Keggle problem

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wlockwood · #1 Post by **wlockwood** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 6:55 pm

I have a converted keg with a weld-less bulkhead. Inside the keggle there is a stainless coupling with female threads. The problem I have is that there is a two gallon space below the coupling. Meaning two gallons of liquid remain in the keggle with the valve open. I am using gravity for flow. This seems like too much.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Blktre · #2 Post by **Blktre** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:20 pm

You have to build a diptube. Usually consists of a 1/2" male NPT copper to solder fitting, short piece of 1/2" copper tubing, 1/2" elbow, and another very short piece of tubing....The male fitting screws into the female coupler on the inside of the keggle...
This pic inside my HERMS shows it ok...The bottom diptube also has a brass union in it, which you dont need.

wlockwood · #3 Post by **wlockwood** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:51 am

Beautiful picture. I am assuming that is a boil vessle. What is that other stuff? I see; heating element, heat exchange coil and thermometer?, and?

I was hoping to avoid brass and tin/antimony (sp?) solder but I may have no choice.

Do you (or anyone else) kwon if 100% silver solder is available and practical?

Any suggestions then on how to filter hops and turb? I am planning a stainless braid that will be scabbed off of a flexible water connecter.

Is turb in the fermenter bad?

Thanks for the help.

Blktre · #4 Post by **Blktre** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:13 am

No, this is one of my HLT's. Its setup to recirc thru the coil for temp ramps. The electric element is for maintaining sparge water in cold weather when fly sparging. You don't need all that stuff. I was just pointing out what the diptubes look like.

I wouldn't worry about using brass and copper in conjunction with SS in brewing applications. As far as solder goes, using 100% lead free solder is what is widely accepted. You can use silver solder, but its very difficult to work with. You can pickle brass if you are worried about surface lead if you want to. Heres a link to metallurgy that JP has wrote about...
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB.html

Also, here is another pic using a FB and diptube setup in my flat bottom Kettle. The same setup i use in a Keggle. A FB works excellent to filter out whole hops and a mix of whole and pellet. All pellet it can sometime get clogged. The only thing missing in the pic is the 1/2" copper NPT male to solder fitting before the union (which you dont need a union).

You can also whirlpool and let the pellets form a cone and siphon off the side of the cone using a diptube like this. You can add a SS screen to the end of this diptube to further help filter hop trub. Or you can just forget about the diptube and add a SS mesh screen.

Its preferred to leave as much trub behind in the Kettle as you can. Doing so just makes a cleaner beer and makes cultivating yeast much simpler. If you need help, just let me know.....

wlockwood · #5 Post by **wlockwood** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:02 pm

Thanks for the guidance. Very helpful. Ready to go.

fergmeister · #6 Post by **fergmeister** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:54 pm

Hey Will, I have the parts in Stainless if you are nervous. The Swedgelock fitting is 1/2" NPT with compression PM me and we'll work out the pricing. New they are high dollar used are more reasonable.
Chuck