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betacrash · 06-26-2009, 03:15 PM

I am having two kegs converted to kettles and was wondering if anyone knew where I might be able to find reasonably priced sight glass and thermometer. The guy doing the conversion said that he doesnt stock those things but will weld them in if I provide it. Any help or direction would be nice. thank you. -shawn

Catt22 · 06-26-2009, 03:52 PM

Buy one 1/2" NPT SS pipe coupling and one 1/2" NPT SS half-coupling. Have the your welder install the full coupling low on the kettle just above the welded seam at the bottom. Tell him to make it flush on the inside and to protect the threads on both sides when doing the welding. It's nice to have it flush mounted on the inside for easy cleaning and you may want to use the available threads on the inside for a siphon tube. Then have him weld the half-coupling five inches or so above the lower coupling. This will be your thermometer port. You only need the threads on the outside for this. Again, it's best to have it flush mounted like the lower coupling.
Now then, if you insist on a sight tube, have him install another half coupling just above the bottom weld and offset 45 deg or so from the others to keep it out of the way of the thermometer and drain valve. Personally, I don't care to have a sight tube or thermometer on my boil kettle. It's just one more thing to get in the way when cleaning and I find it just as easy to measure the volume with the dipstick method. Actually, I don't use any sight tubes at all. You can easily plug any ports not in use, so it's better to have too many than not enough in this case.

betacrash · 06-26-2009, 09:55 PM

can you recommend a good supplier for these parts (both couplers and thermometer)? thanks for the info, very informative. -shawn

lamarguy · 06-26-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betacrash

can you recommend a good supplier for these parts (both couplers and thermometer)? thanks for the info, very informative. -shawn

McMaster (specialty parts), Bargain Fittings (sight glass and fittings), and Ebay (thermometers).

Duckfoot · 06-26-2009, 10:26 PM

Waiting on mine from Bargain Fittings myself...

Will let you know how everything looks when I get them...

McKBrew · 06-26-2009, 10:40 PM

I'm going to recommend checking out the one's that HBT member Bobby_M sells.

Forsale

**Bobby_M** · 06-27-2009, 12:22 AM

Here's what I have right now:

Two combo sightglass/thermometer kits, one is weldless ($38), the other needs to be welded ($33). (I can sell both as welded for a bit cheaper. These are all 1/4" NPT. The one on the right is just a sightglass with 3/8" NPT to the kettle ($18).

PM me if interested

betacrash · 06-29-2009, 11:33 AM

thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. i just went ahead and ordered two from Bobby. -shawn

Chris7687 · 10-25-2012, 02:39 PM

Bobby,
Hope you still see this, if not I'll PM you, but with the welded one. Can I solder this with Silver Solder? I don't have access to a welder and I am kind of skeptical of the weldless parts, as I am afraid they'd be more likely to harbor bacteria, mayl eak, and replacement of seals over time.

**rekoob** · 10-25-2012, 03:53 PM

I soldered all my couplers and have a few of Bobby's sight glasses. They work great. Although I need to make some heat shields for them.
I didn't get the combo cuz I already had a temp probe port in my BK and I use temp probes with my system for the HLT and MLT with the controllers.
He has quality products, you will be happy with them.