Spunding Valve Idea

After looking at the spunding valves on HBT I wanted to make my own for my 3 gallon keg. Since at this time I only have a portable CO2 pump I also wanted a way to use the pump and also keep people from overgassing the keg. I came up with this idea and hope it works. More or less its a spunding valve with an input for the CO2 pump. I also have a cap for the input in case I want to use it for only a spunding valve. Anyone see any problems with this setup or improvements I could make?

 

parts list please? i am reading up on the pressurized fermentation and this looks like something i might want to copy. nice work

 

Spunding Valve with CO2 Input
PARTS LIST
0-60 Pressure Gauge (Midwest Supplies) $7.99
Cdi Control Devices CR25 Valve, Pressure Relief (DrillSpot.com) $16.47
1/4" NPT Brass 4-way fitting (Local Hardware Store) $11.00
1/4" MPT to 1/4" MFL (Local Hardware Store) $2.49
1/4" MPT to 1/4" FFL (Midwest Supplies) $6.99
Ball Lock Gas Disconnect, Threaded (Midwest Supplies) $5.50
1/4" Flare Cap (Local Hardware Store) $1.09

 

I am also working on a regular spunding valve. I am just waiting on the pressure gauge. Its the same setup except it uses a 3-way tee fitting instead of the 4-way so I could eliminate the CO2 input. The pressure gauge will also be a rear mount and not bottom mount. I will post a finished pic when I get the gauge but this is it so far.

 

Do you plan on serving from this? I just read an article where the author says doing this during secondary the added bennefit it you don't need to rack to a serving vessel. I've seen a lot of trub (lees) in my secondarys (carboy) and would never think about serving with all that in there.

 

My plan is to sugar prime in a 3 gal. keg for carbonation at room temp. I can set the spunding valve to vent out any excess CO2. I will then serve from the 3 gal. keg after it is chilled and using my portable CO2 pump. I can dial in the spunding valve according to my temp to prevent people from overgassing the keg for serving. This is all in theory anyways...I have yet to attempt this.

 

just wondering if this would work...inline pressure regulator for air compression from homedepot. 30 bucks

regulates pressure 0-200 psi.

 

Again this is new for me but, here is my understanding. An inline regulator will regulate the pressure going in. If you set it at 25 psi nothing more that 25 will pass through it. The pressure relief valves do the opposite, they release pressure from the inside out at a set pressure. If the PRV is set at 25 psi and pressure inside keg gets too high it will vent out until it reaches the 25 psi again.

So if you wanted to use an inline regulator to prevent more CO2 than a set psi entering the keg that would work. However it will not vent out the keg if too much pressure is inside...for example with me, I plan to sugar prime in the sealed keg. If I had too much sugar, the excess will vent out according to my set psi.

 

Williams brewing has a nice spunding valve available for a reasonable cost . I changed out there 15 psi guage to a 60 for room temp fermentation pressures . It would cost me just as much to build it.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/KEG-PRESSURE-TESTER-WITH-ADJUSTABLE-RELIEF-VALVE-P2880.aspx

 

If you wanted to force carb for two days wouldn't you want one that goes to 30 psi? Is the valve able to go higher than 15 psi? I have just started researching and was trying to find a valve that would work for me.

 

And where's the fun in that!!!

 

The valve goes as high as you set it , I don't know why they put such a small guage on it considering a co2 volume of 2.5 @ 68 degrees is 30 psi , thats why I changed the guage out .

 

I guess if I would have seen that one at William's I probably would have bought one. That price is good. However, I am a sucker for DIY projects (my stir plate, CFC, and spunding valves so far and I am just getting started in brewing.)

 

My gauge arrived today. Here is my finished spunding valve.

 

Can you give us a parts list BrewBug???

 

The initial one with the cap is a clever mod. My looks like brewbugs. I have a zero to 60 and I wish I built it with a 0-30. I've never had it higher than 30 and I suspect the 30 is more accurate at lower levels. I could easily rebuild it, I just haven't got around to it. I own three and its my favorite toy in my brewing arsenal.

 

Post #3 gives parts lists for the same thing only with a CO2 input.

PARTS LIST
0-60 Pressure Gauge (Rear Mount) (Ebay) $6.99
Cdi Control Devices CR25 Valve, Pressure Relief (DrillSpot.com) $16.47
1/4" NPT Brass 3-way fitting (Local Hardware Store) $11.00
1/4" MPT to 1/4" FFL (Midwest Supplies) $6.99
Ball Lock Gas Disconnect, Threaded (Midwest Supplies) $5.50