Drilless level indicator

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nukebrewer

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I really want to add a level indicator to my brew kettle, but I would like to do it without drilling a hole in my brew kettle, mostly because I plan on getting a bigger brew kettle in the semi-near future and would like to transfer the level indicator to the new kettle. Now, my plan is basically to take a straight length of 3/8" copper tubing and attach it to the inside of my kettle, then stick a long, thin, buoyant object, could be whatever, inside the tubing so it rises as level goes up. Now trick for this to work is:

a) The material must be buoyant enough to float as the level goes up and

b) not be harmful to the wort.

Does anyone have any ideas on what may be a good material to use for this? Thanks.

-AJ
 
How about another thinner copper tube welded shut in both ends ?

walther
 
You could always just scribe volume marks/indicators on the inside of the kettle.


I always thought that that was a bad idea, that they could harbor bacteria. I have a wooden mash paddle that I am going to burn lines in so show fluid level so all you have to do is stick your mash paddle in and look. It is simple, and you have one less instrument to get in your way!
 
I always thought that that was a bad idea, that they could harbor bacteria. I have a wooden mash paddle that I am going to burn lines in so show fluid level so all you have to do is stick your mash paddle in and look. It is simple, and you have one less instrument to get in your way!

They won't really harbor bacteria in a boil kettle, (you're boiling in it, for chrissakes) but I am too lazy to do that.

I just have a yardstick. I calibrated each pot with the yardstick and a gallon jug. Now I know if I have 7 inches in my BK, it means x gallons. I can put the same yardstick into any of my other pots and know the exact volume as well.

Make sure you test a few different levels with the yardstick for "inches per gallon"....my BK is a keg, for example, which has a concave bottom. So, the first 2.25" = 1 gallon, then 1.75"/gallon after that, (or something like that, I don't remember). I just have a spreadsheet with each of my pots in it, and can enter either inches (and it then tells me gallons), or I enter target volume, and it tells me how many inches.
 
I always thought that that was a bad idea, that they could harbor bacteria. I have a wooden mash paddle that I am going to burn lines in so show fluid level so all you have to do is stick your mash paddle in and look. It is simple, and you have one less instrument to get in your way!

Don't really have to worry about bacteria in a scribe mark of a kettle that you're going to boil in. Fwiw, I put my marks on the outside w/ a sharpie and it's pretty easy to figure out where you are by eyeball...plus I use a story stick if I need an accurate read.
 
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