Super Simple 15G Plastic Conical

[tszetela]

Well I was hoping to have mine set up this weekend but the tank was backordered at Agrimart plus the tri clover cap was backordered at Brewers Hardware so it held up that order. But the Bargain Fitting's order cane super fast as usual!

 

[sohara]

I ordered two 60 gallon inductors. I requested the model with full drain and a 1.5 inch fpt connection at the bottom. I ended up receiving the version with the 2 inch mpt. I wanted to send them back but they told me to keep them since shipping was so high. Anyway, I'll see what I can do with these, even if they are not ideal (they are also 30 inches in diameter instead of 24). I had purchased fittings for the 1.5 inch fpt (1.5 inch mpt to 1.5 inch tri-clamp). Any ideas of fittings I could use to attach to the tank's 2 inch mpt to get me to 1.5 inch tri-clamp?

After researching I discovered that they do make 2 inch female npt to 1.5 inch tri-clamp adapters (rare) or you can use 2 inch female npt to 2 inch triclamp adapters mated to a 2 inch to 1.5 inch tri-clamp reducer. I'll go one of those routes.

 

[ThreeDogsNE]

For those not doing tri-clamps, I just came upon this deal for poly valves.
http://www.fairbankequipment.com/in...,Valves,Banjo.Valves,Banjo.Bolted.Ball.Valves
I think they screwed up on the pricing, but they just sold me 2 for $18 each yesterday, and shipped them today. From Wichita to Omaha with some other fittings thrown in, shipping was $14, so not cheap but not rapacious. That's still $25 each delivered to my doorstep.

 

[fuzzybee]

I'm considering building one of these (15g version), but I'm also considering building a fermentation chamber based on some form of heating and a dorm fridge. A couple questions:

- Does anybody foresee any issue with using a dorm fridge for a space large enough to house one of these tanks at lagering temperatures? It will be located in my basement, which stays in the high 60s in the summer.

- Ultimately, I would like to have a two-section ferm chamber, with the side closer to the fridge used for lagering, and the side further away used for ales. I plan on using controlled fans to direct air from one side to the other. Would this kill my fridge?

 

[ryclo]

My first batch was great success. I think my yeast catcher was too small as I ended up clogging the valve with yeast/trub even after removing the yeast catcher at 5 days. I need to install a racking valve, I had to blow co2 up the valve to open a hole to tranfer which was no fun. Beer tastes great though!

 

[modobrew]

Anyone looking for a way to cool these conicals, check out our solution. It has maintained temps within our temp range of 63 +/- 1 F for the past 3 days now. Ambient temps have been in the 80's. Will be modifying it soon though with a dorm fridge instead of a cooler.
Thoughts?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/15-gallon-conical-fermenter-cooling-system-333151/

 

[ThreeDogsNE]

I'm considering building one of these (15g version), but I'm also considering building a fermentation chamber based on some form of heating and a dorm fridge. A couple questions:

- Does anybody foresee any issue with using a dorm fridge for a space large enough to house one of these tanks at lagering temperatures? It will be located in my basement, which stays in the high 60s in the summer.

- Ultimately, I would like to have a two-section ferm chamber, with the side closer to the fridge used for lagering, and the side further away used for ales. I plan on using controlled fans to direct air from one side to the other. Would this kill my fridge?

I used a fair sized fridge (top freezer type) I picked up off of Craigslist, though had to look at one or two before I found one that would fit the 19" (IIRC) diameter. I had to remove the plastic panel from the inside of the door. That is just screwed to the door with multiple several sheet metal screws, so removing it was tedious, not hard. There is not a lot of clearance vertically without removing the divider between the freezer and the fridge, but I get by. Actually, I have two of these now ($50 &$60). I had to fabricate stands for the conical to fit the bottom of each fridge. This means two temperature controllers, but it also means that I am certain that the fridge can deliver the goods, and that primary fermentation or lagering are at their desired temperatures. If you haunt Craigslist a while, I suspect you can get to this point without much more cost than the dorm fridge plus lumber, insulation, hinges and latch and weatherstripping for your fabricated door, and so on, as well as time and hassle and the seemingly inevitable "gotchas" accompanying such projects.

