How do you install a tri clover fitting on the vessel ?

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brewman !

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Lets say you want to use these valves on your mash tun or boil kettle.

TC10VBALL3P.jpg

Brewers Hardware 1" Tri Clover 3-Piece Ball Valve

How do you mount a triclover "flange" to the kettle and how do you connect it to the pickup tube ?

How are these supposed to be used ?
TC15_FERRULEL.jpg

Brewers Hardware 1.5" Tri Clover Ferrule - Long
 
Ferrules need to be physically attached to the vessel wall. Welding is a common option, soldering or brazing has been proven to work well and is increasing in popularity. There is a thread on here about soldering stainless. You could also use a weldless bulkheads and get tri-clamp to NPT fittings and go that route.
 
You would weld this to your kettle then attach the valve to it.

I understand welding that or something like it to the outside of the kettle. But how do you attach a pickup tube to it on the inside ? By chance would some standard pipe slide inside that fitting ?
 
You could also use a weldless bulkheads and get tri-clamp to NPT fittings and go that route.

I'm beginning to think that welding a threaded coupler into the vessel well, threading the pickup tube into it on the inside and threading a tri clamp flange to it may be the way to go.

However, if you are going to do that, why not skip the triclamp flange and thread a threaded valve onto the coupler ? ie one of these ?

TFBV123P.jpg


1/2" Stainless 3-Piece Ball Valve from Brewers Hardware

I thought the purpose of triclamp was to get rid of threads because they can't really be cleaned internally. I thought the system was supposed to go triclamp -> tubing with no threads.

Once you have a thread in the system, its harder to clean.
 
Tri-clamps also allow an almost infinite amount of fitting options due to a standard interface.

Weld the ferrule to the vessel and you can put a tee, a cross, an elbow, a valve, a custom cap with a compression fitting, another cap with a thermowell and airlock grommet, etcetera via a clamp and matching fitting. More specifically sanitary fluid tranfer options than NPT.
 
I understand that you can attach those things to a tri clover flange. How do you attach something to the inside of the vessel if you weld the flange to the outside ?
 
I understand that you can attach those things to a tri clover flange. How do you attach something to the inside of the vessel if you weld the flange to the outside ?

Weld it to the bottom then you don't need a pick up tube ;)
Also apparently the standard sanke keg spear connection will mate to a triclover (again I have not tried but it has been said on here), i.e. turn the keg upsidedown, cut the hole in the "bottom", use the convienient existing "triclover" fitting already in place to attache your valve.
 
Tri-clamp offers an easily cleaned and sterilized connection (not as important on the hot side). They also offer an easy way to disconnect hoses, valves, etc for cleaning, storage and reconfiguration.

+1 to the bottom drain. I have my hlt and mt configured this way and will redo my bk in the spring, so easy to clean! Conveniently the sanke adapter accepts a 2" tri-clamp with a modified gasket.
 
With something like this:

Dib-Tubes-Assembled.jpg

Bingo ! Give the man a cigar (and a homebrew) !

Tri clamp fittings finally make sense to me. The whole purpose of triclamp stuff is to eliminate threads everywhere because they are not sanitary. Welding a threaded coupler into the side of a vessel and then screwing triclamp fittings to it defeats the whole purpose.

So what are each of those pieces called and where do I get them ? What size is that pipe/tubing ?

Thank you VERY much !
 
Those are racking ports. They are designed to be turned just above the sediment and still in contact with the liquid. It's really more than you need for a BK but would work. If it's for a fermentor, then yes, bingo! If you plan on turning them you need to get Teflon gaskets, not silicone or Buna.
 
I get it now. Thanks, guys.

I'll look at a couple websites tomorrow and see what I can find, now that I know what I am looking for.
 
I know this thread is getting kinda old, but I was researching a way to install triclover fittings onto my brew kettle and I stumbled upon this forum. I just thought I would share with you guys what I ended up dreaming up for mine. I had some awesome help from some guys I work around who do this kind of stuff for a living (food plant). I am very pleased with it, and I believe it is a very custom build.

