Leaking Fermenter Tap

[tgolanos]

I just brewed up 23L of beer and set it in my fermenter. The fermenter has a screw-in tap and sediment reducer for bottling and I noticed that it was dripping. It was almost like the spigot was ever so slightly opened so my fist try was to make sure it was in the off position fully. I tried turning the tap so the spigot faced upwards but it's still leaking.

My best guess is that a gasket is loose. I've never paid attention to the tap on my fermenter before but it seems full of brew even though the spigot is switched fully off. I would think it is, but is this normal?

It's not dripping heavily or frequently so I'm not losing that much beer. I'm most concerned with getting a possible infection if something's not sealed properly. Should I be concerned? Is there a possible fix to this or should I just go with putting a towel underneath?

 

[petey_c]

tgolanos, You might want to go to the local hardware/home improvement store and see if they have a rubber/cork stopper that you can use to plug up the end of the spigot.

 

[RM-MN]

It's likely that the gasket is leaking or that the threaded part of the spigot has cracked. Mine cracked and had to be replaced. My gaskets also leaked a time or two if the spigot wasn't tightened enough so when I really tightened it the spigot cracked in the threaded part.

For this batch I would just let it drip onto a towel and then replace the spigot. I'd also invest in a fermenting bucket without the spigot and rack the beer to the bucket with the spigot for bottling after the fermentation is done. That will reduce the chance of having the spigot break and losing a full batch of beer.

 

[unionrdr]

Sounds like you have a Cooper's fermenter? I have the Micro Brew FV from them. The spigot that came with it had to be screwed in really tight to seal, & eventually started leaking. I replaced it with a new one I got in a previous trade. No more leaks, as the threads were stripped out a bit on the end of the old spigot.
Now, as for bucket-type fermenters, here's something I came up with to make it easier to get a good seal with those red & white Italian spigots;
I traced the spigot seal onto this rubber patch material at Lowe's/home depot near the isle with the tubing & cut it with a razor knife;

Then mounted it first on the inside end of the spigot, then the stock seal & lock lug;

This extra, thin seal makes it easier to seal properly without having to over-tighten. Seals real well & cleans easily.

 

[tgolanos]

Sounds like you have a Cooper's fermenter? I have the Micro Brew FV from them. The spigot that came with it had to be screwed in really tight to seal, & eventually started leaking.

Not a Cooper's from what I can tell (no brand on it) but your run-of-the-mill plastic fermenter bucket.

Now, as for bucket-type fermenters, here's something I came up with to make it easier to get a good seal with those red & white Italian spigots;
I traced the spigot seal onto this rubber patch material at Lowe's/home depot near the isle with the tubing & cut it with a razor knife;

Then mounted it first on the inside end of the spigot, then the stock seal & lock lug;

This extra, thin seal makes it easier to seal properly without having to over-tighten. Seals real well & cleans easily.

Once the beer I've got in the fermenter is bottled I'll take a look at it and see what I can do. Hopefully it's something simple but if I have to, I'll go get some rubber and give your method a try.

 

[metanoia]

Lots of people don't like the spigot on the fermentation buckets, but I live and die by them. As long as you have a tight seal, there's not much to worry about with leaks. They make it extremely simple to draw off a couple of ounces for a gravity reading compared to opening the lid to the atmosphere in your house, sticking a thief or racking cane into the beer, then sealing everything back up. Racking to the bottling bucket is easier as well, not to mention you're drawing from above the yeast cake with the spigot, compared to trying to keep a racking cane off the bottom of the fermenter. They're also cheap and easy to replace if they get grimy, but I've never had an issue running soap, hot water, and sanitizer through them to get them clean.

 

[KartRacer54]

Should be a seal in ant of the bucket, mine do not leak. But if it coming out of the spout there is another problem.

 

[unionrdr]

The problem with the red & white Italian spigots is getting them tightened just right. Not enough, & it leaks. Too much, to where the seal is squished outward, & it leaks. My extra seal negates that over-tightening from the inside. It forces the whole thing to snug up more easily.