I've used my CF5 for a few batches now. Overall, I'm very happy with it. I haven't had any problems with the lid gasket not sealing and have been able
to ferment under pressure. The sample port is very convenient, love the carb stone and pressure manifold. I tried low-oxygen dry hopping by putting
a butterfly valve on the 1.5" lid port, then sight glass full of hops, then the pressure manifold. Didn't work out so well as the sight glass doesn't hold too many hops and the pressure ended up pushing them up into the manifold and wouldn't drop down. I ended up taking the valve and sight glass off and just dumping hops through the 1.5" port - I probably introduced more O2 this way than just dumping the hops in.
The one thing I don't like is that the 4" lid opening is basically useless if you're using the chiller coil. It's so much wasted real estate. I like how the SS unitank allows you to use a coil through the lid and also access the top port. I also like how the SS Chronical has the side mounted coil attached to the body allowing use of the top port. If I'd thought it through more, I probably would've gone with the unitank to have access to the large top port. If Spike developed a modified chiller coil like SS with access to a 2" lid port, that would be perfect.
to ferment under pressure. The sample port is very convenient, love the carb stone and pressure manifold. I tried low-oxygen dry hopping by putting
a butterfly valve on the 1.5" lid port, then sight glass full of hops, then the pressure manifold. Didn't work out so well as the sight glass doesn't hold too many hops and the pressure ended up pushing them up into the manifold and wouldn't drop down. I ended up taking the valve and sight glass off and just dumping hops through the 1.5" port - I probably introduced more O2 this way than just dumping the hops in.
The one thing I don't like is that the 4" lid opening is basically useless if you're using the chiller coil. It's so much wasted real estate. I like how the SS unitank allows you to use a coil through the lid and also access the top port. I also like how the SS Chronical has the side mounted coil attached to the body allowing use of the top port. If I'd thought it through more, I probably would've gone with the unitank to have access to the large top port. If Spike developed a modified chiller coil like SS with access to a 2" lid port, that would be perfect.