Silicone Or Fibre Washers For Kettle?

[Greg Lawrence]

Im having problems getting a good seal on the tap of my kettle.
Im using silicone washers between the keg wall and stainless washers) but as I tighten the tap on the bulkhead, they seem to squash out.


Would the red fibre washers be better for the job? Can anyone tell me if the fibre washers would handle the heat?

Gregor

Edit Sp

 

[QldKev]

I had a problem with the red fibre washers, I ended up using leather from a leather glove and it hasn't leaked yet.

QldKev

 

[bear09]

Im having problems getting a good seal on the tap of my kettle.
Im using silicone washers between the keg wall and stainless washers) but as I tighten the tap on the bulkhead, they seem to squash out.
View attachment 32074View attachment 32075

Would the red fibre washers be better for the job? Can anyone tell me if the fibre washers would handle the heat?

Gregor

Edit Sp

Hi There.

I use the red fibre washes on all my plastic heating containters - mash tun, sparge vessel without a problem. Buy oone and hold a flame to it perhaps?

I have found that Silicone rings that 'squash out' are just too tight. Can you back them off a bit?

Ultimlety id say fibre will be better.

 

[LethalCorpse]

Blegh! Leather's great if you want to make a really weak beef stock, but not if you want to make beer.

Gregor, you'll find you only need a silicone washer on the inside, not the outside, assuming you manage to get a good seal. If you tighten it by holding the inside nut still and turning the outside one you should get much less deforming of the seal - it should just squash down.

Another option is if you could find some thicker silicone, it'll be less likely to deform

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Thanks LC. That sounds like the answer. Ill give it a try.

 

[Fourstar]

For my Mashtun i use a flat toilet cistern washer. Dont know how these would handle the heat of a boil. Maybe if they make them from silicone as well it might be an option.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I have been cutting out washers from silicone bakeware purchased from a local $2 shop

I get great seals with these

Cheers

 

[seravitae]

Home made silicone gaskets from baking sheets often "fold up" or "slide away" gregor, the reason being that the elastic nature of silicone causes it to be forced away. To stop this, oversize the gasket and use a large washer inline.

 

[Paul H]

An eskimo once told me there was nothing more important than a tight seal :lol:

Cheers

Paul

 

[Greg Lawrence]

This is how it is setup now.
View attachment untitled.bmp

 

[RobW]

I use the red ones on my kettle and they're fine.
One on the inside and one on the outside.

 

[LethalCorpse]

You might find you have to ditch the stainless washer on the inside. Unless it makes a perfect seal with the bulkhead flange, or the silicone washer squeezes out such that it makes a perfect seal with the thread, you'll get leaks as liquid can run between the washer and flange, then down the length of the thread. If you do what I suggested earlier, that should be fine, as you won't have to twist the inner nut, which is what the washer is supposed to help with.

 

[davewaldo]

Hi Gregor,

Whats stopping the water creeping between the washer and the nut? The water could then travel along the thread and out. See the pic below.

Unless the silicone washer is a very tight fit on the thread I think this would be a concern.

Dave.


edit: LethalCorpse beat me to it

 

[QldKev]

There you go 4 different answers, and all of them knocking each others answer.

The old saying, ask 4 homebrewers a question and get 5 answers

QldKev

 

[Greg Lawrence]

You might find you have to ditch the stainless washer on the inside. Unless it makes a perfect seal with the bulkhead flange, or the silicone washer squeezes out such that it makes a perfect seal with the thread, you'll get leaks as liquid can run between the washer and flange, then down the length of the thread. If you do what I suggested earlier, that should be fine, as you won't have to twist the inner nut, which is what the washer is supposed to help with.

Thanks L.C. & Dave
Its going to be interesting trying to get he ballvalve ending up in the right position (rotation).
Do you rekon a bit of thread tape would help as well?

 

[Steve]

I use the red ones on my kettle and they're fine.
One on the inside and one on the outside.

same

 

[Mantis]

I got some black rubber washers from a bearing shop. Been good for 35 brews so far

 

[Greg Lawrence]

There you go 4 different answers, and all of them knocking each others answer.

The old saying, ask 4 homebrewers a question and get 5 answers

QldKev

Well at least Ive got a something else to try if the 1st one doesnt work :icon_cheers:

 

[LethalCorpse]

There you go 4 different answers, and all of them knocking each others answer.

The old saying, ask 4 homebrewers a question and get 5 answers

QldKev

As I read it, the only answers getting knocked were yours. Sorry mate, each to their own and all that, but leather's a really silly idea. It's not food grade, would be an excellent harbour for bacteria, and breaks down over time, particularly with exposure to liquid.

Thanks L.C. & Dave
Its going to be interesting trying to get he ballvalve ending up in the right position (rotation).
Do you rekon a bit of thread tape would help as well?

Nah, not necessary, and will only get in the road. If you get the silicone seal to work, liquid would never get near the thread tape, and if you don't get the seal to work, thread tape won't stop it from leaking.

 

[BennyBrewster]

Dave and LethalCorpse are correct ditch the stainless washer from the inside and you should be ok. Dont tighten the nut on the inside simply put the nut (use thread tap) and silicone washer where you want them to sit feed the bulkhead through the hole from the inside and tighten from the outside to prevent the washer getting twisted and squished. Dont over tighten! The washer doesnt require much preasure to seal, just good contact.

I only use silicone washers on the inside... Red washer on the outside to stop the nut from scratching up my kettle as I tighten.