Fittings for SS Brewtech fermenter

Williams 728
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lgxg

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I am the proud owner of a new SS Brewtech half barrel conical fermenter. I put my first batch in there on Friday. I used it with the fittings and valves it came with. It comes with three triclover fittings - dump valve, lid, and racking port.

The racking port came with an adjustable racking arm that is pretty slick. you loosen the triclover on the ball valve and rotate an arm inside the fermenter. this is attached to a ball valve that's not sanitary. i was thinking about getting a sample valve from brewers hardware.

TC15VSAMPLE.jpg

what i'm not sure of is if my racking arm will still work with this as I don't know the inlet size. the racking arm is fitted into the current triclover that's attached to the inlet of the ball valve (see picture). does anyone have experience using the brewer's hardware valve with a racking arm? does it make a difference or am I overthinking the benefit of having a rotatable racking arm?

For the Lid --

The other thing I'm planning on doing is transferring to a keg using CO2. SS brewtech claims this is possible. I'd like to drain out of either the sample valve or out the bottom dump valve (after dumping of course) with a hose barb past the butterfly valve.

To make things easy with my one co2 tank and regulator i'd like to use the same corny gas in posts. I found this triclover fitting on brewershardware:
https://www.brewershardware.com/Tri-Clover-Compatible-X-Beer-Thread/

does anyone know if beer thread is what a female corny gas in post will thread to? The corny post is threaded with 19/32 -18 thread. I've tried looking for "beer thread" definitions but my googling has not been fruitful this far. Here's the type of corny gas post i'm talking about: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CORNELIUS-TYPE-GAS-SIDE-PLUG-P3332.aspx?ItemId=6742670

Is transferring to the keg through the sample valve or dump valve stupid? I know it might be a bit slow through the sample valve, but I'm not really in a hurry - just want to keep yeast out as much as possible while keeping a low O2 environment.

The other thing I want to do with the lid is use a cleaning ball so I can clean and sanitize the fermenter in the upright freezer fermentation chamber. The triclover CIP ball that brewershardware sells seems like it's pointing up, like the ball is on the top of the fitting. I need something to point down into the fermenter from the lid. Has anyone seen this type of ball on a triclover or am I going to have to do something custom?

Here's the link to their CIP ball page. Some have NPT, others are installed in a triclover via a NPT attachment on a triclover.

Thanks for the insight. These fermenters are really neat. Good quality great price. They got me with the low price and now I'm going to drop another $150 or so on valves and other fittings.

If you all have any questions about the fermenter I can try and answer them.

Louis
 

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lgxg, I recently bought the same Half barrel conical and working through the same things you are right now. I bought a number of parts from brewers hardware to transform the conical into an all tri-clover system including the sample valve and a setup a to connect Co2 to pressurize the fermenter. I have yet to put everything together but believe something else will be needed to connect the SS brew tech racking arm to it until the SS can make the connection. As soon as I have something I'l let you know.
 
Brewers warehouse is awesome. Just give them a call, explain what you want, and they will help you pick the right parts. In my experience, they are very familiar with ss conicles and can make sure you get the right parts. They helped me set up the exact system you are talking about as well as a yeast harvester vaguely similar to a much more expensive product produced by a well known company. In the end, they saved me a lot of money. So again, I suggest you call them. There is no pressure, and they are committed to making sure you get what you need.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
 
Gripon said:
lgxg, I recently bought the same Half barrel conical and working through the same things you are right now. I bought a number of parts from brewers hardware to transform the conical into an all tri-clover system including the sample valve and a setup a to connect Co2 to pressurize the fermenter. I have yet to put everything together but believe something else will be needed to connect the SS brew tech racking arm to it until the SS can make the connection. As soon as I have something I'l let you know.
Click to expand...

Very cool. I was sure someone else here was going to be trying the same thing.

For the sample valve- what is on the inlet side, how big is the hole?

