rmchair
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2009
- Messages
- 158
- Reaction score
- 48
I picked this replacement top up on sale at Williams brewing. This plastic lid has what looks like the top of a two liter bottle attached via a metal clamp. There is also a pressure release hole and two angled spouts for ball lock posts. (I broke the original top trying to pry off before i figured out to use a plastic car trim tool).
Unfortunately, as i discovered, the clamp wants to secretly leak pressure above a few psi, so it needs some keg lube on the seal. Metal compressing on plastic... Also, the added height forced me to mount my airlock on the lower angled opening. No biggie. Ill use a blow off next time.
As luck would have it, when i went to do a hop addition i realized i forgot to install my floating draft line. DOH!
The hole opening is big enough for the floating ball. Cool, but the throat narrows down too much to allow it through. So i had to remove the whole top. But, of course the top cant unscrew with the ball lock caps screwed on. And oops…the top cant screw back on with the ball locks reattached. (Insert Brian Cranston grabbing his forehead gif)
Essentially, there is nothing about the geometrics of this cap that is helpful, other than giving you a top to pour hops in, which is something. There are added leak points for using pressure. Even if i hadnt forgot the draft line, it would be nice to add it after the high krausen. But that is not worth all the twisting and reattaching.
Unfortunately, as i discovered, the clamp wants to secretly leak pressure above a few psi, so it needs some keg lube on the seal. Metal compressing on plastic... Also, the added height forced me to mount my airlock on the lower angled opening. No biggie. Ill use a blow off next time.
As luck would have it, when i went to do a hop addition i realized i forgot to install my floating draft line. DOH!
The hole opening is big enough for the floating ball. Cool, but the throat narrows down too much to allow it through. So i had to remove the whole top. But, of course the top cant unscrew with the ball lock caps screwed on. And oops…the top cant screw back on with the ball locks reattached. (Insert Brian Cranston grabbing his forehead gif)
Essentially, there is nothing about the geometrics of this cap that is helpful, other than giving you a top to pour hops in, which is something. There are added leak points for using pressure. Even if i hadnt forgot the draft line, it would be nice to add it after the high krausen. But that is not worth all the twisting and reattaching.