Pick up tube for Keggle

[f0xtr0t]

I use a keggle. I also have a 1/2 ball valve and a weldless bulkhead for a spigot. I have that attached to a bazooka screen which gets clogged up with pellet hops. I am just tired of tilting the keg to run through my CF chiller. So instead of paying 23 for a stainless steel pickup tube. I decided that I could make one of out copper.

I got a $25 gift card to Tractor supply from SWMBO so I bought one of those propane torch solder kits. I've never soldered anything but wires and electronics but sweating a fitting looks similar. The kit came with a nozzle, tank, lead free solder and flux. Well I just got a 2 ft section of M 1/2 pipe, a female to FIP connector, and a 45 degree elbow. The ball valve is 1/2 so I wanted to go at least that big. I have read that you must have your pickup tube larger in diameter then your siphon hose or it won't work. My CFC is 3/8 so we are good.

I cut a 2 inch section and a 4 inch section. Test fit and this puts me about 1/2 from the bottom of the keggle near the center ring. I marked the up axis so that I will be able to make sure I'm facing down when I reinstall.

Soldering was a little tricky. I got solder all over the place and I'll have to remember It was stupid to solder barefoot. Anyway here it is. I had a bad joint on the first entry into the 45 so I had to redo that one. ...I can't wait to try it out on my Platinum Hefeweizen

 

[Bobby_M]

Just a quick tube sweating tip... the joints have to be very very clean. You need to wirebrush or sandpaper the interior of the fittings and exterior of the pipe. Flux, then solder. It looks like everything may have been overheated quite a bit. In the intended purpose, no problem at all but in a plumbing situation, you might find the tips to be helpful.

 

[f0xtr0t]

Aye I had some green flame. I also was heating the pipe. I now understand I should have applied heat to the fitting.