What type of CO2 transfer setup are you working? Are you using a hose barb or something with a corny post?
 
solo_smith said:
Brewers warehouse is awesome. Just give them a call, explain what you want, and they will help you pick the right parts. In my experience, they are very familiar with ss conicles and can make sure you get the right parts. They helped me set up the exact system you are talking about as well as a yeast harvester vaguely similar to a much more expensive product produced by a well known company. In the end, they saved me a lot of money. So again, I suggest you call them. There is no pressure, and they are committed to making sure you get what you need.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
Click to expand...

I emailed Derrin and we emailed back and forth but he hasn't gotten back to me now. In one of the emails he mentioned that he hasn't seen one of the SS brew tech conicals in person.

I will try calling him. At the very least I need the parts for the CO2 setup so I can get my beer out in the next week or so.
 
lgxg said:
I am the proud owner of a new SS Brewtech half barrel conical fermenter. I put my first batch in there on Friday. I used it with the fittings and valves it came with. It comes with three triclover fittings - dump valve, lid, and racking port.

The racking port came with an adjustable racking arm that is pretty slick. you loosen the triclover on the ball valve and rotate an arm inside the fermenter. this is attached to a ball valve that's not sanitary. i was thinking about getting a sample valve from brewers hardware.

View attachment 227951

what i'm not sure of is if my racking arm will still work with this as I don't know the inlet size. the racking arm is fitted into the current triclover that's attached to the inlet of the ball valve (see picture). does anyone have experience using the brewer's hardware valve with a racking arm? does it make a difference or am I overthinking the benefit of having a rotatable racking arm?

For the Lid --

The other thing I'm planning on doing is transferring to a keg using CO2. SS brewtech claims this is possible. I'd like to drain out of either the sample valve or out the bottom dump valve (after dumping of course) with a hose barb past the butterfly valve.

To make things easy with my one co2 tank and regulator i'd like to use the same corny gas in posts. I found this triclover fitting on brewershardware:
https://www.brewershardware.com/Tri-Clover-Compatible-X-Beer-Thread/

does anyone know if beer thread is what a female corny gas in post will thread to? The corny post is threaded with 19/32 -18 thread. I've tried looking for "beer thread" definitions but my googling has not been fruitful this far. Here's the type of corny gas post i'm talking about: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CORNELIUS-TYPE-GAS-SIDE-PLUG-P3332.aspx?ItemId=6742670

Is transferring to the keg through the sample valve or dump valve stupid? I know it might be a bit slow through the sample valve, but I'm not really in a hurry - just want to keep yeast out as much as possible while keeping a low O2 environment.

The other thing I want to do with the lid is use a cleaning ball so I can clean and sanitize the fermenter in the upright freezer fermentation chamber. The triclover CIP ball that brewershardware sells seems like it's pointing up, like the ball is on the top of the fitting. I need something to point down into the fermenter from the lid. Has anyone seen this type of ball on a triclover or am I going to have to do something custom?

Here's the link to their CIP ball page. Some have NPT, others are installed in a triclover via a NPT attachment on a triclover.

Thanks for the insight. These fermenters are really neat. Good quality great price. They got me with the low price and now I'm going to drop another $150 or so on valves and other fittings.

If you all have any questions about the fermenter I can try and answer them.

Louis
Click to expand...

I have SS Brewtech's 7 Gallon conical fermenter and it is pretty awesome.

If you want to transfer to keg from your dump valve then you'll want to bump the valve open prior to make sure that any yeast that settled into the elbow is flushed out.

I'm not sure how that sample valve works that you posted but I assume it is a momentary type valve where you have to hold it in to keep it open? If so, transferring to keg from there would be quite annoying IMHO.

If you decide to transfer from the dump valve then, you don't need the racking arm at all so i wouldn't worry about it fitting in the sample port. You would "dump" the trub from the dump valve at certain times during the fermentation process so the sediment/trub would not reach up towards the sample valve port. The racking arm is really only there for when you use the sample/drain valve and you want to extract as much beer as you can without disturbing the sediment that may still be at the bottom of the conical. If you use the dump valve to transfer, well, then that point is moot since you'll be flushing all that out.
 
dmcman73 said:
I have SS Brewtech's 7 Gallon conical fermenter and it is pretty awesome.

