Value-Engineering, Three piece valves

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Grossy

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Value-Engineering

Ok I have had it with mediocre half finished, barely thought out, designs.

Take three piece valves. Can someone tell me what the purpose of the cross pattern of plastic at the bottom of the three-piece valve is for?

Beside helping to clog up the valve what does that do?
I would like to boil the valves. How come the valves are made with plastic that melts at 150 degrees, rather than 250 degrees?

Answer: accountants, ("we can make it cheaper if we downgrade engineering specifications.")

For the bottom, I just cut the bottom of the valve off, then heat the bottom with a cigarette lighter to smooth the edges.

This allows me to run a brush through the valve and clean it, and it allows the krausen and hops to flow through it without clogging it, in the event of over active fermentation.
 
Not sure what the point of the cross cover is, but if you're getting krausen in your airlock that often you should use a blowoff instead. Mine never has anything except vodka in it since I use a blowoff for the first few days on anything but the lowest gravity brews. Quick rinse and dunk in StarSan and it's good to go for the next batch.
 
Not sure what the point of the cross cover is, but if you're getting krausen in your airlock that often you should use a blowoff instead. Mine never has anything except vodka in it since I use a blowoff for the first few days on anything but the lowest gravity brews. Quick rinse and dunk in StarSan and it's good to go for the next batch.
I know all this. It's a rare day that I underestimate the fermentation, but it can happen.

But with a little more effort from the manufacturer they could have made it better. I would pay an extra 50 cents for that.
 
What's actually interesting about that is out of the three airlocks I have, only one of them has the cross piece. I don't remember where each of them came from.
 
What's actually interesting about that is out of the three airlocks I have, only one of them has the cross piece. I don't remember where each of them came from.

I've had at least five 3-piece airlocks and none have had the cross. I've read about them several times on here though. For whatever reason, mine have never had it thankfully.
 
I have 4 with cross and 4 without. Definitely only use the crossed ones in secondary. They get gunked up way too easily. Alternatively, they can be jammed backwards onto half inch tubing to make a decent aerator.
 
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