Super Simple 15G Plastic Conical

[packet]

It's still quite DIY. It's basically going to be a BCS controlled plastic conical version of this:

http://byo.com/brown-ale/item/1877-build-your-own-glycol-fermenter

 

[18DPA]

I was doing a bunch of reading a while back. I'm curious about the temp transfer through the wall of the plastic conical. I chose a SS in the middle of mine instead. I can't lager but can keep even a big Belgian around or below 65 degrees during the first week. I hope your system works. Please keep us updated. If I get a real house and not a rental I want to build a room for fermentation and it would be nice to ha e a more dedicated system for bright tanks etc.

 

[packet]

I'm doing stainless tubing in the conical for the glycol. The heat tape is going to be wrapped around the outside followed by a layer of insulation. I doubt it'll be tremendously efficient, but it's 80-100 watts of heat per conical and I only really need it 2-3 months of the year.

If that doesn't work I figured I'd heat the glycol in the winter. However, I'd like to have the ability to cold crash 1 of the conicals while the other two are kept at fermentation temps. So, we'll see how it works.

 

[18DPA]

Cool! I'm jealous. Central Texas winters are still pretty warm. One hint. I got lazy with a batch and didn't do a really thorough job cleaning and sanitizing the fermenter lid that my coil is mounted to. I then had to dump a batch because it got infected. I'm always very good about the fermenter itself but man I paid for laziness. The coil the lid and thermos ell from now on get scrubbed and soaked in oxy then star San before and after brewing. The could do actually get some build up on them if you're or careful.

 

[packet]

I have a spray ball I bought for cleaning them, but I'm not 100% sure if I want to mount the stainless on the lid or through the side of the conical. On one hand, it'd be nice to be able to take it out and soak in PBW, but on the other hand I'd have to drain the glycol out of the lines, and that's a pain in the ass.

 

[18DPA]

I have camlock fittings right on the lid where my hoses from the cooling system come in. I just DC them and then put the little camlock plugs in both the male and female ends. I'm running a glycol mix as well. It letse move hoses around without spillage as well as turn the lid upside down etc.

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

 

[packet]

Yeah, I have the same connections on my electric brewery. I've just noticed there's a decent amount of spillage when you disconnect the lines, which I obviously want to keep out of the beer and off the conical.

 

[18DPA]

I'm not sure how I did it but when I turn the system off and break the seal on the cam lock gravity pulls the glycol back up the lines and I get maybe a couple teaspoons worth that I just catch with a rag. I think its because my resovior sits below the fermenter coil and is much bigger volume (5 gallon ) bucket than the coil.

 

[packet]

I guess it would act somewhat like a siphon. The problem with mine is one side is going to be blocked by the motorized ball valve. So, no flow that way.

I'll probably pipe the connections through the side of the tank, but above the water line. Worst case, I'll have to soak it in PBW longer.

 

[CoopDvr]

Has anyone bought one of the tanks from Rural King lately? They're telling me there's an 8 week backorder and I'm starting to look for alternative sources.

I purchased from rural king on 3/20 and received on 5/1. 6 weeks to the day; they quoted up to 8 weeks. I got the 2" MNPT instead of the standard 1.5 FNPT, but they told me it would be the same lead time either way.

 

[grndslm]

I purchased from rural king on 3/20 and received on 5/1. 6 weeks to the day; they quoted up to 8 weeks. I got the 2" MNPT instead of the standard 1.5 FNPT, but they told me it would be the same lead time either way.

Why would you get the 2"? Aren't the fittings typically 1.5"?

 

[abrew2u]

I purchased from rural king on 3/20 and received on 5/1. 6 weeks to the day; they quoted up to 8 weeks. I got the 2" MNPT instead of the standard 1.5 FNPT, but they told me it would be the same lead time either way.

Same thing here I purchases mine on5/10 still haven't received mine yet I emailed them and they said 8-10 week back order!!!!

 

[packet]

Same thing here I purchases mine on5/10 still haven't received mine yet I emailed them and they said 8-10 week back order!!!!

