Keep Breaking Sight Glass - Solutions?

[Jiffster]

I'm on my 2nd sight glass in 2 months. I'm extremely careful with my brew kettle as to not break the sight glass but I managed to break it anyway.

Open for ideas, suggestions.

By the way.... This 2nd time I went ahead and brewed and there was no leakage through the crack. I don't know how long that wild hold out though.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471003883.652453.jpg

 

[LarMoeCur]

I'd mount a piece of Stainless steel sheet metal bent into a U shape. If you have no way of custom bending the steel. I'd at least take my grinder and hacksaw to this. Place it behind the sight glass. Round the bottom to fit over the elbow fitting, drill a hole in the top and use the eyelet bolt to secure it. They come i different sizes you may have look for the one that fits your sight glass best.

 

[Jiffster]

The only channel I've seen like that is aluminum. That could be a problem against stainless.

 

[LarMoeCur]

The only channel I've seen like that is aluminum. That could be a problem against stainless.

They make them in stainless. I posted the wrong pic just to lazy to change it.

 

[headfullahops]

Bobby has flexible (silicone tubing) sight glasses in his store at brewhardware.com

I have one on my boil kettle and it works great. Cheers!

 

[Jiffster]

How would it be secured at the bottom, where it fits over the weldless fitting?

I wouldn't want it to be able to move.... Or maybe that's not critical.

 

[LarMoeCur]

How would it be secured at the bottom, where it fits over the weldless fitting?

I wouldn't want it to be able to move.... Or maybe that's not critical.

I would drill a hole just big enough to fit the elbow threads through and drill one for the eyelet. My kit from Bobby_M the elbow gets bigger right after after the threads. It should hold rock solid.

 

[gotraut]

I broke my pyrex sight glass even before using it. I found some 6 ft polycarbonate tubing on amazon that was the exact same dimensions for cheap. Just cut to length and you'll have some spares. It works great. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OM9JPG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Bobby_M]

That crack is not due to impact but more likely due to PBW exposure. Do you leave PBW or Oxiclean in there overnight?

 

[Jiffster]

That crack is not due to impact but more likely due to PBW exposure. Do you leave PBW or Oxiclean in there overnight?

Yes, I typically do. I didn't realize that would do that.

 

[bcrawfo2]

That crack is not due to impact but more likely due to PBW exposure. Do you leave PBW or Oxiclean in there overnight?

Bobby beat me to it. I put my sight glass on a triclover fitting for easy removal

 

[Bobby_M]

You can also put a #000 stopper into the hole for the long soaks.

 

[Jiffster]

You can also put a #000 stopper into the hole for the long soaks.

Excellent, thanks Bobby.

 

[LarMoeCur]

That crack is not due to impact but more likely due to PBW exposure. Do you leave PBW or Oxiclean in there overnight?

I take it some kind of chemical etching is happening. I've cleaned my kettles with hot PBW and Starsan a whole bunch of times. Never soaking just pumping in scrubbing and pumping out. I will for sure plug the sight glass from now on. Just to be safe.

 

[BBBF]

Bobby beat me to it. I put my sight glass on a triclover fitting for easy removal

I put mine on a camlock.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=471683