Ventmatic Taps

[FNQ Bunyip]

warren , thanks for this first bit of acction. Now with the way of passed bulk buys being alot of stress for the organiser and the fact that there are always a few who want it below cost ect ect . I was wondering if now that you have there attention, you on our (AHB) behalf could maybe arange or sugest to NB that it would be in there and our intrests to maybe give a AHB site spcific discount for say 2 weeks on orders for ventmatics and associated bits ... Somthing along the lines that Karl from prosess pumps did for board members wanting march pumps ... ( i belive he still offers an AHB discount) .. this would save the headache this end of who wants what get them there sales up front and all would be alot ezyer ... Just a sugestion buddy

:beer:

 

[GMK]

OK - i am not selling these taps... (the 64.00 was from the previous post)

The male snaplock adaptor plus collar and handle ar ALL you need to attach to a font providing the font has snaplocks.

The fridge ext is needed if you want to go thru the fridge door/freezer collar.

The craftbrewer adaptor kit - the snaplock is there if your font does not have one.
The Ventmatic taps are made to have a male shank with teeth on them - they will lock in better.
The Aus grundy/brumby shanks dont have teeth.
So - i am unsure as to whether they will fit or not.
You will need to ask Ross. The Aus dist has lots of the ventmatic shanks with the little teeth on them.

I will take a photo tonight to show you guys. Actually, somewhere in thelast Ventmatic bulk buy thread i have taken some pics showing this.

So - if you do a search you should find it.

 

[user 384]

I think that some of the confusion about what parts you need stems from people using different terminology for bits and pieces. I'll try and sort some of this out by describing in this post what you need if you want to install a ventmatic tap through a fridge door.

1 x Ventmatic tap
1 x shank
1 x tail piece
1 x beer nut
1 x beer nut washer

Using the picture below as an example (from right to left), the shank should come with a round connector with a female thread, which is what attaches the tap to the shank. It should also come with a flange (black plastic in the picture) to cover the hole in the fridge door, and then a brass lock nut. To the other end of the shank you then need to attach a beer nut and tailpiece (including washer). The tailpiece is what you attach the beer line to. Simple!

Cheers
MAH

 

[user 384]

For a font, it's even simpler. Most font owners have a snaplock fitting. If you have a snaplock fitting, then you just need:

1 x Ventmatic tap
1 x Snaplock shank and collar

The pictures below show the snaplock shank (very different to a fridge conversion shank) and collar. The collar slides over the snaplock shank and screws onto the the tap. You can then push this into your snap lock fitting on the font.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Aussie Claret]

Thank you.
AC

 

[user 384]

OK, ordering Ventmatics and neccesary bits and pieces. The 2 well known and reputable dealers to go through are Northern Brewer and More Beer (used to be better to go through Ventmatic dirrectly but that's another story). There is not much difference between the 2 in prices.

If you are converting a fridge, 1 Ventmatic plus all the other bits you need (in SS) will cost AUS$99.97 from More Beer and AUS$99.13 from Northern Brewer. If ordering from NB note that you have to order the shank, beer nut and tailpiece and washer as seperate items, from More Beer you just have to order the one item.

If you use a font, apart from Ken and probably Ross, I have no idea where to buy the appropriate snaplock shank and collar. They are not common in the US HBS because in the US they tend not to use snaplock fittings.

Finally, Northern Brewer's shipping policy states that for orders outside of Continental US, they will add US$5 per order and US$5 per box, so add an extra AUS$13.17 to your order from Northern Brewer.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Stoodoo]

Thanks for the heads up MAH, the photo's and your description have made sense to a newbie like myself who had no idea what was needed for a fridge tap setup.

Cheers

 

[barls]

ok what if you already have converted the fridge with brumbies. do you require new shanks to mate the new taps

 

[JSB]

Sing Hallelujah,

MAH - Shuffling the right pieces of paper to the top of the pile again - well done son !!!

Cheers
JSB

 

[Nickb167]

ok, ive worked out how it all connects...

here is the ventmatic snaploc shank on the left and on the right one supplied with grundy taps.. the ventmatic appears to have teeth to attach it. (took pic from gmk's post.)



so if we do go ahead with the bulk buy, will we be able to get these parts along with it? on the last purchase it was 72.50 with the tap, shank, collar and handle. And 62.50 for just the tap and handle.

if the prices are similar and someone is willing to organise it, sign me up for 2 with the snaplock collar, shank and handle.


btw, the SS Fridge ext was $55 last time for anyone that is interested.