If you want to transfer to keg from your dump valve then you'll want to bump the valve open prior to make sure that any yeast that settled into the elbow is flushed out.

I'm not sure how that sample valve works that you posted but I assume it is a momentary type valve where you have to hold it in to keep it open? If so, transferring to keg from there would be quite annoying IMHO.

If you decide to transfer from the dump valve then, you don't need the racking arm at all so i wouldn't worry about it fitting in the sample port. You would "dump" the trub from the dump valve at certain times during the fermentation process so the sediment/trub would not reach up towards the sample valve port. The racking arm is really only there for when you use the sample/drain valve and you want to extract as much beer as you can without disturbing the sediment that may still be at the bottom of the conical. If you use the dump valve to transfer, well, then that point is moot since you'll be flushing all that out.
Click to expand...
How do you connect CO2 in order to transfer?
 
dmcman73 said:
I have SS Brewtech's 7 Gallon conical fermenter and it is pretty awesome.

If you want to transfer to keg from your dump valve then you'll want to bump the valve open prior to make sure that any yeast that settled into the elbow is flushed out.

I'm not sure how that sample valve works that you posted but I assume it is a momentary type valve where you have to hold it in to keep it open? If so, transferring to keg from there would be quite annoying IMHO.

If you decide to transfer from the dump valve then, you don't need the racking arm at all so i wouldn't worry about it fitting in the sample port. You would "dump" the trub from the dump valve at certain times during the fermentation process so the sediment/trub would not reach up towards the sample valve port. The racking arm is really only there for when you use the sample/drain valve and you want to extract as much beer as you can without disturbing the sediment that may still be at the bottom of the conical. If you use the dump valve to transfer, well, then that point is moot since you'll be flushing all that out.
Click to expand...

He is still going to be using the racking port. The sample valve is threaded but way easier to keep clean and sanitized then a ball valve.

OP this is what you need to buy, it should work but measure what you have and compare it to the specs given in the description. Keep the SSbrewtech racking arm as a spare.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/5941

Also while your at it I hope you planned on replacing that dump valve with a butterfly valve as well, ball valves do not belong on a fermentor.
 
And yes you can transfer through the sample valve if you would like. I wouldn't transfer from the dump port but I know there are people that do. On your question about CIP and spray balls if it were me I would skip it.... and that is coming from someone who has the 1 inch spray ball and uses them on my brewhemoths. I use them because I have no choice since I only have a 4" opening and I'll tell ya if I had the option to take off the lid and get in there with my arm I would. Don't get me wrong it works but in my experience it's still a fair amount of work hooking it up and getting it going.
 
Doctor_M said:
He is still going to be using the racking port. The sample valve is threaded but way easier to keep clean and sanitized then a ball valve.

OP this is what you need to buy, it should work but measure what you have and compare it to the specs given in the description. Keep the SSbrewtech racking arm as a spare.

http://morebeer.com/view_product/5941

Also while your at it I hope you planned on replacing that dump valve with a butterfly valve as well, ball valves do not belong on a fermentor.
Click to expand...

I am definitely going to replace with a butterfly valve on the dump valve. That was the ONE thing that I could figure out. The other fittings have been a slight mystery! :)

The sample valve/racking arm combo at morebeer is here: http://morebeer.com/products/conical-racking-arm-sample-valve-assembly.html

I was just hoping to avoid paying $75 for it when brewers hardware sold just the valve for about $30. -- and I have a order for the butterfly valve and other triclover parts coming through them.
 
lgxg said:
I am definitely going to replace with a butterfly valve on the dump valve. That was the ONE thing that I could figure out. The other fittings have been a slight mystery! :)

The sample valve/racking arm combo at morebeer is here: http://morebeer.com/products/conical-racking-arm-sample-valve-assembly.html

I was just hoping to avoid paying $75 for it when brewers hardware sold just the valve for about $30. -- and I have a order for the butterfly valve and other triclover parts coming through them.
Click to expand...

