Spike Conical- observations and best practices

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Last edited:
ShaLaH said:
Here's a ridiculous question. I'm getting ready to rack to a keg. How do you transfer the wort out of the racking port? I have a 1.5" flare to connect to the port but what size tubing do I need to fit over this beefy thing?
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1.5" triclover to a 1/4" flare maybe? A 1.5" flare fitting is like a hydraulic line fitting for a moon rocket lol

Flare is the hydraulic fitting with a sealing surface, like what ball lock and pin lock QD's screw onto
 
Brooothru said:
For some reason I can't copy/paste the link, but google:

Keg Factory
Ss Brewtech Sight Gauge 1.5" TC
$29.95

I think it might be a buck or two less expensive than Ss BT direct, but their shipping may be cheaper. They're also great people to work with and have always done right by me. But so is Keg Factory.

Brooo Brother
Click to expand...

Thanks! I assume you're using a reducer to go from 2" down to 1.5"? Or did I misunderstand and you're putting this on your racking port?
 
Here's a pic in action. Trub has been dumped, soft crash underway to settle the yeast. Day 6 of fermentation of an Irish Red ale. Will harvest yeast, then cold crash for 2-3 days before kegging and conditioning. Already carbed up to 2.4 volumes CO2.
20200519_142445.jpg
 
TheMadKing said:
Thanks! I assume you're using a reducer to go from 2" down to 1.5"? Or did I misunderstand and you're putting this on your racking port?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I forgot the Spike has a 2" dump valve port. I've got two SsBT units and the dump is 1.5", so yes you'd need 2" x 1.5" TC reducers.
 
TheMadKing said:
1.5" triclover to a 1/4" flare maybe? A 1.5" flare fitting is like a hydraulic line fitting for a moon rocket lol

Flare is the hydraulic fitting with a sealing surface, like what ball lock and pin lock QD's screw onto
Click to expand...
I don't know why I said flare, I meant barb. What size tubing do I need to fit over one of these: 1.5" TC x Barb | Spike Brewing
 
ShaLaH said:
I don't know why I said flare, I meant barb. What size tubing do I need to fit over one of these: 1.5" TC x Barb | Spike Brewing
Click to expand...

1/2ID like it says in the product description 😜

No offense intended, just hasseling you a little


Edit: wow not only am I slow, I'm an A-hole just like everyone else
 
eric19312 said:
How is this better solution than the Spike sight glass that doesn't restrict your 2" dump port?
Click to expand...

Well, the 2.2" length makes it more compact so the fermenter doesn't need leg extensions. The biggest problem with conicals is their metacentric height and resulting high center of gravity. Leg extensions exacerbate the problem and make them very susceptible to tipping over, especially if mounted on casters.

Brooo Brother
 
Brooothru said:
Well, the 2.2" length makes it more compact so the fermenter doesn't need leg extensions. The biggest problem with conicals is their metacentric height and resulting high center of gravity. Leg extensions exacerbate the problem and make them very susceptible to tipping over, especially if mounted on casters.

Brooo Brother
Click to expand...

If I add the reducer I lose the benefit of the short length though - at that point I'm about at the same length as a normal sight glass.
 
ShaLaH said:
Thanks. Do most people use Silicone tubing for cold side transfers? I thought silicone is highly permeable to oxygen. I usually only use silicone for hot side and blow-off tube.
Click to expand...

Yes! I dont think there's any concern for O2 given the short amount of time the beer will be in the tubing during the transfer.
 
ShaLaH said:
Thanks. Do most people use Silicone tubing for cold side transfers? I thought silicone is highly permeable to oxygen. I usually only use silicone for hot side and blow-off tube.
Click to expand...
Yes, most people do use silicone tubing and yes, it is highly permeable to oxygen so there will be some O2 pickup depending on diameter, wall thickness, overall length, temperature and speed of transfer. And yes, most people think that it is not a concern although it actually is.

If you can't find an alternative keep the tubing as short as possible, the beer as cold as possible and transfer as quickly as possible to minimize pickup.
 
TheMadKing said:
If I add the reducer I lose the benefit of the short length though - at that point I'm about at the same length as a normal sight glass.
Click to expand...

True. As I said earlier I forgot that the Spike dump valve was a 2" TC and would require a reducer. That said, if you ferment under pressure or spund late in the fermentation you're probably going to want to 'choke down' the dump port to a much more restricted exit, or else you may get an unwanted beer bath.

I do spund in the fermenter (unitank) and have recently been experimenting with different pressure fermentations between 2~10 psig to see if there's any benefit in doing it that way. I was worried that a 1.5" dump port might be too restricted with compacted trub or yeast from pressure, but just the opposite has been true. Even when dumping through a 3/8" silicon hose unpressurized (except for the hydrostatic pressure of the beer column) I haven't had any problems dumping through a 1.5" TC port (~1" bore diameter) or the mini sight glass.

Brooo Brother
 
Nagorg said:
If you want to do pressure transfers, pick up one of these 1.5" TC to 1/4" MFL adapters. Its great with some swivel nuts and keg disconnects with some tubing in-between.

View attachment 681134
Click to expand...



I use that with EVA Barrier 5mm line, Duotight fittings on each end, and a beer disconnect to my keg.
 
Vale71 said:
Yes, most people do use silicone tubing and yes, it is highly permeable to oxygen so there will be some O2 pickup depending on diameter, wall thickness, overall length, temperature and speed of transfer. And yes, most people think that it is not a concern although it actually is.