 

[ryclo]

I wheel mine into a pantry that will have a window ac some day, for now I just put a cooler full of Ice in the pantry to keep temps down. works pretty good until I can find a cheap AC unit.

 

[fuzzybee]

How thick are the walls of these? Any chance of chilling/heating with a jacket?

 

[anonymousbrew]

How thick are the walls of these? Any chance of chilling/heating with a jacket?

walls are pretty thick, i would think that a jacket would be pretty inefficient.

I dropped a thermowell ( http://www.brewershardware.com/16-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell.html ) through the lid of mine and simply sealed it with an o-ring.

use the ebay temp control on a full sized fridge with the divider between the freezer/fridge removed (so its just one big box). Works GREAT at keeping temps and because i'm measuring the wort temp vs air temp, i know whats going on inside, and the thermal mass of 12Gals keeps things from cycling too fast.

I would think you could do the same thing with a well insulated box using a dorm fridge. I also have a big fan i put in the bottom thats tied into the power of the fridge so that anytime the compressors running, the fan is REALLY moving the air around in there. Noticed a big difference in cool down times when i added that.

 

[Tzarmek]

Here is a pic of what I did for cooling mine. I couldnt decide if I wanted to use a bulb or reptile heater so I decided to look into a small space heater with a fan on it. The little white box on the bottom is the space heater which I ordered on Amazon for $30 or so.

 

[Paulasaurus]

A buddy sent me a link to a craigslist ad and before I new it we both had 16 gallon conicals in our garage, each conical has a 110v pump, stand and a box full of oversized stainless quick disconnects, fittings, an oxygen regulator, a homemade heat exchanger of some kind, and both conicals were fitted with a stainless coil inside. Not a bad score for $150.

They looked a bit more used than I was hoping for but I figured if I couldn't get the holes on top sealed up and cleaned up then i'd sell off the extra fittings and conical and get a new one to put in the stand.

Now to build a chamber to house it so I can keep the temp controlled!

 

[FSR402]

A buddy sent me a link to a craigslist ad and before I new it we both had 16 gallon conicals in our garage, each conical has a 110v pump, stand and a box full of oversized stainless quick disconnects, fittings, an oxygen regulator, a homemade heat exchanger of some kind, and both conicals were fitted with a stainless coil inside. Not a bad score for $150.

They looked a bit more used than I was hoping for but I figured if I couldn't get the holes on top sealed up and cleaned up then i'd sell off the extra fittings and conical and get a new one to put in the stand.

Now to build a chamber to house it so I can keep the temp controlled!

Do you happen to know what they used that for? To me that looks like a home bio-diesel setup.

 

[18DPA]

If it was biodiesel I would take all the stainless and do a good soak in simple green and then run it in the dishwasher. Then I wouldn't hesitate to brew with it. The plastic might be ruined but that is the cheapest part of the set up!!

Looks like a good find.

 

[Paulasaurus]

Do you happen to know what they used that for? To me that looks like a home bio-diesel setup.

He said his company was using them and it was all food grade liquid that was put through them.

It most certainly looks like a bio-diesel setup now that i've searched google. No odd smells coming from the tank or hoses though. I'll see what I find when I take it apart, I know there's some liquid in some of those lines/hoses. The two lines connected to the stainless coil inside are labeled as "glycol"

I'll let ya know what I find.

 

[Paulasaurus]

If it was biodiesel I would take all the stainless and do a good soak in simple green and then run it in the dishwasher. Then I wouldn't hesitate to brew with it. The plastic might be ruined but that is the cheapest part of the set up!!

Looks like a good find.

Thanks for the info! How would I tell if it was in fact bio-diesel? What smells should I be looking for or liquid odor/color?

 

[HopHead24]

Thanks for the info! How would I tell if it was in fact bio-diesel? What smells should I be looking for or liquid odor/color?

Yes that was a crazy find. I agree new conicals. Just chiming in so I can keep up with the thread.

