Need to finish my BK dip tube

[Beernik]

I need to finish building the dip tube for my keggle. I’m not planning on installing a false bottom at this time. That’s a little further down the road.

My question is: can I use dry fittings because the heat will expand the copper pipe? Or do I need to solder them?

I’m currently BIABing & I don’t want to risk knocking it apart during the mash. I also have a hop spider, sitting in there during the boil and a wort chiller coil post-boil.

Mostly I’m asking because after 2 moves, I don’t know where my torch is.

 

[Beernik]

Got to thinking about it and if I made a copper dip tube and screwed it’s into my stainless steel valve in my stainless steel keggle I run the risk of a galvanic response.

I punted and bought a stainless bayou dip tube.

 

[bkboiler]

I run stainless diptube in my BK with a stainless compression fitting.....it takes some pretty hard cranking to get it leak free, but it works.
TLDR:
you can build it the way I said above and convert it later to have a false bottom easily.


In my mash tun I did the same thing, but I have my false bottom *under* my diptube (the dip tube goes thru a hole in the middle of the false bottom. Well, as you can imagine, getting the false bottom out meant disassembling the compression fitting, which isn't great, as it meant I had to leak check before each brew.
So what I did is cut out about 1" of the dip tube and reconnect it with some silicone tube and oetiker clamps. That way there's a small "hinge" on my diptube, and very little crevices for gunk to grow (unlike using a QD of some kind or worm clamps). When I want to take out the false bottom, I just flex the diptube up and lift it out. Only 1" of section means it's not likely to collapse, and I still get the benefit of the diptube (it leaves maybe a pint of wort behind).

 

[Beernik]

This is the diptube I went with. I got a stainless coupler to go from thread to thread.

My long range plan once was to incorporate this into a HERMS with a hinged Jaybird false bottom. But that was back when I wa me doing 10 gallon brews.

Right now I’m thinking I’ll stick with my equipment status quo for a while.

 

[Golddiggie]

When I was using NPT fittings I ended up going direct from the compression to NPT fitting (inside the keggle) to the ball valve (outside the keggle) adding o-rings and washers as needed to get it all sealed up. Apply a good amount of pipe tape and you should be fine.

I would do a full temperature test of the BK to make sure there are no leaks. You can have it leak free with ground water temp, only to have leaks show as it hits boiling temperatures. I've found that out the bad way. Another reason I've switched to all TC fittings.

 

[Beernik]

I tested it out this morning. I have to use an extra washer on my thermometer but my valve seals up fine.

I leave just over a quart behind.

 

[bkboiler]

Nice job! I've found that there's a big trade off between dead-space and pump flow rate....in other words, when the diptube is super close to the bottom, it won't leave much wort behind, but it's a huge bottleneck to recirculating...

My kettle is just barely light enough I tilt at the very end to get the last few drops...kind of a no-no and I may stop at some point, or just get a trub dam....

Glad to hear it's working for you....I'm at a "working stage" of my brewery where there's a lot of things I'd like to improve, but would rather just get brewing for a while before I take anything apart again!

 

[Beernik]

I’m npumping yet but this lets me run a hose from the valve to a bucket instead of siphoning.

Today was my first time using both the dip tube and a hop spider.

It was an impressive amount of trub kept out of the wort.

I would like to get a pump and be able to recirc through my BIAB mash. Right now, though, it’s down on my list. Now that I’m back up & running, my next project is a coffin keezer.