Super Simple 15G Plastic Conical

[Squeeky]

Woohoo 100th post and 60 pages. Still have to give props to SpottedDog, couldn't have started this thread without him.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Woohoo 100th post and 60 pages. Still have to give props to SpottedDog, couldn't have started this thread without him.

Whoooo hooooo! Thanks SQUEEKY fantastic work on a great thread!

This should get STICKIES status !!!

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

I vote for stickies status!

Stickies stickies stickies stickies stickies.........

 

[gruvn]

Alrighty then - given the multitude of posts, surely some has an ingenious way of maintaining air tightness while running a cable inside?

My basement is cold, and I want to keep the yeast happy. I'm not ready to implement a coil system yet, and I can't think of a way to reasonably do a water bath. My vibe is that an external blanket would not be too efficient given the non-conductive nature of the plastic.

I think I'm opting for a fish tank heater, but I would like to do it cleanly, and keep the whole thing airtight. Thoughts so far are to either:
- disconnect the wire from the heater, run the wire through a bung/grommet, then rewire; or
- cut the wire, and find some kind of electrical connection bulkhead solution.

Has anyone looked into any of these?

 

[dongemus]

I vote for sticky status too IF the original post is edited to reflect all the updates. Someone is bound to make mistakes that could be avoided if the OP was updated. This is already over 60 pages, it is only getting more difficult for someone new to try to take in. Please update the OP with the new techniques, links, etc.

 

[Squeeky]

Ill see about updating first page eventually

 

[Doctor_Wily]

I agree a sticky for this would be nice. 60 pages was a long read (seriously took me a couple hours!) but it was worth it to learn a lot of the do's and dont's. I agree it would be great to have one solid "how to" that covers all the different variations in this uber long thread. I also know that could take a long time to put together, lol.

Thanks for everyone who has contributed to this thread. It's a real valuable one!

Cheers,
Wily

 

[grndslm]

I made a compilation of posts from this thread, ending at wherever I posted it (so it doesn't take into account anything at all past post #504 on pg. 51). And it obviously doesn't take into account EVERY post before that point, just the posts that stood out to me and didn't seem ridiculously redundant.

I even made a new thread to find it easier, titled "Super Simple 15G Plastic Conical -- REVISITED".

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/super-simple-15g-plastic-conical-revisited-326384/

I even made one called "Yeast Washing Illustrated -- REVISITED", also....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-revisited-318684/

 

[turboninja64]

I've read from other users that these 15 gallon plastic conicals actually hold some where between 17 and 20 gallons. My question is this. Does anyone here have any actual experience with these conicals being used for a 15 gallon batch as a primary fermentor? Is there enough head space?

 

[dongemus]

i made a compilation of posts from this thread, ending at wherever i posted it (so it doesn't take into account anything at all past post #504 on pg. 51). And it obviously doesn't take into account every post before that point, just the posts that stood out to me and didn't seem ridiculously redundant.

I even made a new thread to find it easier, titled "super simple 15g plastic conical -- revisited".

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/super-simple-15g-plastic-conical-revisited-326384/

i even made one called "yeast washing illustrated -- revisited", also....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-revisited-318684/

thanks!!!!

 

[WPStrassburg]

I've read from other users that these 15 gallon plastic conicals actually hold some where between 17 and 20 gallons. My question is this. Does anyone here have any actual experience with these conicals being used for a 15 gallon batch as a primary fermentor? Is there enough head space?

I'm on my forth or fifth 15 gallon batch in a "15" gallon inductor tank with no issues. None have been too overly active of a fermentation in the tank, but they all have been batches I have done before in carboys with various levels of fermentation and I don't see an issue with doing a English pale to a Hefe or a Belgian as long as you have a blow off tube and clean it well promptly after the batch is complete. Unusually my 3068 hefe fermentations are a beast in a carboy and produce blow off with a 5 gallon batch in a 6.5 gallon acid carboy, but the same 15 gallon batch in an inductor has yielded a manageable fermentation with krausen not even reaching the top of the tank. I haven't measured the actual volume but would say there is is at least 18 gallons and probably closer to 19 before you reach the lid with the normal 15 gallon inductor tanks .