If you can't find an alternative keep the tubing as short as possible, the beer as cold as possible and transfer as quickly as possible to minimize pickup.
Click to expand...

Hey @Vale71 don't take this question the wrong way but do you have a Spike CF fermentor? I really appreciate your perspective but am not understanding how you could live with that giant silicone lid gasket.
 
eric19312 said:
Hey @Vale71 don't take this question the wrong way but do you have a Spike CF fermentor? I really appreciate your perspective but am not understanding how you could live with that giant silicone lid gasket.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing about silicone gaskets on TC fittings... :p
 
Vale71 said:
Nobody, as you wouldn't want to agitate wort/beer in the fermenter at any point in time.
Click to expand...

My only thought (specialized for cold crashing) is carb stone in bottom through a T (after trub removal). This would help to reach lower temperatures during carbonation - if you spread out carbonation over a couple days through stepped psi increase every few hours, perhaps it keeps the beer moving to support low temps enough for long enough for floc time to enable packaging.

Certainly not a solution for long holds, but it’s an option and easy to try if you have a carb stone. As I said earlier, asking Bobby for price on a double coil cooling insert is certainly something I would spec out.
 
mongoose33 said:
If you can find me that pump with greater capacity at a price point reasonably similar to the others, and that will fit in my penguin, I'd be willing to try it.

Betcha can't. :)
Click to expand...


So just out of curiosity I tested my spike pump flow rate and it's every bit of 2gpm... I ran 1 quart of water into a measuring cup 6 times through the tubing and coil and it was right about 7 seconds each time. Maybe you have a bad pump or an older model?
 
eric19312 said:
Hey @Vale71 don't take this question the wrong way but do you have a Spike CF fermentor? I really appreciate your perspective but am not understanding how you could live with that giant silicone lid gasket.
Click to expand...
I don't. And none of the gaskets on my Unitank are made of silicone... :cool:
 
I've decided after much deliberation that I'll just build my own glycol chiller. I can't talk myself into spending $1000 on a chiller that does not provide $700 worth of added value over building my own. The Penguin's reservoir is too small for my liking, and it's a repurposed AC unit anyway (not worth $700 to me). The Icemaster, while somewhat better, doesn't bring anything to the table that a DIY chiller can't do except for a more attractive housing (not worth $700 to me), SS Brewtech looks like a more solid overall choice with higher build quality, but again, doesn't bring anything but looks to the table for the added price. I don't want the built-in pumps or controllers of the IceMaster Max 2 or Max 4.

So I'll see if I can do a nice looking and clean AC/cooler build for under $300 that functions just as well as the commercial units. Then I can get to the fun part of experimenting with my CF5 to see how cold I can get my beer.
 
@TheMadKing

Same boat. I have a spare fridge/freezer in my basement I use for drinks. It can get to below freezing and I have wondered if it could keep a conical or two pretty cool If I repurposed it for glycol chilling.
 
Yesfan said:
@TheMadKing

Same boat. I have a spare fridge/freezer in my basement I use for drinks. It can get to below freezing and I have wondered if it could keep a conical or two pretty cool If I repurposed it for glycol chilling.
Click to expand...

You'd be better off just putting your fermenter in the fridge directly. There's some extensive glycol vs fridge debates on this thread and Mongoose posted his experience with using a freezer to chill his glycol early on. It works, but its more fiddly and less efficient than either just putting your fermenter in the fridge, or buying/building a glycol chiller
 
eric19312 said:
FYI I’ve been talking with Spike and turns out at some point in time they swapped out the Silicone lid gasket for EPDM. I’m trying to find out when.
Click to expand...
Do they look significantly different?

Mine is black and doesn't feel like silicone - manufactured in august 2019
 
eric19312 said:
FYI I’ve been talking with Spike and turns out at some point in time they swapped out the Silicone lid gasket for EPDM. I’m trying to find out when.
Click to expand...
TheMadKing said:
Do they look significantly different?

Mine is black and doesn't feel like silicone - manufactured in august 2019
Click to expand...


Both mine are black too. I don't know the manufacturing date though. How do you find that out? I bought my CF10 in January and my Flex+ in December.
 
TheMadKing said:
You'd be better off just putting your fermenter in the fridge directly. There's some extensive glycol vs fridge debates on this thread and Mongoose posted his experience with using a freezer to chill his glycol early on. It works, but its more fiddly and less efficient than either just putting your fermenter in the fridge, or buying/building a glycol chiller
Click to expand...


Do you have a link to that thread? I may have posted in it, but wanted to see if it's one of the ones I've been watching.
 
eric19312 said:
Just got the word. They made the switch in November. Both gaskets were black. I guess I will order a replacement.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you followed up on this as I will be ordering a couple as well. Correct me if I'm wrong, when it was first mentioned about their lid gasket only a week or two ago, it still read on Spike's website that they were made of silicone. Now after you contacted them, yesterday when I looked it was changed to EPDM. So, is it correct to assume they made the change in November 2019 and forgot to make the change on their website?

BTW, for those that are thinking of replacing all their gaskets, it might be worthwhile to look at this thread I posted about a Memorial Sale with 20% off...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/glacier-tanks-20-off-on-epdm-gaskets.680260/
 
Vale71 said:
Nobody, as you wouldn't want to agitate wort/beer in the fermenter at any point in time.
Click to expand...
Not disagreeing, but would like to understand why you feel so strongly why this (gentle movement, not turbulent agitation) would be a significant issue.
 

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