Please keep us posted on the sample valve/racking arm compatibility I would like to do the same thing. Thanks for guinea pigging this for us!

Edit: Maybe SSbrewtech might be able to help? If you've got a caliper you could measure the racking arm OD and ask brewers hardware to measure the ID of the sample valve too...although IIRC that racking arm assembly has an O ring and a groove that it embeds into...anyway..just some thoughts.
 
Vanryzin said:
i found this on their site.

http://www.ssbrewtech.com/apps/answ...and-pressurized-transfers-important-read-this

some good directions on how to do a pressurized transfer. looks like a very low pressure is very important.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing that. That changes my approach for how I'll transfer to the keg and the hardware I'll buy. I thought that my regulator would be easy enough to tweak down to that low level. Now I know that it's really important to put that little pressure into it. A gauge on the top will be helpful to know what's actually going into the fermenter.

When cold crashing I'd also like to put 2 psi on it so the vaccum doesn't suck O2 or sanitizer into the fermenter.
 
I was an early adopter of the SsBrewtech chronicals. I immediately modified as is my propensity. 1) BTW the dip tube does not fit the Morebeer sample valve. Not a big deal just tilt the fermentor when you start pushing air. 2) Note: some of the Morebeer sample valves have some nasty milling on the inside. Disassemble and check. Use a small file to remove if u have milling particles on the internals. Both of mine had poor milling. 3) I use the original Ssbrewtech sample valve and assembly to push beer to kegs through the top fitting (see pics). 4) definitely replace the dump valve with a 1.5" butterfly. Higher flow. FYI, the chronical works great without these mods, I just can't leave well enough alone. 5) This is my first post. Thanks to all of you creative home brewers. I've been lurking for about 9 months learning and re-energizing. I home brewed in the early 80s thru 91. The hobby has really come a long way. Glad to be back!



ImageUploadedByHome Brew1412722814.443978.jpgImageUploadedByHome Brew1412722867.484957.jpg
 
Don't buy that racking cane from morebeer. I also have an SS Brewtech half barrel fermenter and the racking cane ferrule is smaller than 1.5 inch. The bottom ferrule is true 1.5" diameter, but the racking port is not. It looks like it's 1.0 inch. That racking cane won't fit past the bend.
 
Gripon said:
lgxg, I recently bought the same Half barrel conical and working through the same things you are right now. I bought a number of parts from brewers hardware to transform the conical into an all tri-clover system including the sample valve and a setup a to connect Co2 to pressurize the fermenter. I have yet to put everything together but believe something else will be needed to connect the SS brew tech racking arm to it until the SS can make the connection. As soon as I have something I'l let you know.
Click to expand...

gripon - can you tell me what fittings you bought? Does the racking arm that came with the fermenter fit in the inlet of the brewers hardware sample valve?
 
crownsdown said:
Don't buy that racking cane from morebeer. I also have an SS Brewtech half barrel fermenter and the racking cane ferrule is smaller than 1.5 inch. The bottom ferrule is true 1.5" diameter, but the racking port is not. It looks like it's 1.0 inch. That racking cane won't fit past the bend.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for this insight. You saved me $75!
 
Tripel said:
I was an early adopter of the SsBrewtech chronicals. I immediately modified as is my propensity. 1) BTW the dip tube does not fit the Morebeer sample valve. Not a big deal just tilt the fermentor when you start pushing air. 2) Note: some of the Morebeer sample valves have some nasty milling on the inside. Disassemble and check. Use a small file to remove if u have milling particles on the internals. Both of mine had poor milling. 3) I use the original Ssbrewtech sample valve and assembly to push beer to kegs through the top fitting (see pics). 4) definitely replace the dump valve with a 1.5" butterfly. Higher flow. FYI, the chronical works great without these mods, I just can't leave well enough alone. 5) This is my first post. Thanks to all of you creative home brewers. I've been lurking for about 9 months learning and re-energizing. I home brewed in the early 80s thru 91. The hobby has really come a long way. Glad to be back!
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing your pictures and your process. you gave me some good ideas on how to reuse the racking arm for a CO2 fitting. Genius!