 

[lemmiwinks]

Question for anybody using the 30g inductor tank....

Is there room at the top of the conical if you put in a 1 bbl batch or the krausen?
I'd rather not spring for a few 60g's if I don't have to.

 

[wolfman_48442]

If you're talking about the Ace Roto-Mold with bottom bulkhead, according to the engineering drawing, it's 30 gallons full to the brim. And it's not full drain.
I'd be looking at the 40 gallon full drain version for 1 BBL.

 

[dcarter]

I'm using the full drain ace roto mold and it will hold about 33-35 gallons. I make 25 gallon batches in it and have never had the krausen rise more than 2 inches. I think that you should be able to make a 30 gallon batch in it as long as you use a blow off tube.

 

[18DPA]

I've read from other users that these 15 gallon plastic conicals actually hold some where between 17 and 20 gallons. My question is this. Does anyone here have any actual experience with these conicals being used for a 15 gallon batch as a primary fermentor? Is there enough head space?

Yes. Just did 13 gallons of a tripel, 3 inches of krausen and still another 5-6 to the top.

 

[lemmiwinks]

I'm using the full drain ace roto mold and it will hold about 33-35 gallons. I make 25 gallon batches in it and have never had the krausen rise more than 2 inches. I think that you should be able to make a 30 gallon batch in it as long as you use a blow off tube.

Thanks dcarter.
I had planned on rigging a blow off valve either in the lid or on top somewhere.

 

[Caucasian]

Do any of the tank suppliers have a free shipping code?

 

[snaps10]

FREESHIP usually works on rural king, but it needs to be an order over either 100 or 150 depends on their parameters at the time. Mine was only about 70 shipped from rural king. Shipping was about $11. Sign up and put the conical in your cart. Then close the page and wait a few days and you'll get a few offers for 5 then 10% off.

 

[RVB]

Where do you live? I have a new, unused one I will give you but I can not ship it.
RVB

 

[Brewcrew02]

Linked is a video showing my batch of porter destined for a plastic firkin (purchased at UK Brewing) enjoying a closed fermentation after having applied an airtight seal to the lid assembly.

Please pardon the low production values and voice talent.

http://s1145.photobucket.com/albums/o520/randomzymurgist/?action=view&current=e0a71a4b.mp4

This video makes me happy. You also sound like Greg Proops (to me)

 

[Brewcrew02]

Conical arrived last night - squeezed it into the gutted fridge.

Had an old fridge that used to be my kegerator and part time fermentation chamber. It's been replaced with a keezer. So I gutted it to see if I could fit the conical in. With some mods (removed freezer/fridge divider, coil shroud and moved the stat and fan) I can squeeze the conical in.

The stand is a patio table from garden ridge for $20 and I needed to extend the legs for my fittings - 1in sch40 and we're in business. Popped the glass out of the table and it is the perfect size for the tank.

I'll pretty it up a bit later, but tomorrow it'll have it's first brew in it!

50 pages and over 490 posts later... You my friend are the smartest brewer in this thread. Well the yeast/trub catcher is up there, but man that's just good simple innovation. Well played my friend.nestar:

 

[gpitrone]

Awesome Thread, I'm still working my way through it all. Has anybody found a tank for us 5 gal batch guys? I was searching the web with no luck.

 

[matt99004]

I picked up two AV stands in a surplus inventory sale at the local university. All steel construction, and seem fairly sturdy. So - after spending a few quality hours on HBT - I made a jig for the grinder and went to work. Even after cleaning up the edges, they are not perfect, so I opted to use some pipe insulation as "bumpers" to cushion the tank in both holes.

After the cutting it still seems stable - but I might put some sort of cross bracing in anyway. The height worked out perfectly.

 

[inkedfireman]

Very nice! I like the portability!

 

[matt99004]

Thanks. It seems like it will work well. I still plan on building a yeast catcher, and need to buy the parts. Will try this out in a week or two.

 

[18DPA]

Alrighty then - given the multitude of posts, surely some has an ingenious way of maintaining air tightness while running a cable inside?

