SS Brewtech Brew Bucket: Converting to 1/2" Ball Valve?

[3toes]

Has anyone converted their Brew Bucket to use a more standard 1/2" NPT ball valve? The 3/8" mini ball valve that comes with it is a bit of a pain, especially when rotating the racking arm.

Plus I'm using camlocks for most all of my connections, and I'd like to keep it that way if possible.

I ordered a 1/2"-to-3/8" NPT hex nipple and a 1/2" NPT ball valve (and corresponding camlock). Wondering if there's anything else I'd need to get the job done? I really don't want to drill into the Brew Bucket...

I guess my main question is how to accommodate the racking arm with the new valve?

 

[Brooothru]

Has anyone converted their Brew Bucket to use a more standard 1/2" NPT ball valve? The 3/8" mini ball valve that comes with it is a bit of a pain, especially when rotating the racking arm.

Plus I'm using camlocks for most all of my connections, and I'd like to keep it that way if possible.

I ordered a 1/2"-to-3/8" NPT hex nipple and a 1/2" NPT ball valve (and corresponding camlock). Wondering if there's anything else I'd need to get the job done? I really don't want to drill into the Brew Bucket...

I guess my main question is how to accommodate the racking arm with the new valve?

I'm thinking that ground clearance, and maybe balance, will be two issues that might be deal breakers. I looked at replacing the mini-ball valve on a 7 gallon Brew Bucket with a spare TC mounted ½" ball valve I had laying around. I'd have to put a ⅜" NPT(M) x TC fitting in between which would add about 1½" to the valve assembly and would also have lost the rotating racking arm, but the forward/downward projection of the total build would only clear the ground by about 2" and would cause problems attaching hoses and TC fittings on the end unless I mounted the tank on an elevated platform. The extra weight might also make it front-heavy. Plus I couldn't figure out how to incorporate the racking arm with any existing fittings I could find online. I guess I could have a fabricator cut out the ball valve and TIG weld a TC ferrule in its place, but that seems a bit of a pricey overkill.

In the end I figured I didn't really need the Brew Bucket for beer anyway (I've got a Chronical and a Unitank as well in the basement brewery), so I abandoned the idea. The Brew Bucket does make an incredible wine fermenter though, and it sure isn't collecting any dust. I use the mini-ball valve to draw samples of the fermenting wine and transfer using a diaphragm pump and stainless steel racking arm, so the lack of size in the mini-ball valve really isn't a problem for me.

Let me know if you find a workable modification. I've got three ball valves and 2 butterfly valves looking for something to attach to.

Brooo Brother

 

[Spartan1979]

Take a look at this starting with post #18.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brew-bucket-3-piece-ball-valve.575214/

 

[Brooothru]

Take a look at this starting with post #18.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brew-bucket-3-piece-ball-valve.575214/

Great thread! You can really see from the pics what my concern was regarding clearance. Further down the thread, that link to the Brewer's Hardware two-piece ball valve really caught my eye. Unfortunately it's ½" NPT instead of ⅜". Adding a reducer would only increase the length, plus decrease the flow rate. At the end of the day, by far the best solution would be a 1½" TC ferrule mounted on the Brew Bucket, which would open up a whole new universe of readily available adaptations.

At some point in time I might be tempted to revisit the idea. It wouldn't be a difficult mod for a metal fabricator to do, but it wouldn't be cheap either. I don't have the time, talent or equipment to attempt it on my own, plus Momma says I have enough toys to play with already. Thanks for the link.

Brooo Brother

 

[3toes]

Take a look at this starting with post #18.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brew-bucket-3-piece-ball-valve.575214/

Thanks for this! I've actually landed at a similar solution, but I have to go 1/2" for the ball valve since I'm doing camlocks. Definitely good to know about the compression fitting further down the page. I figured I'd have to find a new racking arm, but now I can make it work with the existing.

And as far as ground clearance goes, I don't have much concern. Mine is sitting on reinforced shelf inside an upright fridge, and sits a good 12" above the ground. The bigger concern for me will be clearance to the door of the chamber. But with the valve angled downward, it may not be an issue.