Keggle with Welded Spigot

I'm considering a used keggle with a welded on spigot (which I haven't seen yet). If the spigot is welded on, is it possible to add a false bottom and elbow tube without further welding, and if so how?

When faced with this, I got a piece of copper tubing a little smaller than the inside of the spigot and used a flaring tool to expand it to a tight fit. A slow process, but you only do it once.

Most weld in a coupling so you'd just need a male pipe thread fitting.

Are you sure the spigot is actually welded on and not on a tight fitting nipple or does the spigot have a thread and a lock nut.

It doesn't make sense to weld a spigot directly on to the keggle.

I haven't seen it yet and don't know much about it as of now, but these responses help me know what to look for. Thanks!

Well, we got it! It has a welded in tube with threads on both sides to which the stainless spigot/valve is threaded. As an added bonus it even has a dip tube already. It's copper tubing with a 90° elbow and another, smaller tube going down into the central depression.

There's teflon tape on all the threaded connections, and the keggle had been in a barn for a while. I think it would be wise to unscrew everything and clean it.

When we put it back together, is teflon tape the way to go on the threads, or should we use something else? I'm not sure there's teflon tape on the dip tube parts, but it's definitely on all the threaded connections outside the keg.

Teflon Tape or Pipe Thread sealant is what you'll want to use. Both lubricate the thread interface and create a minor seal (most sealing happens in the threads), they also allow everything to be removed for cleaning.

Moonpile said:

It has a welded in tube with threads on both sides to which the stainless spigot/valve is threaded.

When we put it back together, is teflon tape the way to go on the threads, or should we use something else? I'm not sure there's teflon tape on the dip tube parts, but it's definitely on all the threaded connections outside the keg.

Click to expand...

FYI the welded tube is called a nipple.

Teflon tape is especially important if you are using stainless steel. It allows a seal to occur without having to tighten the part too much.

Tightening stainless too tight and not using teflon can ruin the treads according to Blichmann engineering.

I find lips good for sealing with nipples.





sorry.

thebikingengineer said:

Teflon Tape or Pipe Thread sealant is what you'll want to use. Both lubricate the thread interface and create a minor seal (most sealing happens in the threads), they also allow everything to be removed for cleaning.

Click to expand...

Thanks! Just wanted to make sure teflon tape is the right thing to use (heat resistant, food safe, etc).

abracadabra said:

FYI the welded tube is called a nipple.

Click to expand...

That's a useful clarification, b/c I might have called a barb fitting on the spigot, for connection to hose, a nipple. This one does not have a barb fitting, but looks like it would accept a regular garden hose.

Now, we didn't take it apart last night, and it's at my friend's house, so I might not remember this correctly, but based on the fittings I think the nipple had male threads on both ends (ie, the fittings surrounded the nipple and if I removed them the threads on the nipple would be on the outside, just in case I'm using 'male' incorrectly here).

I think this might make it hard to use a hopstopper, which I undertand requires female threads on the inside of the nipple. Any thoughts on this? Maybe I can get a simple male to female adapter? Otherwise, will a false bottom help with hops, or is that just for grains?

We got anther unmodified keg at the same time (the seller had just never converted it). We're thinking of converting that one and using one as an MLT and the other as a boil kettle.

I'd appreciate any thoughts/links/info on using a keg as an MLT. Do we have to recirculate with a pump to avoid scortching? Or is there some way to direct heat the mash in a keggle without any further equipment?

Yes a nipple is a pipe with male threads on both sides.

I think it is much better than a coupler (pipe with female treads)
You'll probably find compression fitting nuts fit straight on.