I'm on my second blue carbonator cap. The first one cracked, after having never once succeeded in sealing on bottle threads. As in CO2 hissing out loudly while I was trying to pressurize a bottle. We're not talking a tiny leak. We're talking practically zero seal. The second one, bought mere minutes ago, is doing the same thing on every bottle I have tried. I have cranked down as hard as I dare on the thing--that's how I cracked the first one--to get it tight on the bottle, and no dice. Hence the question in the header. Do these things ever, ever, EVER work??? Or are they just expensive garbage?
Does the blue carbonator cap EVER actually work?
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I have had similar issues. It never seals right with the bottle threads.
Disappointing for ~$15.
Disappointing for ~$15.
FermentNEthinG
Well-Known Member
Man that sucks you are having some issues...I having been using mine..(all three are blue) on 1 and 2 liter bottles with no issues whatsoever. I don't even torque on them that much. After I carb with them, I leave them on and never experienced a loss of CO2 pressure except what gets absorbed into solution.
I just carb'd some skeeter pee the other day and it worked beautifully.
I just carb'd some skeeter pee the other day and it worked beautifully.
MyNameIsPaul
Well-Known Member
Same here, it's been flawless. Nice way to taste some fresh beer on bottling night!
Bigscience
Well-Known Member
This is what I use now:
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/03/hands-on-with-kent-systems-soda-bottle.html
It requires a new line so you can't just use the ball lock but way cheaper and better. I got mine from here:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=51_66
I usually use them for mineral water but it's nice to also carb up the extras on a keg or do some special brews with added things like lime.
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/03/hands-on-with-kent-systems-soda-bottle.html
It requires a new line so you can't just use the ball lock but way cheaper and better. I got mine from here:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=51_66
I usually use them for mineral water but it's nice to also carb up the extras on a keg or do some special brews with added things like lime.
No problems with my red carbonator cap - other than the $15 for it...
Cheers!
Cheers!
They have a lifetime warrantee, if yours cracked you should have sent it back they will send you a new one. I have never had problems with mine. Make sure you remove that saftey ring that breaks off the original soda bottle cap when it's opened the first time. It will get in the way of the carbonator and not seal.
wailingguitar
Well-Known Member
If it isn't sealing, how about some plumber's tape? The stuff is ridiculously cheap.
CadillacAndy
Well-Known Member
This might be a dumb suggestion, but make sure you remove the little plastic ring that is left on when you remove the bottle's original cap. I have 2 of these carb caps and they work great!
I've been using a blue one for years and have never had an issue. I fill up a two liter bottle of every batch before I keg the rest as a sample bottle, then I carb that. I bought a green one about a year ago as a backup and haven't had any issues with that one either.
jungatheart
Well-Known Member
Got a heck of a deal on the stainless steel version, $5 each. I bought 4 of them.
Couldn't crack them with a hammer.
Couldn't crack them with a hammer.
Funny you mentioned a hammer... The cracking of my previous plastic carbonator cap was via hammer. It might have been weakened/fatigued from all the torque I put on it in a failed attempt to get it to seal on the bottle threads. What did it in was a failed attempt to get the cap and a gas disconnect to, well, connect. I broke both the disconnect AND the cap when not even a rubber mallet would get them to couple.
jungatheart
Well-Known Member
Try putting a little grease on the balls and rubbing surfaces. Mine was really hard to seat before I did that.
try a swing top gasket
<snicker> <giggle>
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
+1 on the stainless carbonator caps. I love mine, it's great for force carbing soda quickly or repressurizing bottles.
I got mine from AHS, but they don't seem to carry them anymore. I wish I had bought a few more.
I did have one of the plastic ones crack on me. However, they do seem to work as advertised.
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