-wide-mouth-w-bung_p3240382


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