 

[Phrak]

ok what if you already have converted the fridge with brumbies. do you require new shanks to mate the new taps

Nope.

If you've got the snaplock shanks, just take the male snaplock adapter and collar off the brumbys and attach to the Ventmatics. That's these parts (thanks MAH):
View attachment 9680View attachment 9681

If you've got a splined shank (the one with "teeth"), the ventmatics will attach straight on and be secured with the shank's collar.
Here's what the splined butt-end of the ventmatics/perlicks look like:

(Stolen from BrewBoard.com)

Tim

 

[GMK]

ok, ive worked out how it all connects...

here is the ventmatic snaploc shank on the left and on the right one supplied with grundy taps.. the ventmatic appears to have teeth to attach it. (took pic from gmk's post.)



so if we do go ahead with the bulk buy, will we be able to get these parts along with it? on the last purchase it was 72.50 with the tap, shank, collar and handle. And 62.50 for just the tap and handle.

if the prices are similar and someone is willing to organise it, sign me up for 2 with the snaplock collar, shank and handle.


btw, the SS Fridge ext was $55 last time for anyone that is interested.

As i stated in my earlier post - i should be able to get the Ventmatic Shanks with the teeth and collars from the Aus Dist.

But - i just want numbers - ie we need 50 shanks and collars to be sent toXXX at Address XXX.

 

[Nickb167]

GMK, could you put me down for 2 shanks and collars.

 

[Sammus]

Actually before I commit, I don't suppose anyone has a picture of the sealing mechanism in one of these taps? I want to see how it works. All I've heard is that it seals in front of the lever which opens/closes the valve to let beer flow, and so it doesnt dry out and go sticky. From what I've seen the bumby taps seem to have a forward seal too, is this one better or different in some way? Has anyone here tried both and can tell a definite difference between them?

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Actually before I commit, I don't suppose anyone has a picture of the sealing mechanism in one of these taps? I want to see how it works. All I've heard is that it seals in front of the lever which opens/closes the valve to let beer flow, and so it doesnt dry out and go sticky. From what I've seen the bumby taps seem to have a forward seal too, is this one better or different in some way? Has anyone here tried both and can tell a definite difference between them?

Brumby taps seal right at the back of the tap body...the lever moves the piston rearward and the beer flows, when closing the seal moves into place from behind the tap body...I hope that made sense :blink:

The Ventmatic taps are much simpler and operate in the manner that you probably think the brumby units do...the piston seal sits right at the front of the tap body just above the spout and is moved rearwards upon opening.

Not good enough? Seach......or ask me to take some pics. I've got the Perlick copy, but they work in exactly the same manner

PZ.

 

[Sammus]

I pulled apart a bumby today and yes they have a rear seal, but theres also a front seal on that same shaft, in front of the lever, just above the end of the spout. I don't own one so I can't take a photo though, but I saw it with my own eyes. At least the font bit looked like a seal - it was at the front-most part of the shaft that controls the valve at the back, in front of the lever, and it had some kind of rubber/silicone o-ring around it that looked like it would push into the front of the tap body and seal everything off behind it.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Even if it has a front seal (which I'm pretty sure my old ones and the one on my miracle box don't), it still has that nasty vent hole on the underside of the tap body which lets everything inside the tap dry out/grow nasties/etc.

The Vent-Matics (or now Shirron Forward Seal Beer Faucets) don't have this, so that's why they don't stick and don't collect as much in the way of beer-fouling bacteria and yeast growth

PZ.

 

[barls]

ive just bought 2 to replace the brumbies that i have so ill do a comparison post both in construction and pour on two different beers. so stay tuned

 

[GMK]

OK- grundy taps seal at the rear. This means the tap is left open to the air and get sticky etc.

Ventmatics and perlicks and Florytes all seal at the spout. Therefore, the whole tap and levers and mechanism are always surrounded by beer. So that dont get sticky.

IMHO - this is what makes the Ventmatics/perlicks and florytes the best taps.

 

[barls]

just got mine today so ill do a comparison early next week. stay tuned i did just fit one though and they fit straight up to my shanks as i have the notched shanks