Well, i guess we know what happened to @Big_D 's unit!!!
My impression too. That thing has some serious heft to it. I'm also impressed with the machining, especially the fine tuning of the vernier adjustment of the spring tensioner. Just be careful with that pressure dump plunger. Even at just a couple psi, it'll give you a Star San shower. Don't ask me how I know.
I'm interested in your setup. It looks like you have a blowoff tube and the PRV installed at the same time. I was under the impression that the blowoff tube stays on for a few days and then switch it out to the PRV
I bet he uses that butterfly valve- he closes it on the blow off line. Then no oxygen exposure by having to switch clamps.
So @SpikeBrewing … how‘s that “testing” going?
Per the email response quoted below, I was told last week that my order “should“ ship out this week. Haven’t heard anything and this week is just about over?
"I'm sorry but there has been a slight delay in our testing process with these. We should be shipping this out next week! Thank you for your patience here."
I haven't had that problem (leaking) at all. I do suspect it may be due to evaporation, however. The surface area of the Spike unit is quite a bit larger than the surface area of my SS Brewtech spunding cups, as well as not as deep, so surface evaporation may likely be greater. They also need to be topped off maybe once or twice a week, and they aren't leaking into those fermenters. I do like the Spike spunding valve, but I do have two minor gripes. First, it's pretty tight quarters trying to get a drain cup in place while removing the red/black nipple cover. And second, I wish the liquid cup was taller/deeper to hold more volume to keep the release holes submerged longer between top-offs. In winter months when my brew area humidity level is low, if I'm gone or out of town for more than 3-4 days, I have to worry about the limber holes not being covered with StarSan or water. Otherwise, I'm completely happy with the operation and safety the Spike unit provides.
The seating of the plunger gasket is pretty good, and the overall machining of the unit is very good. The asymmetry of the bubbling pattern could also be due to the unit not being perfectly square with the plane of the earth (gravity), especially noticeable if the bubbles are very small and releasing very slowly. Think of holding your breath underwater, tilting your head slightly and slowly releasing bubbles through your tightly pursed lips. The bubbles would only be visibly present on the higher side of your mouth. I've seen the same phenomena on my Spike and other spunding cups. When fermentation is vigorous and bubbles are being released faster, you don't notice the release asymmetry pattern of the bubbles due to the high volume of gas being released.
