getting keg to show condensation

[bobjohnson]

Recently picked up a 10 gal corney for fermenting and doing closed transfers to my 5 gal kegs via CO2. Did my first transfer last night and it went great, with the exception that I never was able to tell the level in the 5 gal keg.

I knew I was safe, because I knew I had less than 5 gal in the fermenter (as measured by weight). However I wanted to use this as a test, since I know I will have times when I have 5.5 gal in the fermenter and want to stop the transfer at 5 gal.

My options are:

by weight. Before the transfer I determined my 5 gal keg weighed right at 50 pounds with 5 gal of water in it at the 5 gal level. But, my bathroom scale is digital and takes a "snap shot" in time of the weight added to it. Meaning the scale doesn't climb in weight as more is added. Need to take the keg on and off, let it reset and repeat. OK, but makes it hard to hit a certain point.

other thought was looking for condensation. Beer in fermenter was at 45 degrees and receiving keg was at room temp. I thought this would give me a nice growing condensation line to follow, but it didn't. It was faint at best and if it existed at all, trailed behind the top level of the beer. I think my issue was, although the receiving keg was at room temp (65'ish), the temp dropped greatly when I filled it with CO2 before the transfer.

I'd rather not spend any of my beer budget $$ on a new bathroom scale that increases in weight as more is added, but that might be my best option. Before I do that, thought I would throw this out to you all and see what you do to prevent putting 5.5 gallons in a 5 gallon keg, during a closed transfer?

 

[strumke]

Put a picnic tap on the gas side into a bucket. You can use it to release pressure as you transfer and as soon as you see something come through the beer line, stop pushing. You may not be able to tell exactly where the beer is, but it tells you when its full.

My keg did show a nice condensation line btw... maybe it was more humid in my house at the time.

 

[audger]

condensation is dependant on the humidity and dew point of the air... if theres no water in the air, theres nothing to condense on the cold keg. if it were a hot humid summer afternoon, you probably wouldnt have any problems seeing condensation.

 

[SixFoFalcon]

Put a stick-on liquid crystal thermometer just below the level that 5 gallons would reach in the receiving keg. Pour warm water on the thermo before you start filling with the colder beer--it will be off the high end of the scale (no reading). When you see the blue/green/brown showing on the thermometer you know that area just got "wet" inside the keg and you're just about at 5 gallons.