Kegging & Misc Question

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I'm in the process of cleaning my kegs- taking the posts out to clean. How do you remove the dip tube? It seems to be in there pretty tight. Should I take a screwdriver to pry it up?
 
brew703 said:
I'm in the process of cleaning my kegs- taking the posts out to clean. How do you remove the dip tube? It seems to be in there pretty tight. Should I take a screwdriver to pry it up?
Click to expand...

All of my kegs have a little groove on the dip tube to help it sit in the correct orientation. Sounds like yours may have been forced in there and not sitting in the groove. As said above, I would try pushing from below and if that doesn't work the prying might be in order
 
With a little muscle, i was able to get the dip tube out. I think it was the grove as Kev noted that held if pretty tight. Didnt want to apply too much pressure but it finally came out.
The post were pretty hard to loosen but finally got it.

Gonna change all the gaskets and hook up some gas to make sure they seal.

One question: I have not been able to get any of the kegs to seal without adding gas to seat the lid. Is this normal? Pretty irritating to use gas just for that. I've seen video's of people using PBW and turning upside down with no leaks and no gas. That's what i was hoping for.
 
All of my kegs seem to hold pressure with just a film of keg lube, even at low applied pressure. I pre-carb my stouts on straight CO2 before putting them on beer gas, putting only 1 psi on the cold kegs and they have never leaked.

That's a random selection from my 16 keg stable, though, so it's possible some of the other kegs aren't quite that capable. For sure I've never caught a keg leaking over many years, so they may all be that good...

Cheers!
 
I swapped out the orings and lid seal and applied a thin coat of keg lube and it sealed- so far holding pressure.
 
Ok does anyone know if there is a single stage temp controller, kinda like the Johnson A419? I dont need the heat function- I have a JC that I use for my ferm chamber but looking for something cheaper and only single stage for my Keezer.
FWIW, i have a ITC1000 but don't like the fact when the cooling side turns off the heat turns on. I emailed Inkbird and was told that I had to wire the heating side. I believe I've read where there are some who did not wire the heating side. If anyone is only using the cooling side without wiring the heating side let me know how that is working.
 
brew703 said:
I swapped out the orings and lid seal and applied a thin coat of keg lube and it sealed- so far holding pressure.
Click to expand...

I have kegs with lids that have a tab so the align properly and always seal and I have lids with nothing and they always leaked until I figured out how to align them before i flip the lever.
gotta hold them in place by the relief valve when flipping the lever because they slide around.

also pumping them with 30+ psi seems to seal them real good once aligned.
 
brew703 said:
Ok does anyone know if there is a single stage temp controller, kinda like the Johnson A419? I dont need the heat function- I have a JC that I use for my ferm chamber but looking for something cheaper and only single stage for my Keezer.
FWIW, i have a ITC1000 but don't like the fact when the cooling side turns off the heat turns on. I emailed Inkbird and was told that I had to wire the heating side. I believe I've read where there are some who did not wire the heating side. If anyone is only using the cooling side without wiring the heating side let me know how that is working.
Click to expand...
The Inkbird 308 for around $35. Don't plug anything into the heat outlet..simple as that. Still works on the cold side and if you ever need heat you have the option
 
brew703 said:
[...]FWIW, i have a ITC1000 but don't like the fact when the cooling side turns off the heat turns on. I emailed Inkbird and was told that I had to wire the heating side. I believe I've read where there are some who did not wire the heating side.[...]
Click to expand...

Sounds like a defective unit - or somehow the differential isn't set correctly for the Heat channel.

In any case, MH1210F or WILLHI 7016 are both single-stage DIN style controllers (same form-factor as the ITC1000).
I've used the former for years and helped others use the latter successfully.
Beyond that there is the STC-1000, again, same packaging but that one is a dual-stage.
All of those are available in 120VAC versions...

Cheerss!
 
NitrogenWidget said:
I have kegs with lids that have a tab so the align properly and always seal and I have lids with nothing and they always leaked until I figured out how to align them before i flip the lever.
gotta hold them in place by the relief valve when flipping the lever because they slide around.

also pumping them with 30+ psi seems to seal them real good once aligned.
Click to expand...

