What Sealant Should I Use?

[dongtokes]

I have a 5 gallon HDPE food grade bucket and I'm wanting to afix an air lock to the lid. What type of sealant should I use? to make sure the hole I plug the air lock into is air tight?

 

[EJay]

I would just use a rubber grommet.

 

[Hello]

You don't need a sealant. Use the rubber stopper.

 

[dongtokes]

I would use the rubber stopper, but I had a hard time cutting a clean circle big enough for it to fit. I had a much easier time melting a hole through the lid with a hot metal rod big enough for just the end of the airlock to fit.

 

[Hello]

Food safe silicone.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If the airlock is a reasonably tight fit, I would call it good enough, it really doesn't need to be a perfect seal, just closed.

I wouldn't think glueing it in is a good approach, but if it's loose maybe you could wrap it in Saran Wrap and make a pseudo gasket and shove it in.

 

[dongtokes]

Food safe silicone.

Can it be had at home depot or the likes?

 

[WI_Wino]

Buy one of these grommets and drill the appropriate size hole.

http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/841305.htm

 

[wilserbrewer]

Glueing your airlock to the fermenter lid seems silly to me. Unless your planning some long term aging process, your airlock is not really critical.

Does it fit snug in the hole?

You could just soak a cotton ball in star San and plug the hole. Or put a piece of tape over the hole with a pin hole or two once fermentation slows.

Airlocks are really meant for secondary aging when the beer is still, not so much needed at all on a bucket during active fermentation.

I've heard some folks just set the lid on the bucket without snapping it down, while that might be extreme, I think your trying too hard here.

Jmo

To your question, I believe dap 100% silicon is food grade, yet some purists order a sealant from McMaster for big bucks.

 

[dongtokes]

Glueing your airlock to the fermenter lid seems silly to me. Unless your planning some long term aging process, your airlock is not really critical.

Does it fit snug in the hole?

You could just soak a cotton ball in star San and plug the hole. Or put a piece of tape over the hole with a pin hole or two once fermentation slows.

Airlocks are really meant for secondary aging when the beer is still, not so much needed at all on a bucket during active fermentation.

I've heard some folks just set the lid on the bucket without snapping it down, while that might be extreme, I think your trying too hard here.

Jmo

To your question, I believe dap 100% silicon is food grade, yet some purists order a sealant from McMaster for big bucks.

My understanding of the airlock is that it allows for the CO2 to escape, and nothing harmful (bacteria, etc) can get in. So you are saying that it's not necessary?

 

[Spartan1979]

I would use the rubber stopper, but I had a hard time cutting a clean circle big enough for it to fit. I had a much easier time melting a hole through the lid with a hot metal rod big enough for just the end of the airlock to fit.

Why wouldn't you just use a drill bit?

 

[dongtokes]

Why wouldn't you just use a drill bit?

lol, trust me, I did. Not a tight enough fit for me.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Plumbers putty for a temporary fix. JB weld if you want to play for keeps.

 

[IslandLizard]

You really want a grommet so you can:

• Remove the airlock whenever you need to
• Clean and sanitize both lid and airlock
• Siphon out hydrometer samples without lifting the lid and disturbing the head space too much

 

[wilserbrewer]

I had a much easier time melting a hole through the lid with a hot metal rod big enough for just the end of the airlock to fit.

Ok, if I were you I would stick the airlock In the hole that you say is just bigger than the tip of the airlock and call it good.

I've asked twice now, is it a reasonably snug fit?

Rdwhahb

DAP 100% silicon sealant is safe for incidental food contact, they stock it at HD.

Bacteria cannot do a triple lindy dive into your fermenter

 

[GuldTuborg]

Drill larger and use a universal stopper and airlock. Or if you must, attach the stopper to the lid, not the airlock. Trust me, you're going to want to pull that airlock off to clean it before long. Or just save yourself some trouble and buy a new lid now.

 

[IslandLizard]

I have a whole bunch of nice 3.5 gallon buckets here with gasketed screw lids.

In a few of the lids I drilled a 1" hole with a hole saw and sanded/polished them smooth with sandpaper around a dowel. The hole fits regular drilled stoppers/bungs in which I can stick an airlock. I can also get samples very easily, look inside if I want too, add dry hop, spices, sugary adjuncts, fruit, etc., without lifting the lid.

 

[Sailingeric]

My understanding of the airlock is that it allows for the CO2 to escape, and nothing harmful (bacteria, etc) can get in. So you are saying that it's not necessary?

The video link below will give some idea of why you may not need an airlock. My brewcraft buckets dont seal well and I have never seen a bubble come out of them and when I get some new buckets will do it sans the hole. Once you get the CO2 and yeast doing their thing you will be fine with just a lid on it. I have never had an infection from my poor sealing lids.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClXKMhcFr0[/ame]

 

[dongtokes]

The video link below will give some idea of why you may not need an airlock. My brewcraft buckets dont seal well and I have never seen a bubble come out of them and when I get some new buckets will do it sans the hole. Once you get the CO2 and yeast doing their thing you will be fine with just a lid on it. I have never had an infection from my poor sealing lids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClXKMhcFr0

Wow, that was pretty cool. I went ahead and sealed it with the DAP 100% silicon. I guess I'll just break the seal to clean it when the time comes, or I may just leave the hole and call it good.