I ended up cancelling my order from rural king and ordered from spray smarter. They already shipped and will be here this week.

Agrimart also has them for $65 and will do free shipping with the code "FREE".

 

[CoopDvr]

Why would you get the 2"? Aren't the fittings typically 1.5"?

I didn't want the threads on the inside. I wanted it to stay smooth and clean. I didn't necessarily want to go with 2" either, but that was the only option that I saw to get the threading on the outside. Judging from how rough they cut the threads, I'm happy with my decision.

I haven't started any work on it yet, but I'll be putting a 2" Banjo ball valve on and will make any size and fitting adaptations I decide on below that. It will be a while though. I'm working on a Kal eHerms clone also.

 

[TangoHotel]

Subscribed. I need this.

 

[abrew2u]

I just got an email from rural king they want me to review the induction tank I purchased on 4/10 the only problem I haven't received mine yet!!!!!!

 

[SavoryChef]

I just got an email from rural king they want me to review the induction tank I purchased on 4/10 the only problem I haven't received mine yet!!!!!!

I got the same email. Then ordered from spraysmarter and it got delivered today.

 

[CoopDvr]

I just got an email from rural king they want me to review the induction tank I purchased on 4/10 the only problem I haven't received mine yet!!!!!!

I got that same email too. My conical arrived a few days later. Perhaps it's coincidence, or perhaps they send that email out when it ships.

With that said, based on my wait time, you're due to receive yours any day now. I never got a shipping notice, it just arrived.

 

[SavoryChef]

I got that same email too. My conical arrived a few days later. Perhaps it's coincidence, or perhaps they send that email out when it ships.

With that said, based on my wait time, you're due to receive yours any day now. I never got a shipping notice, it just arrived.

I ordered mine last month and I just called to see where it was and they said it has a ship date of mid June

 

[CoopDvr]

That may be true, and i don't want to beat a dead horse. But for what it's worth, they have no clue because its coming from the manufacturer, not them. They go by the back-order date.

I called to check on mine and was told that they were all 8-10 weeks back ordered, and mine wasn't scheduled for delivery for at least 3-5 more weeks. I got it less than a week later.

Good luck!

 

[SavoryChef]

Yeah I see your point since its a direct ship.

 

[brewmcq]

Agrimart also has them for $65 and will do free shipping with the code "FREE".

Only if you spend over $250.

 

[SavoryChef]

Only if you spend over $250.

Put it in your cart with all your info then close the window. In a couple hours they will send a 10% off coupon. Within a day a 15% then in a couple days I got a free shipping code and the total was $135.

 

[brewmcq]

Put it in your cart with all your info then close the window. In a couple hours they will send a 10% off coupon. Within a day a 15% then in a couple days I got a free shipping code and the total was $135.

I woke up to find this in my inbox:

Enter coupon code Agrimart10 during checkout to receive $10.00 off your order!
(Orders over $100)

If this keeps up, I might be able to get a couple.. don't tell the SWMBO... I can always claim shipping charges, then "oops, they must have sent two on accident!"

Hate the game, not the playa.. lol

 

[SafariJack]

Hate the game, not the playa.. lol

But don't hate the game if you're in it

 

[packet]

I woke up to find this in my inbox:



If this keeps up, I might be able to get a couple.. don't tell the SWMBO... I can always claim shipping charges, then "oops, they must have sent two on accident!"

Hate the game, not the playa.. lol

Yeah, that's how I found out about it. Might just order a fourth just in case one of mine get scratched.

 

[packet]

So begins the process of building a trio of glycol chilled conicals.

 

[brewmcq]

So begins the process of building a trio of glycol chilled conicals.

Do you have a build thread somewhere for this...?

 

[packet]

Do you have a build thread somewhere for this...?

Not as of yet. I'm still waiting for some parts, but have started building the stands for them in the mean time.

 

[CoopDvr]

Do you have a build thread somewhere for this...?

+1... This is definitely worthy of its own thread. I can't wait to see how it goes. I'll be taking notes for sure!