Keg level indicator

[Homercidal]

Genius.

 

[Rockn_M]

We've just come out with a simple, inexpensive method to monitor your keg levels. Check it out at www.ballandkeg.com

Cheers

Simple yet effective product. Good thing Christmas will be here in a few months.

Thank you!

 

[ballandkeg]

We include a larger "capture" magnet with the kit so it is pretty easy to catch hold of the float. It probably helps to have a visual the first time or two you do it.

 

[gotraut]

We've just come out with a simple, inexpensive method to monitor your keg levels. Check it out at www.ballandkeg.com

Cheers

Does it fit and work in a 1/2 barrel sanke keg?

 

[Homercidal]

Does it fit and work in a 1/2 barrel sanke keg?

According to their website, they don't yet have a Sanke Keg system made up.

 

[Carlscan26]

The floater is about 3" in diameter and wouldn't fit the opening in a Sanke.

I got one as a gift recently. I was pretty excited to get it.

The finish on the floater could be better - the spot where the ballast liquid and magnet were inserted could be smoother - it's full of books and crannies. I soaked it in starsan for a good while.

Also, the outer orange magnet falls off extremely easily. I set it up while I was filling the keg and it kept falling off as the float would rise. I gave up after the fifth time and waited until it was full to line it up again. Even then it fell off when I bumped the keg lifting it into my kegerator. Luckily they sent 5 of those (though I did eventually find it).

We will see how well it works with normal use. I am worried that a long fill like when filling a pitcher will result in the orange indicator falling off. But I don't fill pitchers often and I am still hopeful that this works as I'd love to have at least some kind of reasonable indicator for how full/empty my kegs are.

 

[ballandkeg]

The floater is about 3" in diameter and wouldn't fit the opening in a Sanke.

I got one as a gift recently. I was pretty excited to get it.

The finish on the floater could be better - the spot where the ballast liquid and magnet were inserted could be smoother - it's full of books and crannies. I soaked it in starsan for a good while.

Also, the outer orange magnet falls off extremely easily. I set it up while I was filling the keg and it kept falling off as the float would rise. I gave up after the fifth time and waited until it was full to line it up again. Even then it fell off when I bumped the keg lifting it into my kegerator. Luckily they sent 5 of those (though I did eventually find it).

We will see how well it works with normal use. I am worried that a long fill like when filling a pitcher will result in the orange indicator falling off. But I don't fill pitchers often and I am still hopeful that this works as I'd love to have at least some kind of reasonable indicator for how full/empty my kegs are.

Thanks for your comments, ff you still have the directions that came with the unit, take a look at them again. Otherwise, you can check them out on our website. The video is helpful.

The instructions should tell you to install the float in the keg after you fill it. They should also suggest that you leave the black disc magnet attached to the keg while you move it into your kegerator. This magnet will hold the float tightly to the inside wall of the keg while you move it. Once the keg is in place, you can quickly slip the orange indicator bead onto the keg. It should work quite smoothly this way.

We've had great feedback on the units we have sold thus far so I would expect it should work well for you now that you have the keg in place in your kegerator.

We recently came out with a new version that uses a smaller float and has a cleaner finish. Those became available just this week.

Look forward to an update after you pour a few beers.

Cheers,

Ball and Keg team

 

[30Bones]

This is stupid simple but of no use for people with keezers IMO

https://www.ballandkeg.com/

 

[Rev2010]

This is stupid simple but of no use for people with keezers IMO

https://www.ballandkeg.com/

^^^ LOL, didn't read the thread


Rev.

 

[Carlscan26]

Thanks for your comments, ff you still have the directions that came with the unit, take a look at them again. Otherwise, you can check them out on our website. The video is helpful.



The instructions should tell you to install the float in the keg after you fill it. They should also suggest that you leave the black disc magnet attached to the keg while you move it into your kegerator. This magnet will hold the float tightly to the inside wall of the keg while you move it. Once the keg is in place, you can quickly slip the orange indicator bead onto the keg. It should work quite smoothly this way.



We've had great feedback on the units we have sold thus far so I would expect it should work well for you now that you have the keg in place in your kegerator.



We recently came out with a new version that uses a smaller float and has a cleaner finish. Those became available just this week.



Look forward to an update after you pour a few beers.



