MoreBeer Style Conical Fermenters

[MoreHopsPlease]

Does anyone have experience with the MoreBeer style conical fermenters? The ones with the flat top lid that seals with a gasket.

I have two of these things that I purchased second hand - the 27 gal version. I love them other than a few minor flaws, one being that I have a hard time getting the lid to actually seal properly. One problem I'm sure is the gasket which is coming apart at the seam (both of them), and the other is that the way to seal them is to apparently put pressure on the very center of the lid, rather than around the outside of the lid.

I'm looking for a way to reliably seal these things so I don't have oxygen ingress when cold crashing/conditioning, and also so I can apply a very small amount of pressure when transferring. So I suppose I have 2 quesitons:

1) Does anyone know of a replacement gasket for these things that is reliable? MoreBeer sells one but all the reviews state it is good for about 3-4 batches before breaking at the seam, and that's a rather short life span for a $30 gasket.

2)Any advice on properly sealing these things? Is it just the proper gasket I am missing, or is there another trick?

Thanks in advance, and cheers!

 

[Harleybrew32]

i dont have one, but some of my keg gaskets i have replaced with silicon gaskets.
can you measure the gasket and search for a silicon one?
probably last much longer and sometimes cheaper, if you can find one that is the same size.
I also looked at the morebeer review and looks like someone asked if they could use a Blichmann gasket. might be another option for you.

 

[MoreHopsPlease]

i dont have one, but some of my keg gaskets i have replaced with silicon gaskets.
can you measure the gasket and search for a silicon one?
probably last much longer and sometimes cheaper, if you can find one that is the same size.
I also looked at the morebeer review and looks like someone asked if they could use a Blichmann gasket. might be another option for you.

Thanks for the reply, yeah that review asking about the Blichmann one is what got me thinking I should look elsewhere to try and replace it. I'm just hoping someone with first hand experience can confirm an option that works before I drop any money on one.

 

[Harleybrew32]

yup totally understand that.
good luck, if you do find an alternate gasket post it here so others can find it too.
cheers

 

[bkboiler]

When you say coming apart at the seam, can you be more specific and/or post a picture?

 

[MoreHopsPlease]

Hey bkboiler here is what I'm talking about. It seems when these are manufactured they are one long piece and then glued together to form the gasket. Not sure why it is done this way versus a solid gasket.

 

[bkboiler]

bummer...those kinds of designs are not going to last long...you'll have a lot better luck if you can get some solid "rope seal" food grade silicone...
I'm not an materials and processes kind of guy so I can't recommend a glue to bond with, but it doesn't need a super strong bond, just to fill the gap at the end of the rope.
That design you show is going to have hoop stresses when compressed causing the axial bond line to break.
I'd bet the rope seal will increase your force to close it, but shouldn't be a huge deal since you've got a band clamp style design.. huge mechanical advantage there.
Cheers,
bk

 

[MoreHopsPlease]

Unfortunately I only wish the conical lid had a band clamp design - it does not. You can see the "locking" mechanism below - it is a bar that runs over the top and is used to put pressure down on the very middle of the lid by turning a wing nut (see below - my lid is stainless but that is a good picture of it I found through Google). This was kind of the part 2 of my question - other than trying to find a proper/reliable gasket, if anyone knows any tricks to get these things to seal reliably. I have had some luck sporadically in the past, but usually it seems no matter how much I tighten that wing nut that there is some point around the edge that leaks air/co2. They do seal well enough where my blow off tube is active, but when I try to push the beer out with Co2 the leaks make themselves known. Unfortunately it seems as if this design is old enough not many people have first hand experience with them, or perhaps there's just no good solution.

 

[Bigd_0457]

I had similar issues with the older Morebeer 12 gallon conical flat lid seal. My version has the Peltier Coolers. I was able to upgrade the top to the new clamp ring dome style like the current 14 gallon version with the new silicone seal and increase my headspace capacity at the same time. About $180.00 from MB as I recall. I did find some better seal material at a local bearing and seal supplier, but I was going to spend about $ 70 on food grade silicone gasket material, so I just went to MB and purchased the upgrade kit which is a better design than the flat top version.

Before the upgrade I re glued my original gasket with Polyurethane glue and picked up a 4" TC blank (Round Flat) and placed that between the end of the hold down bolt and the Lid of the conical as a way to keep the lid from deforming in the middle. When the hold down bolt is over torqued it will deform and loose seal. I also applied a 1/8-1/16" bead of food safe petro gel around the edge on top seal between the lid and gasket, it works but added to clean up time. Also the key is minimal pressure on the bolt, yes the opposite of what you would think. Just enough pressure to get the lid to press down on the seal and make contact, you cannot crank it down or it will deform the lid and will not seal properly. The 4" TC Cover or anything flat that will resist deflection helps apply a little more pressure on the outside of the lid where the pressure is required. Eventually the seal just failed.
Hope this helps
Thanks D

 

[MoreHopsPlease]

Thanks for Blgd, some good ideas there.

Unfortunately when I looked MoreBeer did not have a 27 gallon option for the lid upgrade. I asked about an option for that but never got an answer. For some reason the 14 gallon version isn't even on the website any more. I would love to upgrade to one of those dome lids.

What was the option you found at the bearing/seal supplier? That would be an interesting option if they would have something that would work for these.

I am sure I am guilty of overtightening the bolt to try to get it to seal - hopefully I have not already deformed the lid. I'll try to find something like that to spread out the pressure.

For now I think I am going to order one of the Blichmann gaskets from MoreBeer....if it doesn't work return shipping shouldn't be much at all. According to the question on the product page it is the same size as the MoreBeer conical so my fingers are crossed.