Call me a heretic and especially here in the US as a home brewer but after visiting the mother land in Belgium and several of the trappist breweries I gave up the sealed fermenter. My 15 Gallon conical keeps bugs out but its not sealed. I usually keep a batch in it at controlled temp for about 2-3 weeks. I dump the yeast/trub after the first 7 days and then just let it sit at the temp I want for the second couple weeks. When I put it in the carboys I do use an airlock only because the rubber bungs come like that. I have done 14 10+ gallon batches with no problems in the last 6 months.

On about the 4th batch i messed around with some giant o rings and couldn't get it right and said screw it and went back to just the stock lid with my cooling coil.

La Trapp, Westvletern, Chimey, and Achel plus a couple other small non Trappis ones all have open fermenters. I'm talking a big shallow kiddy pool with hundreds of square feet of surface area exposed to the open air. Maybe I'm crazy but if they have been producing the beers I love why worry so much about the dreaded CO2 blanket, and O2 and bla bla. I think temp control during brewing and fermentation are so much more important.

 

[Huaco]

Call me a heretic and especially here in the US as a home brewer but after visiting the mother land in Belgium and several of the trappist breweries I gave up the sealed fermenter. My 15 Gallon conical keeps bugs out but its not sealed. I usually keep a batch in it at controlled temp for about 2-3 weeks. I dump the yeast/trub after the first 7 days and then just let it sit at the temp I want for the second couple weeks. When I put it in the carboys I do use an airlock only because the rubber bungs come like that. I have done 14 10+ gallon batches with no problems in the last 6 months.

On about the 4th batch i messed around with some giant o rings and couldn't get it right and said screw it and went back to just the stock lid with my cooling coil.

La Trapp, Westvletern, Chimey, and Achel plus a couple other small non Trappis ones all have open fermenters. I'm talking a big shallow kiddy pool with hundreds of square feet of surface area exposed to the open air. Maybe I'm crazy but if they have been producing the beers I love why worry so much about the dreaded CO2 blanket, and O2 and bla bla. I think temp control during brewing and fermentation are so much more important.

Very good point... Oh how I would love to see all those breweries some day.

I just came up on this with my drum fermenters. I noticed a few days into my first fermentation in the drum, that the blow-off tube was not pushing a heck of a lot of gas out... however, it still smelled like very active fermentation in the chamber. I am guessing that I didn't quite get the bung good and tight and it was just barley able to off-gas through that opening. I checked it out last night, and it turned out a BEAUTIFUL Dus Alt. it is cold crashing now.

 

[jadkins1019]

Hey guys long time reader, first time writer. First of all, THANK YOU for all of your experiments and contributions.

I'm thinking about jumping on the bandwagon with this conical but I want to do tri clamps for the bottom and racking. I've got all the knowledge I need for building the bottom tri clamp setup but how should I go about building a racking setup since I'll need to use something weldless I'd assume. Bulk head with a Female NPT? Also, would it be possible to put a rotating racking arm with this setup?

 

[18DPA]

Hey guys long time reader, first time writer. First of all, THANK YOU for all of your experiments and contributions.

I'm thinking about jumping on the bandwagon with this conical but I want to do tri clamps for the bottom and racking. I've got all the knowledge I need for building the bottom tri clamp setup but how should I go about building a racking setup since I'll need to use something weldless I'd assume. Bulk head with a Female NPT? Also, would it be possible to put a rotating racking arm with this setup?

I initially bought all the stuff to put a racking arm in mine but never installed it. I just pop the top and siphon out of it. One less defect on the smooth insides. Plus if its time to rack it the lid is coming off to clean it anyway.

There are several places that sell a big 1/2 ID threaded nut / bulkhead made from some non reactive plastic that you can use (yes this sparks debate on what is safe to touch the precious ) I just never got around to using it. Most of our hardware shares with biodiesel manufacturing and that was where I got mine. Duadiesle or buadiesl something like that on e bay. Also grainger and McMaster have similar but cost way more.

 

[troybinso]

Question about the valve you guys are using on the bottom of the conical. I've seen some people with stainless butterfly and ball valve, but I was hoping to go a cheaper route and use pvc. I have heard that pvc is a bad idea in the mash tun, but how about on the fermentor? Here is one I was looking at.