Keeping a Hood thermowell on the carboy

[McMalty]

Anyone have any idea how to actually keep a hood thermowell on the carboy during fermentation?

when i just fit it onto the rim of my 6 gal carboy, the CO2 just pushed it up enough to break the seal and release the gas. So then i got some electrical tape and taped it on, wrapping it about 6 times, but nope, it apparently just pushed the tape about an inch higher, enough to once again break the seal. I'm not too worried about contamination since it was covered the entire time, but shouldn't this thing work without the assistance of tape? (or not work even with tape, as in my case)

 

[Spartan1979]

Are you sure you have the right one for your carboy? I think there's 2 different ones. Mine fit fine on my better bottles and keep good seal with no additional fastening.

 

[stevea1210]

did you have an airlock on it? The only way I can think of enough pressure being built up to push it off is if there isn't an airlock to allow the CO2 to escape.

 

[McMalty]

did you have an airlock on it? The only way I can think of enough pressure being built up to push it off is if there isn't an airlock to allow the CO2 to escape.

Yes, it had an airlock. It pushed the thermowell off when fermentation had barely begun, when the airlock was barely even bubbling....

 

[stevea1210]

Wow that's strange. If you had an airlock then the co2 should have just escaped.

And if you did have the wrong size one, the tape should have held it.

The only times I've had things like that happen was when I was racking out of the fermenter and had the regulator pressure too high (I rack using co2).

Not sure what else would cause that....sorry

 

[McMalty]

Wow that's strange. If you had an airlock then the co2 should have just escaped.

And if you did have the wrong size one, the tape should have held it.

The only times I've had things like that happen was when I was racking out of the fermenter and had the regulator pressure too high (I rack using co2).

Not sure what else would cause that....sorry

yeah, i was baffled at first....i saw a slightly bubbling krausen that definitely signified the release of co2, then i figured it out and taped around the edge of the thermowell and immediately the airlock started to bubble. the second time it came off was def b/c the airlock was clogged, but regardless, i thought the thermowell would just seal like it should.

 

[dutchoven]

I've used zip ties, but its like playing with fire ... One plugged blowoff tube and you have a grenade on your hands ... I like these better: http://morebeer.com/view_product/8237/103702/Rubber_Carboy_Hood

 

[McMalty]

I've used zip ties, but its like playing with fire ... One plugged blowoff tube and you have a grenade on your hands ... I like these better: http://morebeer.com/view_product/8237/103702/Rubber_Carboy_Hood

Yes, but I need a thermowell for temp control.... So that thing won't work

 

[jfowler1]

I used an oversized hose clamp and tightened the whole hood to the top of my better bottle to create an air-tight seal. I had previously tried tape, rubber bands, etc - the hose clamp (some people call them worm clamps) is the way to go.

Also, the carboy cap thermowell from morebeer has 2 "nipples" on the top. I use the smaller diameter nipple (the one offset from center) for my thermowell. I found a piece of vinyl tubing (I think it is 3/4") to act as the blowoff tube. The tubing goes over the larger nipple in the center of the cap, and that too gets secured in place with a smaller hose clamp.

I can take pictures of the carboy tonight if you need clarity.

 

[McMalty]

I used an oversized hose clamp and tightened the whole hood to the top of my better bottle to create an air-tight seal. I had previously tried tape, rubber bands, etc - the hose clamp (some people call them worm clamps) is the way to go.

Also, the carboy cap thermowell from morebeer has 2 "nipples" on the top. I use the smaller diameter nipple (the one offset from center) for my thermowell. I found a piece of vinyl tubing (I think it is 3/4") to act as the blowoff tube. The tubing goes over the larger nipple in the center of the cap, and that too gets secured in place with a smaller hose clamp.

I can take pictures of the carboy tonight if you need clarity.

Sure, send a pic if uve got one. Thanks

 

[jfowler1]

Sure, send a pic if uve got one. Thanks

Here is a close up of the carboy cap w/ blow-off connection, thermowell, and hose clamps.



Here is the blow-off hose going into a glass growler. As you can see, this was exactly 5 gallons in a 6 gallon better bottle, and the blowoff was insane (McDole's JBA). Had the carboy cap not been air tight, I would have had a mess all over the fermentation chamber.



Finally, here is a pic that shows the carboy cap assembly, the fermwrap (held on with a bungee chord), and the temp controller that the fermwrap plugs into. Again, all that blow-off, and no mess.

 

[McMalty]

thats exactly what i need to do, thanks man