Since I added some lube under the lip of the keg, no leaks. I havent noticed any tabs on mine. I'll have to check.
 
JONNYROTTEN said:
The Inkbird 308 for around $35. Don't plug anything into the heat outlet..simple as that. Still works on the cold side and if you ever need heat you have the option
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm thinking about that one. I've been going back and forth for a couple weeks.
 
brew703 said:
Ok does anyone know if there is a single stage temp controller, kinda like the Johnson A419? I dont need the heat function- I have a JC that I use for my ferm chamber but looking for something cheaper and only single stage for my Keezer.
FWIW, i have a ITC1000 but don't like the fact when the cooling side turns off the heat turns on. I emailed Inkbird and was told that I had to wire the heating side. I believe I've read where there are some who did not wire the heating side. If anyone is only using the cooling side without wiring the heating side let me know how that is working.
Click to expand...

There might be a use for that heating side.

A typical ferm temp for ales for me is 64 degrees. After fermentation has largely ceased, I'll bump up the temp to 71 or so for the yeast to finish cleaning up after itself.

I have a head mat wrapped around the fermenter and plugged into the heat side of the Inkbird outlets. I just up the temp on the Inkbird, and it'll heat up to and hold 71 degrees for me.

You can see what that looks like here:

minifermchamber.jpg
 
mongoose33 said:
There might be a use for that heating side.

A typical ferm temp for ales for me is 64 degrees. After fermentation has largely ceased, I'll bump up the temp to 71 or so for the yeast to finish cleaning up after itself.

I have a head mat wrapped around the fermenter and plugged into the heat side of the Inkbird outlets. I just up the temp on the Inkbird, and it'll heat up to and hold 71 degrees for me.

You can see what that looks like here:

View attachment 418971
Click to expand...
Yeah i guess that would be a use for the heating side. For me, when fermentation has slowed, i usually raise my temps over a couple days to 70 so the yeast can finish. I could see how a heat pad or wrap would speed up the process. But when i don't need the heat side, i don't want it kicking on when the cooling side turns off which is what's happening and the reason i haven't used the Inkbird since i received it. Just don't like the fact there is juice going to it, which in turns means the controller will constantly have power going to it.
Maybe it's just me being overly concerned.
 
brew703 said:
Yeah i guess that would be a use for the heating side. For me, when fermentation has slowed, i usually raise my temps over a couple days to 70 so the yeast can finish. I could see how a heat pad or wrap would speed up the process. But when i don't need the heat side, i don't want it kicking on when the cooling side turns off which is what's happening and the reason i haven't used the Inkbird since i received it. Just don't like the fact there is juice going to it, which in turns means the controller will constantly have power going to it.
Maybe it's just me being overly concerned.
Click to expand...

The heat and cool outputs are just relays. You don't have to hook anything up to the heat relay. The controller won't know one way or the other. There is very little power used by the relay coils (a few mW), they don't have much affect on the power usage of the controller.

Brew on :mug:
 
brew703 said:
Yeah i guess that would be a use for the heating side. For me, when fermentation has slowed, i usually raise my temps over a couple days to 70 so the yeast can finish. I could see how a heat pad or wrap would speed up the process. But when i don't need the heat side, i don't want it kicking on when the cooling side turns off which is what's happening and the reason i haven't used the Inkbird since i received it. Just don't like the fact there is juice going to it, which in turns means the controller will constantly have power going to it.
Maybe it's just me being overly concerned.
Click to expand...

I do not understand. You must have your set points screwed up somehow.

You set a temp on the Inkbird, as well as the set point for correcting when it gets too warm or cold. I use 1 degree--if it's too warm or cool by 1 degree, the cooling or heating side kicks on to correct it.

When I move the temp from 64 to 71, the heat mat comes on until the temp probe records a 71, then shuts off. The cooling doesn't come on then--it only will come on if the temp reaches 72 or higher. The heat won't come on unless the temp drops to 70 or below.

