EZ Cap Bottles

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CemeteryCellarsBC

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I've used my ez cap bottles for my first two brews and only about half of them carbonate. The rubber is only two brews old and is cleaned and sanitized each time. Someone told me to use a little Keg Lube around the rubber next time. Any other tips?
 
Do the non-carbonated ones have any little bit of bubbles or is it still exactly like when you bottled them? It may be that some are not ready yet, the sugar didn't mix properly in the bottling bucket. Describe your bottling day and what temp they say at and for how long. Is there the same amount of sediment at the bottom of carbed and not carbed ones? I would spend $15 and get a capper and real bottle caps to ensure it doesn't happen again. But if it's your process, that won't help.
 
I don't bottle totally in the ez cap bottles, mostly in pry off bottles with a capper (which all carbonate) but I like the ez cap bottles for my own stash. The last brew I left the ones that seemed uncarbonated in the bottles for a longer time and still no luck. It's almost 50/50 (six carbonated and six not). I bottle at around a 70 degree temp and they sit in about the same temp, should they be warmer? Most were ready to go after 2 weeks in bottles but I left some in bottles for almost a month. The sediment is about the same as well. Thanks for the help
 
I really like my ez caps but they are not without their issues. The stock rubber seals are a type of dark red molded urethane-like material and are more resilient and uniform than rubber. Those last for many more seals than do the red lathe-cut rubber gaskets you can get to replace them.

Nearly every LHBS and on-line carry the rubber variety. These have a strong rubber smell and are varying thicknesses. The good thing is that they are cheap and available.

If you buy new bails and tops with the OEM gaskets ( read: the good ones) expect to pay about $.75 US per each. The big on-lines carry them. I've never seen the OEM gaskets sold by themselves so, if you find them , let me know. ( I think it's a money-grab by EZ Cap to keep them off the market but, whuddaya gonna do?).

Saw a vid on YouTube once where a dude from here added vinegar and baking soda, closed up the bottle and then submerged it to see where it was leaking.

All I know is when the gaskets go bad you get very inconsistent carbing because some leak out and some don't and they all have there own characteristics so if you see inconsistent results, its time to re-gasket or crown.
 
I hope that's not the case. I've only used them twice. I've replaced the rubber and hopefully that wasn't a mistake. I will only use a few this next time and see what happens.
 
I use Kegs, EZ-Cap and other German flip lid bottles.
Gave away all my regular bottles a couple years ago.

+1 on the OEM gaskets lasting a long time. :)

+1 on the replacement gaskets that I bought do not last long. :-(

If anyone finds the OEM gaskets for sale, please post!
 
I've been using ez-cappers through probably a couple dozen cycles in kombucha second ferments for over a year on the stock seals, and they hold a seal very very well. I haven't had any yet where I would attribute lack of carbonation to the bottle seal. Fortunately no bottle bombs yet, though dang some of them I've opened and half the liquid launches out the top immediately.

Yes I was extremely disappointed in the red replacement gaskets I bought in a bag of 100, they are a stinky cheap quality rubber very inferior to the original gaskets. I'll be on the hunt for some better replacement gaskets that's for sure.
 
Hm those do look like the genuine article. I might have to pick up a set of those. I like the listing has a picture of the garbage replacements usually sold in homebrew shops with a big red X over it. That is about right. Those bags of 100 cheap rubber gaskets are horrible. They don't seal well, last maybe 2 bottlings, and they STINK of some kind of rubber or chemicals they are offgasing. The genuine gaskets that come with the bottles I have some that I've probably bottled 50 times and they are still in good shape.
 
a response directly from ez-cap:

I do know of a place who took the replacement washers not too long ago – Pantano Wine & Beer in New Paltz, NY – you can contact them at 845-855-5201. If you want you can complain to LD Carlson as they do sell our bottles, but not the replacement washers – they are in Kent, OH.
 
a response directly from ez-cap:

I do know of a place who took the replacement washers not too long ago – Pantano Wine & Beer in New Paltz, NY – you can contact them at 845-855-5201. If you want you can complain to LD Carlson as they do sell our bottles, but not the replacement washers – they are in Kent, OH.


Wonder why LD Carlson is singled out? I have found EZ cap bottles are available just about everywhere but none carry OEM gaskets. Pantano is the first I've heard of. Don't store owners have a choice as to what they will carry? Seems odd to me that; even if more expensive, EZ Cap distributors cant get stores to stock an OEM part before choosing aftermarket.

Wonder if there cheaper than 20¢ a piece as on eBay?[see link a few posts back or so] I'll have to give them a call and find out.

Something stinks here (besides red rubber).
 
I ordered the gaskets from the e-bay link. They sell them in different quantities. I ordered 100. I put them on 6 grolsch bottles and filled them up from a fresh 2 liter bottle of pepsi. I sealed them up, shook them up, and placed them in a bucket full of water. There were no leaks. These gaskets are the same material as the ez cap gaskets and are already the shape of the stopper. Don't be afraid to order them they work well.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grolsch-EZ-...ultDomain_0&hash=item2a32f6e8a4#ht_1084wt_922
 
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