DIY Spunding Valve

[dmaraio]

Just got the parts today, it is only rough fit but it looks like its going to work well.

Got all parts from McMaster, including the item numbers here:

48935K25 Pressure Relief Valve 1/4" NPT Male, 0-20 PSI
4089K23 1/4" NPT Male Center Back, 0 - 60 PSI Gauge
4429K223 Low-Pressure Brass Threaded Pipe Fitting 1/4" X 1/8" X 1/4"
50675K161 Brass 37 Degree Flared Tube Fitting Adapter for 1/4" Tube OD X 1/8" NPT Male Pipe

Total cost was about $35, that includes shipping. The relief valve only goes to 20psi, on hindsight I should have gotten something that is capable of up to 40 if I want to carbonate outside of fridge, I can always swap in another valve


Edit:

I found an alternative valve that will allow you to go between 25-200 PSI. This would be great for doing a highly carbonated ale, think Hefeweiss.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6D915

 

[Scut_Monkey]

OK. I had no idea what a spunding valve was until your post. For anyone else who had no idea there is a link below. Seems like a good way to save time allowing carbonation for keggers. Is this what you are using it for (looks like it from the flare fitting)? Didn't know if there was more than one use for it.

P.S. How much did the pressure gauge cost from McMaster? (Ball park figure)

Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Projects and Equipment - Build Your Own Spunding Valve to Carbonate in the Keg

 

[Bobby_M]

You'd definitely want to grab a pressure gauge off Ebay at a hefty discount.

 

[dmaraio]

The gauge was $10.28, you could probably do better. It seems like its made well enough. The housing of it is plastic and could break if you stepped on it or dropped it thought.

 

[dmaraio]

And yes, the fitting is 1/4 flare. I will be connecting this to a flare, ball-lock gas disconnect.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

Thanks for the pricing and info. I was just curious for my kegging needs in the near future.

 

[Dgonza9]

subscribed.

 

[Germelli1]

OK. I had no idea what a spunding valve was until your post. For anyone else who had no idea there is a link below. Seems like a good way to save time allowing carbonation for keggers. Is this what you are using it for (looks like it from the flare fitting)? Didn't know if there was more than one use for it.

P.S. How much did the pressure gauge cost from McMaster? (Ball park figure)

Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Projects and Equipment - Build Your Own Spunding Valve to Carbonate in the Keg

Thanks! It sounded dirty to me haha

 

[klyph]

I built one for the brewer's hardware sanke fermentor, I need to post some pics.

 

[Dgonza9]

I built one for the brewer's hardware sanke fermentor, I need to post some pics.

I am not sure how I can connect this to my sanke coupler. Does the size flare fitting on the parts list fit the flare nut already on a standard "D" sanke keg coupler?

Thanks.

 

[kpr121]

I know this is somewhat of an old post, but does anyone know the size of the little stainless ball that fits inside the pressure relief valve? I lost mine in the garage and instead of searching on my hands and knees all day I wanted to see if I could pick one up from Lowes/HD?

 

[jeepinjeepin]

For those who are really diy and like building their brewery from Lowe's and HD I have built a spunding valve from a "non-adjustable" 135 psi safety purge valve. It required drilling out an anti tamper feature and replacing the spring with a much lighter unit. I haven't tried it on a fermentation yet. I ran compressed air through a regulator to test it. It appears to work fine in the 10-15 psi range. I couldn't adjust it lower and at higher pressures it would pop and vent to near zero. I hope to do some more tuning with a different spring. I'll try to post pics sometime.

 

[mmonacel]

Anyone have any trouble with the pressure relief valve (McMaster 48935K25) on this? I got two from them so far and even locked down, a small hiss of gas still escapes. I've reversed the poppet and spring just in case (it's a vacuum and pressure release) as explained for the same thing on Grainger's site but to no avail. I'm hoping it's something I'm doing wrong.

 

[duckdogs]

I am not sure how I can connect this to my sanke coupler. Does the size flare fitting on the parts list fit the flare nut already on a standard "D" sanke keg coupler?

Thanks.

Here's mine I plugged the out with a penny and pulled the gas check valve seems to work great.