During fermentation, when the yeast is providing additional heat to the fermenting wort, the heating mat never comes on. It's no different than if it were disconnected which, for all practical purposes, it is.
 
mongoose33 said:
I do not understand. You must have your set points screwed up somehow.

You set a temp on the Inkbird, as well as the set point for correcting when it gets too warm or cold. I use 1 degree--if it's too warm or cool by 1 degree, the cooling or heating side kicks on to correct it.

When I move the temp from 64 to 71, the heat mat comes on until the temp probe records a 71, then shuts off. The cooling doesn't come on then--it only will come on if the temp reaches 72 or higher. The heat won't come on unless the temp drops to 70 or below.

During fermentation, when the yeast is providing additional heat to the fermenting wort, the heating mat never comes on. It's no different than if it were disconnected which, for all practical purposes, it is.
Click to expand...

I have the differential set at 1. So that would mean the controller would turn on when the temp gets 1 degree above or below my set point right?

If that's the case, then when the compressor turns on, it will cool until the temp reaches 1 degree below set point right? At this point the compressor will turn off. If that's the case, then if the temp stays within 1 degree then the heat side should never kick on right?

Now if the compressor runs and the cool temp exceeds 1 degree, lets say it drops 2 degrees then the cool side would kick off and the heat would turn on, correct? If so, then the heat would run until the temp gets back to within 1 degree of set temp at which point the unit should turn off and not turn back on until the set point exceeds the 1 degree differential, correct? At this point the compressor would turn on and run until the temp drops 1 degree or 1.1 degree and turn off?

I realize I'm making it more difficult than it needs to be but just trying to get it straightened out so i can decide if i will use the inkbird or get the ITC308 or something similar.
 
The Inkbird has 2 differentials, a cold and a hot. They need to be set right so you don't have them fighting each other like you describe. If you only want to keep something cool, set the cold diff at 1 degree, and the hot at 10 degree. The heat wont kick on unless you get 10 degrees too cool.
 
brew703 said:
[...]If that's the case, then when the compressor turns on, it will cool until the temp reaches 1 degree below set point right?
Click to expand...

No. The way these units work is Set Point is the target temperature for both Cool and Heat modes, and Differential is the allowed divergence from Set Point before an action is taken to send the temperature back to Set Point.

Ie, on the Cool side, the controller will wait until Set Point + Differential is reached before turning on the compressor, and it will turn off the compressor at Set Point. On the Heat side, the controller will wait until Set Point - Differential is reached before turning on the heat, and it will turn off the heat at Set Point.

Controllers that have independent Cool and Heat differentials need to respect the above...

Cheers!
 
PADave said:
The Inkbird has 2 differentials, a cold and a hot. They need to be set right so you don't have them fighting each other like you describe. If you only want to keep something cool, set the cold diff at 1 degree, and the hot at 10 degree. The heat wont kick on unless you get 10 degrees too cool.
Click to expand...

So how would i do that? I didn't see a setting for cool differential and heat differential.
 
Ordered my chest freezer today from Best Buy. On sale for $159 if anyone is interested. Plus saved another 10% for Birthday. Have to pick up at the store on 11/7. Hopefully I'll have my keezer up and running by that weekend.
I think I now have all the pieces I need.
 
Will do. Hope I get it right, especially with the beer line. Right now that's the biggest uncertainty.
 
My first kegged batch is 3 gallons (hoping it will be ready during the week of 11/13.

I know there's alot of talk about headspace, oxidation etc. Will it be an issue to keg a 3 gallon batch into a 5 gallon keg? Would I simply fill the keg with starsan and push it out then rack my beer to the purged keg?
 
brew703 said:
My first kegged batch is 3 gallons (hoping it will be ready during the week of 11/13.

I know there's alot of talk about headspace, oxidation etc. Will it be an issue to keg a 3 gallon batch into a 5 gallon keg? Would I simply fill the keg with starsan and push it out then rack my beer to the purged keg?
Click to expand...
If you do a complete StarSan fill, push out with CO2, and then do a closed transfer into the keg, headspace will not be an issue. Watch for any ways air can get into the system, particularly in the transfer tubing.