When you are transferring to your keg, I see you use the black beer in disconnect. I saw you also have a grey gas in disconnect on there with the lid closed. do you vent the keg through the pressure release valve as you're filling? how do you regulate the pressure going in - are you just setting it on your regulator?
 
First purge the keg with co2 (gas in while exhausting through the vent). This creates a protective blanket of co2 for the beer that is pumped into the bottom of the keg through the beer out connection. I use a spare grey gas in connector to exhaust the headspace in the keg during transfer.

Regarding setting the regulator, just start from "0" psi. Increase the pressure slowly. Once the beer is flowing stop increasing the pressure. Per Ssbrewtech's directions do not exceed 5lbs.

Thanks for the welcome!
 
ok. here's what I ended up buying

dump valve - 1.5" butterfly valve-pull trigger.

racking port - 1.5" butterfly valve-pull trigger and 5/8 hose barb triclover. after talking with brewers hardware they said i could definitely use the sample port to rack from a keg to, but the rotatable racking arm wouldn't fit in the inlet. they said the inlet on the sample valve was .35ID.

lid- I bought the triclover to 1/4 npt fitting from brewershardware and am planning on setting up the brass T fittings and gauge and hose barb like the article that was linked in the previous post.

for the CIP ball they mentioned that they don't make one that points down except on the big 3 and 4 inch triclovers. they are trying to create something but it's still in development. but also like doc said, it's probably better to clean it by hand anyway. those CIP balls are just so cool.

the parts should be here next week, definitely in time for my next planned brewday.

big thanks to everyone that helped me figure this out and helped me avoid buying the wrong things.
 
For the guys who try to use all triclover fittings and transfer to a corny, does it slightly bother you that you have to use plastic disconnects at the end of the process? Or are you just not concerned with the difference in sanitation of the fittings after the beer has alcohol in it?
 
truebe said:
For the guys who try to use all triclover fittings and transfer to a corny, does it slightly bother you that you have to use plastic disconnects at the end of the process? Or are you just not concerned with the difference in sanitation of the fittings after the beer has alcohol in it?
Click to expand...

I have zero worries about it, it's really no different than people that have a kegging system and use the quick disconnects for beer after beer. They disassemble relatively easily and if you are that worried about them they are cheap enough that they are replaceable.
 
truebe said:
For the guys who try to use all triclover fittings and transfer to a corny, does it slightly bother you that you have to use plastic disconnects at the end of the process? Or are you just not concerned with the difference in sanitation of the fittings after the beer has alcohol in it?
Click to expand...

http://www.homebrewing.org/Stainless-Steel-MFL-Liquid-Ball-Lock-Disconnect-_p_948.html
http://www.homebrewing.org/Stainless-Steel-MFL-GAS-Ball-Lock-Disconnect-_p_1314.html

Not everybody has to use plastic disconnects. But most of us do ;)
 
This is exactly what i'm looking to accomplish, but I've been waiting on the purchase of the fermenter until the FTSS controller kit comes out for it. Nice fermentation chamber idea, Tripel. I also like the casters.

Did I read your post correctly that you're not using a dip tube?
 
soonerpike1748 said:
This is exactly what i'm looking to accomplish, but I've been waiting on the purchase of the fermenter until the FTSS controller kit comes out for it. Nice fermentation chamber idea, Tripel. I also like the casters.

Did I read your post correctly that you're not using a dip tube?
Click to expand...


Soonerpike,

Thx.

Yes, you did read that correctly. No ill effects so far. Once the (7 gal.) conical empties to the level of the sample port it's quite light and easy to tip. If it were a half barrel I'd probably consider another solution.
 
crownsdown said:
Don't buy that racking cane from morebeer. I also have an SS Brewtech half barrel fermenter and the racking cane ferrule is smaller than 1.5 inch. The bottom ferrule is true 1.5" diameter, but the racking port is not. It looks like it's 1.0 inch. That racking cane won't fit past the bend.
Click to expand...

