Brew keggle part questions

I'll soon be switching to all-grain and I am wanting to fit a keg with ball valve and thermometer.

Ball Valve:
I'm looking at:
Weld-B-Gone Basic + KETTLE Conversion- Brass with 1/2" Barb - $29.95
Weld-B-Gone Deluxe + KETTLE Conversion- Stainless Steel with 1/2" Barb - $44.95

Is there a reason to choose stainless steel over brass?

Thermometer:
(I have no idea what I am looking for here, suggestions please?)
Brewmometer- 1/4" NPT Thread- Weldless - 35.95

Strainer for valve:
This is another thing I have no idea about. I've heard people mention false bottoms, bazookas, bazooka ts. I'll probably rig up a giant hop bag as it sounds hop pellets aren't friendly with any of these products.
Bazooka T - $22
Bazooka T Sanke Adapter - $7.50

I'll be making my own immersion chiller(thanks to Bobby_M's video). Does an immersion chiller interfere with the valve's strainer?

When it comes to modifing kegs, you can either choose to weld in 1/2" couplers (or have someone weld them in for you) or you can buy weld-less fittings that screw together. I like welding option personally, you won't have to worry about the gasket's wearing out with time, causing leaks and/or sanitation issues. But judging from the links you posted, I assume you are taking the weld-less route (a very popular alternative) but I just wanted to point out the other option in case you were still making up your mind.

Since I went the way of welding, I can't really speak to the qualitity of these parts but I know many of the members here use them, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about if you decide to purchase them.

As for the SS vs. copper argument, either one will work fine. There are pros and cons to both and if you search around I'm sure you will find one of the 100 posts that will give you the details on the issue but the short version is that SS is superior from a sanitation perspective but as you can see it costs more. Personally, I went with copper and put the extra money towards ingredients, either will work.

I made a very simliar version as the strainer you linked to, it works great as I'm sure this one will. However, in the current issue for BYO (Brew Your Own Magazine) they have a great design for an alternative to this design that I think is very interesting. I don't think I'm going to change mine out but if I was starting from scratch, I might have gone with this option. Pick up a subscribtion to this magazine if you don't already have one, it's worth it's weight in Gold for any homebrewer. Ask the others, I'm sure they will agree.

As for the chiller interfereing with the strainer, you won't have anything to worry about. Just set the chiller in the Kettle with 15 min left in the boil (to sanitize)...chill your beer...then remove the chiller...create a whirlpool...wait for it to settle then strain.

Also, I would compare the material costs of making an immerssion cooler with what they cost at your LBS or morebeer.com and other sites. You might find it is not worth creating one of these...I've heard of guys crinking their pipe and another who had trouble getting a good seal on his fittings. After it is all said and done (solder, flux, flux brush, the copper, the fittings, the torch), they had spent the same amount and dealt with a lot more hassle for an inferior product. This hobby has many DIY project but creating your own chiller isn't one of the better ones from a cost benifit perspective, in my opinion. But then again, I did make mine so who am I to speak.

What parts are required for a welded ballvalve and thermometer port?

I found a place in town that quoted me pretty cheap to cut some holes, maybe they will be pretty decent for welding prices too.

I bought my gear from MoreBeer.com, here is what I have...

ball valve

MoreBeer | Brass Ball Valve II - 1/2'' fpt x 1/2'' mpt

Therm

MoreBeer | Thermometer (3'' Face x 6'' Probe)

I got one of these...

Bargain Fittings

After a few days of futzing, all is well... Waiting for the inaugural batch in it... Will update when done...

Stainless is worth the difference......

Ball valve assy: WELD-B-GONE STAINLESS CONVERSION KIT @ Williams Brewing

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/STAINLESS_1_2_TUBING_ADAPTER_P1693C141.cfm

http://www.northernbrewer.com/plumbing.html

Temperature Guage assy: BREWMOMETER WELDLESS THERMOMETER @ Williams Brewing

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/product2.cfm?Product_ID=1400

anyone have a McMaster Carr # for the welded fitting in stainless? I keep looking, but don't know the exact name of it

don't hold me to it , i'm a pretty big noob but these might work? someone else with more exp can chime in here. Never the less tho nose around that site for your SS fittings they seem to have a decent selections and good prices.

1/2" Threaded NPT 1/2 Coupling O.D. Machined 304 SS

This is what I used...

MoreBeer | Stainless Full Coupler - 1/2"

This seems like a cheap and possibly better alternative:

MoreBeer | Weldless Mash Keg Conversion - Stainless

$64.95 for all stainless steel ball valve, compression fitting, and false bottom for keg.

Any opinions on this? I'm thinking it might be nice to go all stainless steel.

The question I have....
How do the o-rings and the ball valve hold up if you have fire come up the side of the keggle? Do you just have to be careful not to do that?

BigKahuna said:

The question I have....
How do the o-rings and the ball valve hold up if you have fire come up the side of the keggle? Do you just have to be careful not to do that?

Click to expand...

Does this happen often? I've only known partial mash brewing on the stovetop so this is new to me.

I do know that of the ball valves I've looked at they come with silicone o-rings which can handle high temperature.

gpogo said:

This seems like a cheap and possibly better alternative:

MoreBeer | Weldless Mash Keg Conversion - Stainless

$64.95 for all stainless steel ball valve, compression fitting, and false bottom for keg.

Any opinions on this? I'm thinking it might be nice to go all stainless steel.

Click to expand...

what is the dia of the false bottom? Need to know if you can fit it in a 12" dia opening or if the entire top of the keg needs to be cut off.....

gpogo said:

Does this happen often? I've only known partial mash brewing on the stovetop so this is new to me.

I do know that of the ball valves I've looked at they come with silicone o-rings which can handle high temperature.

Click to expand...

It seems like the flame shoots out from the bottom of the fryer pot when it's up really high. I can't say that it's goign to happen with the keg...prolly not. I ordered the cheap one that duckfoot posted. I'll let ya know.

You can always make a small heat shield for your burner if needed. I have not experienced any problems with burning o'rings with any kettle as long as there is enough water in it.

Duckfoot said:

I got one of these...

Bargain Fittings

After a few days of futzing, all is well... Waiting for the inaugural batch in it... Will update when done...

Click to expand...

+1 to this site. Got brass Keg and cooler fittings, plus the braid assembly. Great service and a good deal, great customer service. I could have saved a buck or three putting the parts together myself, but the time it would have taken me to think it out would have erased any benefit.

What in your guys' opinion is a better braid?
The Bazooka: BAZOOKA SCREEN @ Williams Brewing
Or the Bargain Fittings one: Bargain Fittings
What about the T: Bazooka T :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies

Is there going to be any real difference? Would it be pretty easy (an enough money saved to be worth it) to make your own?

Did you ever get an answer on which is better?
The bargain fittings one is cheaper, but is a couple of inches smaller. Will that matter?

What size hose barb do you guys recommend? The one that came with my ball valve assembly is I think 3/8. Is that too small of opening when draining?

Do I also need to sanitize the ball valve assembly every time I do a boil?