Brew on :mug:
 
doug293cz said:
If you do a complete StarSan fill, push out with CO2, and then do a closed transfer into the keg, headspace will not be an issue. Watch for any ways air can get into the system, particularly in the transfer tubing.

Brew on :mug:
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's gonna be my plan. I'll have a 5 gal carboy before end of year and I'll increase my brew volume.
 
brew703 said:
Thanks. That's gonna be my plan. I'll have a 5 gal carboy before end of year and I'll increase my brew volume.
Click to expand...
You not increasing your brewing with a 5 gallon Carboy. They're for secondaries that not many do anymore for most beers. You want the 6.5 gallon..I "think" that's the larger size. 5 gallons of beer in a 5 gallon Carboy is a disaster waiting to happen.

Consider 6.5 buckets.
Lighter, safer,have a handle and easier to clean...pretty much all around better...and cheaper
 
JONNYROTTEN said:
You not increasing your brewing with a 5 gallon Carboy. They're for secondaries that not many do anymore for most beers. You want the 6.5 gallon..I "think" that's the larger size. 5 gallons of beer in a 5 gallon Carboy is a disaster waiting to happen.

Consider 6.5 buckets.
Lighter, safer,have a handle and easier to clean...pretty much all around better...and cheaper
Click to expand...

Why do you say it's a disaster waiting to happen?
Also, buckets you cant do closed transfers. At last I have not seen them used in closed transfers.
 
brew703 said:
Why do you say it's a disaster waiting to happen?
Click to expand...

There's no room for the krausen. It can only come out though the airlock or blowoff tube if you have one. I use 6.5-gallon fermenters that typically leave me 1-1.5 gallons of headspace into which the krausen can expand.


Also, buckets you cant do closed transfers. At last I have not seen them used in closed transfers.
Click to expand...

You could theoretically use them IF you can get the lid to seal to the bucket and you have a spigot.

I'd suggest looking into a fermonster--the 6.5-gallon one with a spigot. You can see what's going on in the fermenter, the opening is large enough to reach inside and clean as well as remove the spigot for cleaning....put some straps on there and it's good to go.

But Jonny's right--you want a 6.5-gallon fermenter if you plan to do 5-gallon batches.
 
mongoose33 said:
There's no room for the krausen. It can only come out though the airlock or blowoff tube if you have one. I use 6.5-gallon fermenters that typically leave me 1-1.5 gallons of headspace into which the krausen can expand.




You could theoretically use them IF you can get the lid to seal to the bucket and you have a spigot.

I'd suggest looking into a fermonster--the 6.5-gallon one with a spigot. You can see what's going on in the fermenter, the opening is large enough to reach inside and clean as well as remove the spigot for cleaning....put some straps on there and it's good to go.

But Jonny's right--you want a 6.5-gallon fermenter if you plan to do 5-gallon batches.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if i will move up to 5 gal- that's just too much for 1 person. I planned on going with the 5 gal carboy and move up to 4 gallon batches that way it will give me 1 gal headspace.
I do like the fermonster's. if i end up going with 5 gal batches, maybe i'll go with the fermonsters if i can find them locally.
 
brew703 said:
I'm not sure if i will move up to 5 gal- that's just too much for 1 person.
Click to expand...
Homebrew Blasphemy...I demand you retract that statement :D

Most recipes come are in 5 gallons and all kits are in 5 gallons. It just makes it easier to brew 5 gallons than adjust all the recipes. Plus the difference in ingredients from 4 to 5 gallons is so small your not really saving much money...
 
JONNYROTTEN said:
Homebrew Blasphemy...I demand you retract that statement :D

Most recipes come are in 5 gallons and all kits are in 5 gallons. It just makes it easier to brew 5 gallons than adjust all the recipes. Plus the difference in ingredients from 4 to 5 gallons is so small your not really saving much money...
Click to expand...

LOL, you're right. My wife doesn't really drink the type of beer i brew and all my family and friends drink crappy Bud or coors or ultra. So that's the reasoning behind only brewing 3-4 gallons vs 5.
At this point I'm undecided on the quantity. You make valid points tho so I'll have to consider that.
 
day_trippr said:
An easy solution is to use a fatter lid O-ring, like this...
Click to expand...