I talked to the guys at morebeer and they said this would work. Got it today and it fits fine with the 7 gal chronical. They might have made adjustments.
 
So I called the guys at morebeer and they said it will fit. Unfortunately, the racking arm went on BACKORDER by the time I got around to placing the order!

Oh well...
 
The more beer racking arm is back in stock. I ordered a pair to go with my 14g brew techs. Hopefully the reports that it fits are right
 
I just wanted to chime in and mention that the "C02 blanket" theory dose not work in real life... I thought the same thing as I was told this too and someone shared a youtube video showing a lab experiment where they disprove this myth.... the gases mix almost instantly.
 
The gases may mix initially but I am sure that CO2 will settle to the bottom. At least that is what my lungs tell me when I stick my head down into my chest freezer fermenter.
 
gueykewl said:
The gases may mix initially but I am sure that CO2 will settle to the bottom. At least that is what my lungs tell me when I stick my head down into my chest freezer fermenter.
Click to expand...
Thats the misconception... the video actually colored the gases somehow and showed in real time how they mixed together into one gas and stayed that way.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/any-concerns-oversized-conical-496269/index2.html

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_oLPBnhOCjM[/ame]
 
soonerpike1748 said:
Which one did you order? The one I'm waiting on is here: http://morebeer.com/products/conical-racking-arm-sample-valve-assembly.html

Folks at morebeer confirmed that this one fits the half barrel chronical.
Click to expand...

That's the one I ordered for my 14g Brewtechs. I had signed up to be notified when they were back in stock. I did NOT get an email from them!!! Friday night before bed...on a whim, I went to look at the product page and it "in stock". I ordered a pair and got a shipping notice Saturday afternoon.
Good luck. My conicals are due on Tuesday and the racking arm is due on Thursday (why can't people stock stuff on the east coast?)
Will report back my progress.


I plan my setup to have wheels to give mobility and also extra clearance on the bottom valve and hopefully just go butterfly valve straight out the bottom (no 90 degree elbow).
 
Can't believe I missed them being in stock!!!

I'm considering adding casters to my setup as well. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
 
Posting this for a review/details on the Half Barrel Chronicle FTSS temp. control system from SS Brewtech.

I purchased one of the SS Brewtech Half Barrel Chronicles. One of the things I liked was the tricclover fitting on the top of the lid and pressure relief valve that can accommodate 5psi CO2 transfers of beer from fermenter to keg in a closed loop. I brew a lot of hoppy beers, so it was important to have that type of feature. I also changed the valves out to butterfly valves since I prefer those.

I just purchased and received the FTSS temp control system for this fermenter and was a tad bit disappointed with some of the features. Overall, I like the design and concept and it works great. But, for the reasons I purchased this fermenter, the FTSS set up doesn't have a lot of my requirements in mind (triclover fittings, CO2 transfers, etc.). The lid has no pressure relief valve on it, no tri clover fitting on the lid to accommodate the triclover connection set up I built for CO2 transfers on other conicals I have, and the lid isn't domed/curved. It's flat like the one on the 14 gallon set up. Also, the airlock set up is way too small for a half barrel set up. It uses the same tiny rubber airlock stopper that the brew buckets use. I really wanted to see a triclover fitting on the lid to accommodate a blowoff tube setup also. Just an FYI for those purchasing one of these.

So, my solution is I'm going to drill a small hole in the lid and install the pressure relief valve (SS Brewtech sells the pressure relief valves) and then I'm going to drill another hole in the lid and punch out a 1/2in. section with my greenlee hole puncher and then fasten in a triclover 1.5" x 1/2 male NPT piece to serve as a more adequate blowoff tube port and as a connection point for my triclover CO2 transfer system.

I'll post some photos once I've completed this. I'd imagine, if you are a home brewer purchasing a half barrel setup, having triclover fittings for CO2 transfers is really important to you.
 
Hmmm, the 14gal has a pressure relief valve in the lid. Doesn't the blow off fitting bung just come out? Maybe I'm not following.

Todd
 

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