Brew Kettle 1.jpg


brewkettle 2.jpg


brewkettle3.jpg


brewkettle4.jpg
 
It all started with a 1 1/2 end cap, drilled a 3/4 hole in the center of that and then welded a 3/4 ferrule and 3/4 90 degree elbow to that. I drilled an 1 1/8 hole in the kettle and then "pulled" the hole using a special flaring die I had made for a knockout punch. Then the 1 1/2 ferrule was butt welded to that.
 
I know this thread is getting kinda old, but I was researching a way to install triclover fittings onto my brew kettle and I stumbled upon this forum. I just thought I would share with you guys what I ended up dreaming up for mine. I had some awesome help from some guys I work around who do this kind of stuff for a living (food plant). I am very pleased with it, and I believe it is a very custom build.

Why am I not getting this? So your pick up tube just sticks in the back side of the welded on ferule? How does the tube attach to the kettle?
 
never mind... did'n realize it's installed through the front of th kettle and then clamped in place. Nice work.
 
ok so next question... How do you install a sanitary sight glass (no threads)? I like the ide of all flat surafaces but I don't see how you can that with a sight glass.

Thanks
 
Anyone come across a tri clamp pickup tube that doubles as an "in" for making a whirlpool? Or a tri clamp pickup tube that has a side pickup to avoid most of the hop crud and trub after you've finished whirlpooling?
 
I really don't understand why you guys want TC fittings for hot side kettles. For the bling? They are really only needed for fermenters.
I could see using them for an electric element too, since those are hard to disassemble and clean, bet everything else? Waste of money.
 
Waste of money is a bit harsh. You have to admit it's a nice feature to be able to quickly disassemble your plumbing for cleaning or to reconfigure on a whim. Whether it's _worth_ the money is another question, but one you could get into over any equipment upgrade.

Personally, my move to TC fittings was a bit accidental. I was sick of weldless fittings, and the welder I had access to was nervous welding in threaded couplers (afraid he'd damage the threads).
 
Acidrain, I agree with you 100%. ESPECIALLY after having used my TC kettle for a few months now. There are simply so many more options for weldless fittings and those options are much cheaper, too. Removing hoses with Quick Disconnects is also FAR easier than removing TCs.

However, I had the opportunity to buy a SUPER high quality 15 gallon kettle that came with a very heavy duty stainless FB, 2 TC ferrules welded in, a TC thermowell and thermometer, and a TC ball valve for a song and without shipping or taxes so I really couldn't say no. It has an air-tight seal so adding a large TC fitting to the lid means that the vessel can be used for brewing OR distilling by adding a distillation column to the TC fitting in the lid. I saw so many opportunities there I had to pull the trigger but now I'm dealing with the consequences: extremely limited dip tube and whirlpool options. Without a dip tube separation of hops and trub is also a problem.


Despite these disadvantages TC fittings do generally mean it's easier to clean and you have less long-term maintenance issues (no replacing teflon tape on threads that gets gnarly; no need to tear down the weldless fittings and get the crud out in between the fitting and the inside wall, etc...).

BUT, of course such discussions are irrelevant to people who already own kettles with TC fittings and who are just looking for solutions for what they already own...



Adam
 
Recap:

1. I already own my TC kettle
2. I'm looking for dip tube and whirlpool attachment solutions for what I already own

Clearly "I don't like TC fittings", doesn't add to the conversation or present any sort of solution at all; it borders on trolling.

To add my own irrelevant response to the thread: "I like turtles!"


Adam
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here's the pre-made dip tube solutions that I've come across so far for those of us who have TC fittings already:
http://conical-fermenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Dib-Tubes-Assembled.jpg

http://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-Tri-Clamp-Style-Pickup-Tube.html


These are LITERALLY the only two options I've been able to find for a dip tube. My kettle is electric and unfortunately my welder didn't listen to a word I said and instead of placing the electric element 90 degrees off from my ball valve he placed it right next to my ball valve so I need a really short pickup tube like the Brewers Hardware option. -The Stout Kettle's option is too long and would hit my element; the Brewer's Hardware option is 1" in diameter so it won't fit into my 1" TC ferrule.. ; (


I'd love an option that would some how go from TC to a soft copper pipe on the inside so that I could bend it how I wanted to make a side pickup for the ball valve and another one for a whirlpool inlet that I'd install in my second TC.


Adam
 
Derrin at BrewersHardware will make you anything you need. Have a custom one made that fits your needs.
 
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