Cornelius Keg Lid with TC Clamp opening?

[HDBomber]

I've scoured a bit and can't find it anywhere. I've purchased a Cornical setup and am thinking about how I'm going to dry hop. I've got and idea but it all starts with a TC ferrule in a standard Cornelius Keg lid. Has anyone seen one?

 

[mwayne112]

Super interested as well, might want to try JayBird?

 

[HDBomber]

I actually work for a company that does stainless fabrication so getting one made shouldn't be a problem. Just seems like someone must have done it before?

 

[mwayne112]

I like to ferment in cornies and so far I haven't been able to find one. Now granted I'm not as able as yourself to manufacture one, so let me know if you get it done!

 

[HDBomber]

Current project they’re working on for me... cut off original top and 2 ports, add 6” TC ferrule for Glycol Coil.

 

[HDBomber]

Fermenting lid for Cornical FV comes with a 1/2" MNPT fitting. I pieced together this Hop Hopper from bits around the shop. Seems like it ought to work.

 

[mwayne112]

I shot Jaybird an email, waiting to see what he says. I'm a little worried about the size of that bore for getting pellet hops in, let me know if it works.

 

[HDBomber]

Will do. Ive got a couple ideas if it doesn’t work straight away. Crush em. Gas port on the cover and pressurize higher than the FV.

 

[nick sekerak]

with some retrofitting you can add the weldless TC port from brewhardware.com, i think you should have enough room no welding needed. I was thinking about ordering one just to toy with to make a hop doser also

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15wlf.htm

 

[HDBomber]

with some retrofitting you can add the weldless TC port from brewhardware.com, i think you should have enough room no welding needed. I was thinking about ordering one just to toy with to make a hop doser also

I can confirm that 1.5" TC Ferrule needs to be extended about 2.25" above the cover to clear the lock down lever on this cover. Great idea though if you have the clearance.

 

[lump42]

with some retrofitting you can add the weldless TC port from brewhardware.com, i think you should have enough room no welding needed. I was thinking about ordering one just to toy with to make a hop doser also

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tc15wlf.htm

Or if he has access to ss welders, brew hardware has solder and weld triclamp flanges.

 

[Brooothru]

Don't want to pee on anyone's Wheaties, but the lack of a proper PRV should raise some serious red flags. Worst case scenario, the keg over-pressurizes. Remember, it's rated to 130 psi. From an engineering standpoint that means its 50% overload/fail point is around 190 psi. A regular pressure cooker has a safety release slightly above 1 bar/14.7 psi, so an unchecked over pressure to 190 psi would be much greater than an exploding pressure cooker (about 10 times greater, if not 100 times greater considering area rule).

Remember the Boston Marathon bombers? Yep, used a pressure cooker. So if its burst pressure was ~15 psi + 50% = ~22 psi, what do you suspect the blast field would be if a roughly 4x greater volume under 10x or 100x greater pressure decided to come unglued? Granted, this explanation doesn't take into account the explosive energy and the rapid chemical expansion going on inside the pressure cooker turned IED before it's breached, but this over-simplification should convince you nevertheless that Bubba, you don't even want to be in the next adjacent county to that 'bottle bomb' when it blows. High pressure fluids are not something to take casually.

Brooo Brother

 

[HDBomber]

Don't want to pee on anyone's Wheaties, but the lack of a proper PRV should raise some serious red flags. Worst case scenario, the keg over-pressurizes. Remember, it's rated to 130 psi. From an engineering standpoint that means its 50% overload/fail point is around 190 psi. A regular pressure cooker has a safety release slightly above 1 bar/14.7 psi, so an unchecked over pressure to 190 psi would be much greater than an exploding pressure cooker (about 10 times greater, if not 100 times greater considering area rule).

Remember the Boston Marathon bombers? Yep, used a pressure cooker. So if its burst pressure was ~15 psi + 50% = ~22 psi, what do you suspect the blast field would be if a roughly 4x greater volume under 10x or 100x greater pressure decided to come unglued? Granted, this explanation doesn't take into account the explosive energy and the rapid chemical expansion going on inside the pressure cooker turned IED before it's breached, but this over-simplification should convince you nevertheless that Bubba, you don't even want to be in the next adjacent county to that 'bottle bomb' when it blows. High pressure fluids are not something to take casually.

