DIY Sight Glasses?

[r8rphan]

How is the sight glass connected? I see no compression fitting, so either it's threaded or glued...

Can the polycarbonate tubing be threaded?

 

[Bobby_M]

It's threaded, yes I sell them, see the link in my sig.

 

[r8rphan]

Nice site! I appreciate the ability to choose text size on your pages..

So that thing will not accept a thermometer that has 1/2" NPT threads right (mine's currently a 3" face thermometer with a 4" probe, threaded into a 1/2" welded half coupling)

How far does the probe protrude into the keggle when installed?

I like the included marking tape too....

 

[ryan0914]

Hey bobby on your Sight/Thermometer how does the thermometer stick out of the fitting. I do brew in a bag and i was wondering if it would wort for me?

 

[Bobby_M]

Nice site! I appreciate the ability to choose text size on your pages..

So that thing will not accept a thermometer that has 1/2" NPT threads right (mine's currently a 3" face thermometer with a 4" probe, threaded into a 1/2" welded half coupling)

How far does the probe protrude into the keggle when installed?

I like the included marking tape too....

It sticks into the vessel by about 2".

Another way to go is to put a 1/2" close nipple into your half coupling, then thread a tee on. I have the SB kit that has 1/2" threads on a piece of tubing that will thread into the top port of the TEE and you are left with a port for your 1/2" thermometer. It's questionable however if you'll be left with enough probe length to get an accurate reading in the vessel after going through the tee, nipple, and coupling.

The easy alternative is to add my basic weldless elbow kit WLSL into a new hole.

 

[Bobby_M]

Hey bobby on your Sight/Thermometer how does the thermometer stick out of the fitting. I do brew in a bag and i was wondering if it would wort for me?

It would stick in about 2". I wonder if the probe would tear your bag? I really don't know.

 

[ryan0914]

Ya thats what i was thinking. I do have some extra room on the side of the pot but im thinking that it might tear ill have to see when i brew next. When do you think you'll be getting weld less fittings back in?

 

[r8rphan]

How much probe needs to stick into the kettle?

Ideally, I'd like to have very little actually sticking into the kettle, as I want to position the sight glass and thermo 90 degrees from the wort out fitting... I'm trying to make sure that I can put one of jaybirds folding FBs in there and still be able to remove it without having to put a wrench in there and remove the entire compression fitting from the bulkhead fitting.. just loosen the compression nut and remove the dip tube and pull the FB out...

Currently, my thermo half coupling is in the wrong place for my needs, and since I have to move it anyways, I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone...

 

[r8rphan]

Bobby, you're thermometers are pretty accurate?

At this point, by the time I buy all the fittings and what not to make mine work, it just makes more sense to go with your ready to run rig.. especially by the time I consider the hassle of getting all the parts and making them work for me...

I'm not a huge fan of the whole weldless fitting idea though.. but I could deal with it for temporary.. For the long run, if I were to later weld a 1/4" coupling into the hole that I drilled to install the weldless setup, your fitting would screw directly in, or I would need to replace everything going into the tee with a standard 1/4" close nipple to thread into the newly wleded coupling?

Also, there'd still be enough probe left to protrude into the kettle, right? I can't imagine that a 1/4" SS coupling is very long...

 

[Bobby_M]

The thermos I use are accurate to +/- 1.5F and I find that pretty typical of bimetal dial thermometers. For the most part, I don't put absolute faith in any mechanical dial but rather use it as a ballpark indicator. I use a handheld digital instant read just before making any decisions to move water, etc.

On the weldless thing... I am known to condemn the heck out of traditional weldless setups but the design has a lot to do with it. When installed per instructions, my weldless sight kits do not leak, ever, period. I've sold over 500 and only had one leak report but it was because the hole was overdrilled to 5/8".

If you were extra paranoid, the easiest way to convert the weldless to welded is to weld the threaded piece in my kit to the inside of the vessel leaving the 1/4" male threads showing on the outside.

 

[TRex23]

Yup, 1/4" NPT fittings, 1/4" NPT thermo back, 1/2" OD polycarbonate.

Bobby -- Can I use this on my brew kettle with a Banjo Cooker or will I melt it? I plan on making a shroud like one shown on this site to keep the flame from blowing out and also to hold heat in. Will your sight glass melt and, if so, what can I do to prevent that from happening?

 

[Bobby_M]

It really varies from application to application. I always recommending paying real close attention the first time you fire it up. The easiest way to test if your "wrap-around" flame is overheating the assembly is to put a handheld thermometer, digital or otherwise, directly under the tee fitting and see how hot it reads. If it gets too much over 230F I'd start worrying about it. Polycarbonate starts getting soft at over 250F. Another indicator is that you'll get liquid boiling in the tubing.

The fix is a simple heat shield which can be as simple as hanging a piece of L-shaped aluminum step flashing (lowes roofing aisle, $60 cents or so) from the connection point so that a piece of aluminum is sitting under the assembly. I should probably make a video showing what I mean because it's way harder to describe in text.

If you're using a keg, and even more elegant solution is to attach a small metal shelf to the keg skirt with screws/nuts but putting a 90 degree bend in a piece of thin stainless sheet scrap.

 

[devilbrewer75]

I love my sightglasses, thanks Bobby. One of mine needs to be shortened about a half inch, what's the best way to cut them?