Help with sight gauge

[BryceL]

Hey guys. I have the kettle in the link below and I am thinking of installing a sight gauge on it. The top port is currently plugged and I'm wondering if I can simply install the sight glass here? I didn't know if It matters how high or low on the kettle it is installed. Any thoughts or tips on this? Thanks!

http://morebeer.com/view_product/84...ew_Kettle_-_With_Ball_Valve_32_Quart_8_Gallon

 

[weirdboy]

I have one of those pots. You could, except you won't even get a reading on it until you have about 8 gallons in the kettle.

EDIT:

Oh sorry I have the 15 gallon version.

But my point stands...you are going to need (guessing) at least 3 gallons in there before anything shows up on the sight gauge. If you are planning to use it as an HLT or similar, this is probably a critical flaw in your plan.

 

[Spartan1979]

You could do it, but it will have limited usefulness.

 

[PoppinCaps]

With that position, the lowest you are going to be able to measure is around 3 gallons. If it's for a 5 gallon batch brewpot, that's no problem. If you're making an HLT out of it, it'd be nice if it was positioned lower for sparging volumes, etc. I'd say use that hole until it looks like you want it lower, then you can step bit drill another hole and use the higher one for a thermometer.

Edit: Too slow on the typing. What ^ said.

 

[BryceL]

I do BIAB and batch sparge. The way I do it, the sight gauge would only be useful to me to verify that I am hitting my pre-boil volume and then again post-boil. I was just hoping that I would be able to get a more accurate reading than my current way of using a marked stick. I usually shoot for a pre-boil volume of 6.5 gallons or so, do you think the sight gauge would have any trouble reading from that top port? It may not be worth the money, but I'm just playing with the idea.

 

[BryceL]

Looks like I'm too slow at typing also. I think you guys answered my questions. If I move away from BIAB in the future and want to use it as an HLT, then I can just drill a hole lower on the kettle.

 

[PoppinCaps]

It should have no problem reading that high. I say go for it, and maybe think about getting a dual thermometer/sightglass hookup. I'm sure you have another thermometer, but it's nice having one built in.

 

[BryceL]

It should have no problem reading that high. I say go for it, and maybe think about getting a dual thermometer/sightglass hookup. I'm sure you have another thermometer, but it's nice having one built in.

Got any info/links on the dual setup? I'm assuming you're meaning that I can have a sightglass and thermometer in the same port? That would make my life even easier so I can just sit back with a beer in hand.

 

[weirdboy]

Got any info/links on the dual setup? I'm assuming you're meaning that I can have a sightglass and thermometer in the same port? That would make my life even easier so I can just sit back with a beer in hand.

Take a look at the sight glass setups on Bargain Fittings. Essentially it is a T with the vertical port going to the sight glass, and the horizontal going to the thermometer. You need a longer stem on the thermometer (so it can get past the T into the kettle) than you would in a stand-alone sight glass configuration.

 

[PoppinCaps]

Got any info/links on the dual setup? I'm assuming you're meaning that I can have a sightglass and thermometer in the same port? That would make my life even easier so I can just sit back with a beer in hand.

http://www.brewhardware.com/index.p...q-dial-thermometer&catid=36:weldess&Itemid=60

That's the weldless, here is the screw-in:

http://www.brewhardware.com/index.p...r-4ezst-240&catid=37:thread-in-kits&Itemid=61

 

[BryceL]

Awesome, thanks for the links guys! Not bad prices either. Just got to thinking though, doing BIAB, it might not be such a great idea to have a thermometer probe in there. I wouldn't want to tear the grain bag.