Pressure PSI of Krausen?

[MrPostman]

In efforts to prevent my plastic bucket from blowing its top off during what I anticipate being a very lively initial fermentation period of my IPA, I threw a couple 10 lb bar bells on the lid (not like I'm using them anyway, right? ) How much pressure does a 5 gallon batch of beer produce? If it's as simple as throwing some weights on top (and I do find it hard to believe it'll not only knock of the very tight fitting lid and 20 lbs to boot) why don't more people do this? Or do they? I tied the bucket up in a trash bag just so I could see the air lock. If anything it's going to propel that little booger out of there.

 

[dest149]

if your airlock gets clogged you could have an equivalent of the "Air Lock BLEW OUT" thread and have those issues yourself. All that pressure has got to go somewhere. Btw, 20 lbs can be easily overcome by pressure, 20 pounds of pressure on the entire top does not equate to 20psi not even close. Assuming you the radius of the bucket is about 8 inches (I just guesstimated) that means your top is about 200 square inches, and with 20 lbs of pressure on it that gives you about .1 PSI which is nothing. Think again before you create a bomb.

How much pressure do you think it takes to create a bottle bomb? - Food for thought

 

[MrPostman]

Well, I didn't think that 20 lbs on top was equal to 20 lbs PSI, but your numbers intrigue me. I decided to rig up a blow off tube instead to circumvent any potential messes. And how much pressure for a bottle bomb? That's an equally interesting question!

 

[dest149]

Well, I didn't think that 20 lbs on top was equal to 20 lbs PSI, but your numbers intrigue me. I decided to rig up a blow off tube instead to circumvent any potential messes. And how much pressure for a bottle bomb? That's an equally interesting question!

I don't know how much pressure it takes to make a beer bomb, but on average a champagne bottle holds has about 80-90 psi of pressure built up in it before you open it, so compare that to the .1 PSI it would take to open the top.