 

[18DPA]

Thanks for the info! How would I tell if it was in fact bio-diesel? What smells should I be looking for or liquid odor/color?

I've never done Bio diesel but have been reading a little about it. NOT AN EXPERT!!!

There are multiple base ingredients that are used to make "bio diesel" that everyone calls bio diesel. One of the more common ones is used grease from fry vats. Then they add some chemicals, let it sit and presto you saved the earth. (Not poking fun because my wife wants me to build an antique pick up with a bio diesel engine.)

I would think grease smells would be the only

Like I said though Simple Green is awesome. We use it in the military to clean everything and it cuts through every petroleum product I've ever seen. The nice part is its non toxic and rinses off really well. My dishwasher has a sanitize setting and if that isn't enough for you just boil it all. 210 degrees isn't' going to hurt stainless or the silicone washers.

Good luck

 

[Paulasaurus]

I've never done Bio diesel but have been reading a little about it. NOT AN EXPERT!!!

There are multiple base ingredients that are used to make "bio diesel" that everyone calls bio diesel. One of the more common ones is used grease from fry vats. Then they add some chemicals, let it sit and presto you saved the earth. (Not poking fun because my wife wants me to build an antique pick up with a bio diesel engine.)

I would think grease smells would be the only

Like I said though Simple Green is awesome. We use it in the military to clean everything and it cuts through every petroleum product I've ever seen. The nice part is its non toxic and rinses off really well. My dishwasher has a sanitize setting and if that isn't enough for you just boil it all. 210 degrees isn't' going to hurt stainless or the silicone washers.

Good luck

Thanks for the info. After cutting off most of the old hoses and disassembling most of the fittings i'm still not sure exactly what was in there but the odor was somewhat similar to bio-diesel from what I could tell however it was clear and not yellow/tan/brown in color. Was also a bit greasy on the hands. I'll get a picture of the quick disconnects up, they are by far the beefiest connects i've ever seen, way industrial. I'll do a simple green spray down and soak then multiple rinses and maybe a boil and call them good. Most of them we'll be selling off to help fund the new conicals. You can see the female ends of the quick connects in the upper left and the male end of connects in the lower left.

 

[fpweeks]

wow....what a steal though!!!!

 

[ReuFroman]

I got my tank today. I'm pretty excited. Plus got it at the local farm and ranch for $80. The problem is my fridge is too small. Guess I'm selling the fridge for another bigger one.

 

[FSR402]

I can tell you right now that the ball valve you have on there will not work. I have a 1.5 valve on one and a 2 inch on the other and they both can plug easily if I wait to long to dump. I would never go smaller then a 1 inch but bigger is better.
Oh and no brass, use stainless or plastic.

 

[res291que]

Why no brass fittings???

 

[grndslm]

Why no brass fittings???

Perhaps because the threads can potentially strip easily??

Brass is a soft metal. :fro:

 

[fpweeks]

Brass and copper are not cool to be in contact with fermented wort. Someone else can rattle off the science. stainless or plastic only.

 

[heckels]

Brass and copper are not cool to be in contact with fermented wort. Someone else can rattle off the science. stainless or plastic only.

I believe the acidity of the fermented wort in contact with brass for long periods of time will start to make it corrode. Which means not-so-great to drink beer.

 

[res291que]

I believe the acidity of the fermented wort in contact with brass for long periods of time will start to make it corrode. Which means not-so-great to drink beer.

Ok that makes sense. Thanks

 

[EarthBound]

I've seen brass all over this thread and other plastic conical threads, as well. I have not heard any reports of not-so-great beer. Have you?

Don't get me wrong - I do agree to stay away from brass (and copper) inside fermenters.

 

[allclene]

What about the copper coils for temp control. Ive seen a few pics here with that in there conicals. How would you use a cooling coil in it other than copper and who has a supplier?

 

[modobrew]

What about the copper coils for temp control. Ive seen a few pics here with that in there conicals. How would you use a cooling coil in it other than copper and who has a supplier?

Allclene,

See my thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/15-gallon-conical-fermenter-cooling-system-333151/. Maybe this will answer your question.

Cheers!