Keggle help

[oconnor1981]

I bought a keg off of ebay about 6 months ago, and am just now getting around to converting it into a keggle as I endeavor into all-grain brewing. As of now as I am just getting into AG I'm looking at using this as my boil kettle, my old brew pot as a sparge water heater, and a cooler/manifold for my lauter tun.

As it would be I got the cover cut off, and was dismayed to find there is a hole in the side of the keg. It is about 2 inches above the bottom weld. I hate to waste the keg so I'm thinking about mounting my sight glass/temp combo slightly higher than recommended (about 1 3/4) instead of the recommended (5/8). Obviously I would have to calibrate it appropriately but what do you guys think. My other option is to use this as the location for my ball valve to put it into my fermenter. Ant would be appreciated.

 

[djsethall]

How big of hole. Pics help

 

[oconnor1981]

about a 1/4 inch or so. Like a screwdriver was punched through it. I bought it not knowing this off of an ebay store about 6 months ago, and I have no idea if the seller knew it or not but none the less an issue I have to deal with now.

 

[mattd2]

I guess it was probably done when the keg was decommissioned to stop others using it
You could go electrci and mount a element in that palce.

 

[dutchoven]

Mount your drain or thermo there ... if you're mounting the drain, just use a diptube Pics?

 

[oconnor1981]

Here is the pic..center is 1.75 inches from top of the weld. What do you mean dip tube

 

[djsethall]

Here is the pic..center is 1.75 inches from top of the weld. What do you mean dip tube

The tube you put your dip into.




































Just kidding. The dip tube is a horizontal tube with a bend in it so that it reaches to the bottom of the keggle.

 

[oconnor1981]

And presumably l would use a pump to get the wort from the kettle to the fermenter? Or will gravity draw it?

 

[djsethall]

Gravity will feed it, but you will want a pump.

 

[Catt22]

That looks like a 22 cal bullet hole to me. Is there a ding on the opposite wall of the keg? May or may not be depending on if it was shot when empty or not and some other stuff, but if it is dinged on the opposite wall it almost surely was a hole made by a bullet. Nevertheless, my advice would be to plug the hole. I think I would try to drill and tap it for a small brass pipe plug. A 1/8" plug might work. You will only have a couple of threads of bite, but that should be enough at almost no pressure. It would also be fairly easy to simply have it welded up. If you are planning to have any fittings welded to the kettle, make that a part of the deal.

 

[djsethall]

Nevertheless, my advice would be to plug the hole. If you are planning to have any fittings welded to the kettle, make that a part of the deal.

But, if you are going to have stuff (fittings etc.) welded to the keggle, why not put it where the hole already is?

This was my original RIMS setup before I got my dual MLT with digital HLT table rolling. I used the keg next to the RIMS tube which is identical placement of my 3/8" schedule 40 NPT coupling. On the inside of the keg is a 7 inch or so nipple with a 90 and another 2 inch nipple. That section is my dip tube. It sits about 1/8" off the bottom of the keggle. Have your welder put it right on the hole. Call your brewery "Bullet Hole Brewery". Make sure every other keggle you have made has the 3/8" coupling at the same height of your bullet ridden one.

 

[djsethall]

BTW, Here's the table I was talking aboot

Older pic of it, I need to take some more. All fab work is now complete. Just some plumbing and electrical

 

[Catt22]

But, if you are going to have stuff (fittings etc.) welded to the keggle, why not put it where the hole already is?

IMO, the bullet hole is too high for an outlet port. It could be made to work, but I would want it as low as possible, just above the weld line. Similarly, IMO it's too low for a thermometer port. Again, it could be done, but just not where I would put it.

 

[oconnor1981]

Very nice setup djsethall! When I see all these setup pictures posted in threads it certainly gets me jealous. I've been piecing together equipment as I go, and don't have too much tied up in anything that won't allow me to upgrade one day.

I think I am going to put my outlet valve here. I am going to center the hole about 1/3 of an inch below the hole so the step bit will take that hole out. I'm looking at going with a weldless bulkhead. I've found a source on a diptube that can be trimmed and adjusted. Otherwise my other option is to put a sightglass/thermometer combo I found at www.brewhardware.com in this spot. If I'm not mistaken I would just have to put my measurement marks at different locations to compensate for the higher than called for location for the sight glass.

 

[djsethall]

IMO, the bullet hole is too high for an outlet port. It could be made to work, but I would want it as low as possible, just above the weld line. Similarly, IMO it's too low for a thermometer port. Again, it could be done, but just not where I would put it.

Why is it too low? Even with a 5 gallon batch, the water/wort level will be to the middle of the first ring, well above the level needed to start a siphon.

 

[Catt22]

Just my personal preference, nothing more. I often use my converted keg without any dip tube at all, and that's when it's most handy to have the port mounted low. It's pretty easy to just tip the kettle to drain the last gallon or so when not using a dip tube.