+1. These are aewsomesauce fat o-rings, helped solve chronic issue with one really dinged up keg I had (racetrack style, dinged on top of keg, tough to seal until fat o-ring used).

brew703 said:
I received two kegs today from AIH. I'm cleaning one with PBW. is it normal to leak if there is no pressure in the tank?
Click to expand...

That can happen. Yes.

JONNYROTTEN said:
You not increasing your brewing with a 5 gallon Carboy. They're for secondaries that not many do anymore for most beers. You want the 6.5 gallon..
Click to expand...

You *WANT* an 8 gallon bucket for da beeg krausens

brew703 said:
At this point I'm undecided on the quantity. You make valid points tho so I'll have to consider that.
Click to expand...

All my buddies "only drink IPAs". I preferred porters, English pub ales, some balanced malty/hop-flavor-but-not-bitter-bombs american ales. They were all "thanks but meh" at first. Then I started bringing a keg to a couple gatherings, tennis outings, etc. Funny how they sucked down 4.5 gallons of Fullers London Pride clone or Blue Moon clone, neither of which are I or P but are A, with gusto. Hell, they even went nuts over my Alaskan Amber altbier clone. And that is when I had to start buying more kegs as my supply/demand balance seriously changed.

One example. YMMV.
 
brew703 said:
LOL, you're right. My wife doesn't really drink the type of beer i brew and all my family and friends drink crappy Bud or coors or ultra. So that's the reasoning behind only brewing 3-4 gallons vs 5.
At this point I'm undecided on the quantity. You make valid points tho so I'll have to consider that.
Click to expand...

Buy the 6.5-gallon fermenters. You can still ferment a 4-gallon batch in one, or even a 3-gallon, you'll just have a lot of headspace. The advantage to the 6.5, of course, is that should you decide to go to 5-gallon batches, you're set up to do that.

Buy once, cry once. And if you start brewing really exceptional beer (and I think Jonny's point is spot-on, most recipes, kits and so on are set up for 5-gallon batches, so easier to find good stuff), you'll find others will be willing to help you drink it. :)
 
brew703 said:
I have the differential set at 1. So that would mean the controller would turn on when the temp gets 1 degree above or below my set point right?

If that's the case, then when the compressor turns on, it will cool until the temp reaches 1 degree below set point right? At this point the compressor will turn off. If that's the case, then if the temp stays within 1 degree then the heat side should never kick on right?

Now if the compressor runs and the cool temp exceeds 1 degree, lets say it drops 2 degrees then the cool side would kick off and the heat would turn on, correct? If so, then the heat would run until the temp gets back to within 1 degree of set temp at which point the unit should turn off and not turn back on until the set point exceeds the 1 degree differential, correct? At this point the compressor would turn on and run until the temp drops 1 degree or 1.1 degree and turn off?

I realize I'm making it more difficult than it needs to be but just trying to get it straightened out so i can decide if i will use the inkbird or get the ITC308 or something similar.
Click to expand...

I'm running two ITC-1000s and yes, that oscillation can happen if you're trying to maintain temperature in an empty chamber. The solution is to put something in the chamber (a bucket of water is fine, 5 gallons of beer seems more fun though). That thermal mass will make the temperature change more slowly so that you don't get the hot-cold-hot-cold swings.

At the end of the day the cheap 1000's work just fine for fermentation and kegerators, even if you don't use the heating side of the controller.
 
mongoose33 said:
Buy the 6.5-gallon fermenters. You can still ferment a 4-gallon batch in one, or even a 3-gallon, you'll just have a lot of headspace. The advantage to the 6.5, of course, is that should you decide to go to 5-gallon batches, you're set up to do that.

Buy once, cry once. And if you start brewing really exceptional beer (and I think Jonny's point is spot-on, most recipes, kits and so on are set up for 5-gallon batches, so easier to find good stuff), you'll find others will be willing to help you drink it. :)
Click to expand...

I need to try and find these locally. Shipping for these online are killer.
 

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