 

[duckdogs]

Anyone have any trouble with the pressure relief valve (McMaster 48935K25) on this? I got two from them so far and even locked down, a small hiss of gas still escapes. I've reversed the poppet and spring just in case (it's a vacuum and pressure release) as explained for the same thing on Grainger's site but to no avail. I'm hoping it's something I'm doing wrong.

This is the one that I use from Granger http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CD...cm_sp=IO-_-IDP-_-RR_VTV70300505&cm_vc=IDPRRZ1 I'm not sure without actually having it in my hand what would be causing the hissing are they getting beer in them during the fermentation and maybe causing them to stick partly open?

 

[inkedfireman]

I too am having the problem of the relief valve leaking. When I put it on, you can watch the pressure slowly drop to zero. I'm thinking about replacing it with a manual bleed valve.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Here is what I built. Nipple style gas post>PVC hose>nipple-npt male>T^gauge>air compressor safety relief valve. The relief valve is the only tricky part. Mine was punched to make it non-adjustable. I hade to drill out the punch, back the plug out, and replace the spring with a softer one. When shopping at the hardware store low pressure gauges are not common. Hence, the upside down gauge face from a cannibalized tire pressure gauge.

 

[mmonacel]

This is the one that I use from Granger http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CD...cm_sp=IO-_-IDP-_-RR_VTV70300505&cm_vc=IDPRRZ1 I'm not sure without actually having it in my hand what would be causing the hissing are they getting beer in them during the fermentation and maybe causing them to stick partly open?

I was testing on an empty corny so stickiness shouldn't be an issue. My guess is that the spring isn't strong enough?

 

[mmonacel]

I too am having the problem of the relief valve leaking. When I put it on, you can watch the pressure slowly drop to zero. I'm thinking about replacing it with a manual bleed valve.

a manual bleed valve is either on or off. I don't think it can be adjusted to maintain continual pressure.

 

[duckdogs]

The one I linked above from granger seems to work fine but the pressure level marks as you lighten the pressure doesn't seem to be correct, at the 30 psi mark it basically bleeds back to about 5 psi and maintains that pressure until you change it. I Finlay just put it on an empty keg and set the pressure using my gas valve to verify and a sharpie to mark the pressure.

 

[mmonacel]

good to know of a working option - thanks!

 

[DaleP]

Check out our version of a spunding valve!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Brewhemoth/144437928937396

 

[owentp]

Do the barbs from the gas connect screw out to screw in the flared fitting? If I read correctly, do you have to pressurized initially after primary fermentation?

 

[inda_bebe]

would you do this during primary fermentation? what about all the trub from the yeast cake or hops when your ready to serve?

 

[Bobby_M]

You wouldn't really want to serve out of the same tank. Pressure ferment and then pressure transfer to your serving keg. Ideally you'd have a height adjustable dip tube on the primary that you could slide up and down in a compression fitting. Lower it during transfer until you see a little sediment in the line, then back off a 1/4".

 

[jcmcdowell]

I got the adjustable valve on amazon for about $14 but the gauge was about $5. The 1/4" connector is for multiple air lines on compressors- it would work much better with a gauge that ported out the bottom instead of the back. The last bit is a 1/4" barb x 1/4" MPT which connects the barb gas connector with a bit of 1/4" clear hose and 2 small hose clamps.

I made a cheaper gauge. Ace hardware has tire gauges on sale for 2.99. Unscrew the shiny part that goes to the tire valve and connect a piece of 1/4" clear hose to the gas corny valve.

 

[KPSquared]

You wouldn't really want to serve out of the same tank. Pressure ferment and then pressure transfer to your serving keg. Ideally you'd have a height adjustable dip tube on the primary that you could slide up and down in a compression fitting. Lower it during transfer until you see a little sediment in the line, then back off a 1/4".

Bobby, have you built an adjustable dip tube or have you seen one that works well? Looking for ideas on how to attach eveything and maintain a good seal. Just seems to be a more elegany solution as compared to a bent or short tube.

Planning to start no-chilling and fermenting in Cornies as soon as I can. I love the simplicity and the less gear I have, the better!

 

[Bobby_M]

I haven't. I suppose it's possible to make a fitting that has the post threads on one side and a compression fitting on the other but it's a lot of work and I don't think it would be all that popular to justify the setup.

 

[KPSquared]

I might tinker a little and see what I can come up with. I like building brewing gadgets almost more than brewing. . . Almost. . .