new conical

**beerthirty** · 05-23-2008, 04:38 AM

I just got a new 15 gallon m.d.p.e. plastic conical(actually a biodeisel tank) and I'm trying to come up with a seal setup for a rotating racking arm that would seal without leaking. anyone have any ideas on how I could do this? i want to figure this out before drilling the hole in it. LOL

surfbrewer · 05-23-2008, 04:45 AM

Post a photo so that we can see what you are dealing with.

**beerthirty** · 05-23-2008, 05:06 AM

My camera recently died, but go to plastic-mart.com. under biodieseltanks its model NFD15-19 (15 gallon fully draining conical). I plan on getting new camera to show my stuff off as its built.

surfbrewer · 05-23-2008, 05:14 AM

Here's the link:

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=2800

Looks pretty nice, I don't know if it matters but is that food grade plastic? Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to find something that will thread on there, it says that it comes pre-threaded. Good luck.

**beerthirty** · 05-23-2008, 05:26 AM

F.D.A. approved linear polyethylene. this plastic one seemed the best route to go since me and all my welding friends have never worked stainless. yes the dump is threaded. Are you suggesting there is no need for a racking arm? just make 2 dumps, one to purge trub and then one to drain the beer? this is my first conical so all input is appreciated.

nathan · 05-23-2008, 12:33 PM

If you thread something on with a valve then run into clear tubing you could see when it ran clear... just a thought.
You may want a slightly higher valve for sampling trub-free wort, as well.

sigmund · 05-23-2008, 02:44 PM

You might want to check out this thread. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/conical-build-help-66373/

You might also want to check with Yuri since he's the one who has it.

mcaustin · 05-23-2008, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerthirty

I just got a new 15 gallon m.d.p.e. plastic conical(actually a biodeisel tank) and I'm trying to come up with a seal setup for a rotating racking arm that would seal without leaking. anyone have any ideas on how I could do this? i want to figure this out before drilling the hole in it. LOL

Be sure to post an update to this... I'm very interested in using one of these for 10 gallon batches once I complete my brewstand build (waiting on my electrical box to wire my panel). I have a pair of 6.5 gallon minibrew conicals and love them, but would prefer not to have to split 10 gallon batches into two conicals.

Donasay · 05-23-2008, 03:59 PM

get the stuff they use to port better bottles, the plastic is probably similar and should not be to big of a problem.

**beerthirty** · 05-23-2008, 11:35 PM

yes that is exactly what I was thinking. to have the second valve 6-8 inches above the valve. but I'm not sure if its necessary or if it would be better to dump the yeast and trub first. I'm planning on yeast cultivation also, so I thought with a rotating arm I could harvest yeast for cultivation. Am I going in the wrong direction here?