Brooo Brother

Cornical Keg has a PRV

 

[Brooothru]

....until the S-trap gets clogged with krausen....

I certainly know that I'm not the only person who's had one block from a vigorous fermentation, resulting in a krausen volcano when the lid popped off a bucket fermenter. That snap on lid on a plastic fermenter won't hold 2 ATM/29 psig without popping off, but at least nobody dies when it does (will).

To be fair, as long as the bubbler doesn't clog, the keg will vent. I'm not comfortable betting my health and well being on a $.50 piece of plastic. You may be. But the device the OP built is designed to seal the keg to achieve an oxygen free dry hop dump.

And as I noted, both his and yours lack a proper PRV. A PRV isn't there to release pressure. It's primary function is to prevent a catastrophic explosion.

Brooo Brother

 

[Brooothru]

....until the S-trap gets clogged with krausen....

I certainly know that I'm not the only person who's had one block from a vigorous fermentation, resulting in a krausen volcano when the lid popped off a bucket fermenter. That snap on lid on a plastic fermenter won't hold 2 ATM/29 psig without popping off, but at least nobody dies when it does (will).

To be fair, as long as the bubbler doesn't clog, the keg will vent. I'm not comfortable betting my health and well being on a $.50 piece of plastic. You may be. But the device the OP built is designed to seal the keg to achieve an oxygen free dry hop dump.

And as I noted, both his and yours lack a proper PRV. A PRV isn't there to release pressure. It's primary function is to prevent a catastrophic explosion.

Brooo Brother

Oops. My bad. I see the PRV now. Good build.

 

[HDBomber]

 

[verboten]

A TC fitting will probably be too big to get the lid in the keg. Even my carbonation lid can be difficult to get in there.

 

[eleed]

I shot Jaybird an email, waiting to see what he says. I'm a little worried about the size of that bore for getting pellet hops in, let me know if it works.

I also ferment in a corny and have been looking for a way to dry hop without opening the lid and came across this tread. Did you end up getting a response or finding a solution? Thanks!

 

[HDBomber]

I also ferment in a corny and have been looking for a way to dry hop without opening the lid and came across this tread. Did you end up getting a response or finding a solution? Thanks!

Nah, I've just been opening the lid and purging...

 

[mwayne112]

I also ferment in a corny and have been looking for a way to dry hop without opening the lid and came across this tread. Did you end up getting a response or finding a solution? Thanks!

I had JayBird fab up a corny lid with a 3/4" tri clamp (or maybe it was a 1/2"). It looked nice but was just a little too small in diameter.

 

[Inimicu]

Trying my hand at this. Not quite there, but close

 

[dirkomatic]

Trying my hand at this. Not quite there, but close
View attachment 734116View attachment 734117

What size is that? And why is it not quite there? Because the handle isn't wide enough?

 

[Inimicu]

1.5"
Lid doesn't close properly. Lever is sitting on the triclamp opening. Won't actually allow anything to connect to it currently.

I think I could cut the lever on the lid in half and bend it out away from the triclamp opening, but not sure.

 

[dirkomatic]

It might be a little pricey, but what if you were to drill where the current PRV is, put the TC ferrule there and put in a new PRV on the opposite end?

Keg pressure relief valve assembly

 

[SonomaBrewer]

I'd love a corny lid with the 1.5" TC port on the inside -- would like to attach a good CIP ball for easy keg cleaning.

 

[Inimicu]

It might be a little pricey, but what if you were to drill where the current PRV is, put the TC ferrule there and put in a new PRV on the opposite end?

Keg pressure relief valve assembly

I think I gotta rotate the position of the closing lever 180°. It could fold down toward the prv instead of the ferrule.

Seems like an easy weld. I unfortunately don't weld...

 

[IslandLizard]

Lid doesn't close properly. Lever is sitting on the triclamp opening. Won't actually allow anything to connect to it currently.

Can you put an extension tube between the lid and the TC fitting, high enough to clear the bail?