Cheers,



Ball and Keg team

Thanks for the recap. I had rest the instructions but didn't see why it wouldn't work while filling? I transfer from my fermenters into the keg via the beer out post - the keg having previously been filled with starsan and purged with CO2. So I had dropped the float in when I filled it with sanitizer but before I purged it with CO2 and thought it would be cool to see how close I was getting to the top since I fill with the lid on.

I had forgotten about the part about leaving the black magnet on while moving. I'll own user error and just glancing at the instructions :cheers:

 

[Carlscan26]

This is stupid simple but of no use for people with keezers IMO

https://www.ballandkeg.com/

Totally disagree. I have mine lined up in an opening between the kegs and can quickly pop open my keezer and look down and see where the ball is on the keg. I guess if you're shorter this wouldn't work as well.

 

[ballandkeg]

This is stupid simple but of no use for people with keezers IMO

https://www.ballandkeg.com/

We've sold quite a few to people using keezers. A friend that helped us test the originals has a keezer with 4 to 6 kegs and he has no issues using one in every keg. He's lined them up so he can look down between four kegs and see all four indicators at once. Keep in mind, you only need an inch or two of space to utilize the product.

Cheers

 

[Carlscan26]

Bringing this thread back...

After my posts above, Chuck at Ball and Keg contacted me to discuss my comments and after some conversation he asked if I'd like to test out their new version (I'll call it gen 2 but it may well be a higher number). I happily accepted, agreeing to post a review after using it. I got it several months ago but didn't get to brewing and kegging a beer until mid February and finally have time to share my experience with the new version.

For starters, the new ball is smaller than the older version. It clears the keg opening with plenty of room to spare and more importantly it's solid and perfectly smooth. Although I didn't have an infection problem with the gen 1 version (used it in two different kegs) I had expressed concerns about the ability to sanitize it due to some roughness where they sealed the ball. This new one generates no such concern.

Next up they switched the magnets around and they're now polarized. It was easy enough to match my original capture magnet and mark it so now I can use either capture magnet with either version.

There is a different way to get the exterior indicator bead lined up with the ball inside the keg and to remove the capture magnet. Watch the video because it is totally different than the gen 1 method but I find it easier.

I thought I would have some difficulty getting the indicator bead on given that this time my keezer was full and I didn't have any room to maneuver the keg to find the float or even to move the capture magnet all the way around the keg to find the float. However I was easily able to find the float - maybe I just got lucky but I only had to place it in two spots and it locked on. A few weeks later I kicked a neighboring keg and while removing it I accidentally knocked the indicator bead off. I didn't feel like fishing that one out of the bottom of my keezer so I grabbed another bead (they provide several) and when I went to find the float again it locked on with the first try. Maybe I got lucky but it seems like this one is more easily attracted to the magnet than the gen 1 style. Maybe the smaller size equals less surface area and resistance and it moves more easily? Or I was just lucky.

So it's been in there for a while now and it works as advertised - it goes down as the keg empties and you have a visual on how much is left. It's pretty easy to setup - just watch the video one or two times. You do need to be careful about jostling or moving the keg or the bead will fall off but that's no different from the first version. My biggest concern about ease of sanitation has been eliminated. It's a simple and elegant solution at a reasonable price. I'll be buying two more so I can have one on each of my kegs.

 

[Maylar]

Thanks for the review. If the floater is 2" diameter then does that mean the ball will be 1" from the keg bottom when it's empty?

 

[Homercidal]

Thanks for the review. If the floater is 2" diameter then does that mean the ball will be 1" from the keg bottom when it's empty?

If it gets close to the bottom of the keg, you should already have planned a course of action.

 

[Carlscan26]

On my Firestone kegs when the bead was just above the bottom seam I was down to a few pints. I'd say when it hit the seam I had 1 or 2 pints left. But I imagine different kegs will vary. It would be easy enough to test with water when you get one

 

[Carlscan26]

I also just heard that they made another update to make the magnet in the floater stronger so it's harder for the indicator bead to fall off. This wasn't really a complaint of mine, more of an observation, but they were already aware of it and working to improve on it.

So they're now at version 2.5 of my versioning is correct.

I'm really impressed with their customer service and how proactive they were with my original comments to help me out and make sure I had a positive experience and now the follow-up to my additional posting. I highly recommend this to anyone thinking about it.