 

[Inimicu]

Alright, reversed the lever. We'll see if this works. I don't have a clamp currently to test it.

 

[Ki-ri-n]

I'm working on my own version. I had 2 pin lock kegs that I converted to ball lock. The PRVs were shot so i drilled them out, dimpled the hole, pressed in 1/2 of a 6" long 1.5 TC extension tube and soldered it in. The bails on the pin locks are a lot wider and will fit the TC if it's about 2.5-2.75 tall.
Still would like to add another PRV
, but can find one in SS.

 

[dirkomatic]

Alright, reversed the lever. We'll see if this works. I don't have a clamp currently to test it.
View attachment 734124

How did you reverse the lever? Looks great!

 

[Inimicu]

Pliers, clamps, vice, body weight, and elbow grease...

And then repeat to put it back in place.

I almost flipped my work bench hanging on the vice tonight. Oops.

 

[dirkomatic]

I wonder if this could be drilled out to work... The PRV looks like it is "inside" the lever end.

https://www.amazon.com/Ferroday-Carbonation-Stainless-Micron-Diffusion/dp/B01M335AXA

 

[NewJersey]

Don't want to pee on anyone's Wheaties, but the lack of a proper PRV should raise some serious red flags. Worst case scenario, the keg over-pressurizes. Remember, it's rated to 130 psi. From an engineering standpoint that means its 50% overload/fail point is around 190 psi. A regular pressure cooker has a safety release slightly above 1 bar/14.7 psi, so an unchecked over pressure to 190 psi would be much greater than an exploding pressure cooker (about 10 times greater, if not 100 times greater considering area rule).

Remember the Boston Marathon bombers? Yep, used a pressure cooker. So if its burst pressure was ~15 psi + 50% = ~22 psi, what do you suspect the blast field would be if a roughly 4x greater volume under 10x or 100x greater pressure decided to come unglued? Granted, this explanation doesn't take into account the explosive energy and the rapid chemical expansion going on inside the pressure cooker turned IED before it's breached, but this over-simplification should convince you nevertheless that Bubba, you don't even want to be in the next adjacent county to that 'bottle bomb' when it blows. High pressure fluids are not something to take casually.

Brooo Brother

I feel like I want professionals in a wide open area with all safety precautions to do exactly this. You kinda sold me on wanting to see it!

 

[Inimicu]

Update: Success!! (?)

I started over with a second lid. Cut a new hole further from the PRV, flipped the bail, and tested with a clamp. Fits with plenty of clearance. All in all, it took less than an hour after work today to do. The obvious problem seems to be that the bail will only fit single handle kegs now.

 

[dirkomatic]

How big of a hole does that TC fitting require be drilled?

 

[Inimicu]

How big of a hole does that TC fitting require be drilled?

1 5/8" / 41mm
amazon.com/gp/product/B01I416J42

 

[dirkomatic]

1 5/8" / 41mm
amazon.com/gp/product/B01I416J42

Thanks. I'll have to think about this for sure... total for parts might be as much as a kegmenter after all's said and done....

 

[Inimicu]

Thanks. I'll have to think about this for sure... total for parts might be as much as a kegmenter after all's said and done....

Maybe? The added bulkhead was only $20. I already had the lid, and I consider the drill bit part of my tools budget. I spend too much there, too....

Also, the 1.5" TC stuff is so much cheaper than the 3" and 4", but knowing me, I'll end up upgrading in the future...

 

[giblet_goblin]

@inci

I just did this exact same thing. Reversing the lever was a hard problem, but I opted to cut it off, flip it around, and weld it back together on backwards. I really wish a product like this existed already with a weld, or at least a different lever style for corny keg lid modifications.

 

[BBBF]

Update: Success!! (?)

I started over with a second lid. Cut a new hole further from the PRV, flipped the bail, and tested with a clamp. Fits with plenty of clearance. All in all, it took less than an hour after work today to do. The obvious problem seems to be that the bail will only fit single handle kegs now.

View attachment 734729

Gotta admit that this + a triclamp coolstix would be an improvement on my coils mounted to corny lid fermenters.