Super Simple 15G Plastic Conical

[FredTheNuke]

2 gallons is too much though. 1 cup per gallon gives you 3200 ppm available chlorine. That is very strong. You MUST rinse thoroughly before the fermentor is used for beer again. Regular food strength sanitizing is at 200 ppm per gallon by FDA standards assuming no rinse.

 

[FredTheNuke]

More info:

http://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/files/26437.pdf

 

[Surly]

When I first got my tank, people here were encouraging us to place the plastic fermenter in the sun. It did rid all plastic smell from the unit.

I would recommend you do this as well after the clorine process.

 

[jcorn]

Amazing ideas fellas! How much bleach should I throw in this with water to the brim? I can rinse out afterwards

 

[Surly]

Amazing ideas fellas! How much bleach should I throw in this with water to the brim? I can rinse out afterwards

Google is your friend.

Go through the process you used post boil and figure out what happened. Could it have been something other than the orange peel?

Rewash everything using a good cleaner. Soak the fermenter parts, cover, cover ring, screws that hold the ring, sight glass and racking parts. Take them apart. Wash, soak, rinse.

Then repeat with chlorine. Rinse well.

Place in sunlight for days.

Sanitize with star san or whatever you use before adding wort.

Discard/replace plastic tubing, racking cane etc.

Good luck

 

[jcorn]

Im not even ready for the sanitizing step again yet. I drilled a 1 inch hole into this fermenter to fit a plastic ball valve for that sample valve. I have spent HOURS and different plastic valves trying to get it to where it will not leak. It is absolutely not possible at this point. I use gaskets on the inside and even outside. I hand tighten and it leaks. I wrench tighten and it still leaks. This thing leaks no matter what! I even tried Teflon and that didn't work either.
Is it possible to put a weldless kettle style metal ball valve on this? That way maybe I can tighten the absolute sh°° out of it and won't have to worry about the gasket getting all funky on me! ?

 

[FredTheNuke]

Food safe silicone sealant in conjunction with O-rings

 

[Surly]

Im not even ready for the sanitizing step again yet. I drilled a 1 inch hole into this fermenter to fit a plastic ball valve for that sample valve. I have spent HOURS and different plastic valves trying to get it to where it will not leak. It is absolutely not possible at this point. I use gaskets on the inside and even outside. I hand tighten and it leaks. I wrench tighten and it still leaks. This thing leaks no matter what! I even tried Teflon and that didn't work either.
Is it possible to put a weldless kettle style metal ball valve on this? That way maybe I can tighten the absolute sh°° out of it and won't have to worry about the gasket getting all funky on me! ?

What Fred said.

But to add: Yes, you can put a SS weldless valve on it. But the cranking the hell out of it may not be the issue. Gaskets only need to be snugged enough to create the seal.

Is the problem that where the hole is drilled the circumference of the conical does not allow a decentl flat surface for the valve to sit properly?

 

[FredTheNuke]

TOO tight is just as bad as too loose...

 

[Chrisl77]

Have you tried one of these flat silicone orings?

 

[SavoryChef]

This is what I use
http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-nipple-12-15.html
two of these
http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-12-npt-lock-nut.html?site_id=7
and two of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=X57GMGPX6BVN7DAO

 

[Surly]

This is what I use
http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-nipple-12-15.html
two of these
http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-12-npt-lock-nut.html?site_id=7
and two of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=X57GMGPX6BVN7DAO

What is used on the inside? The end of the nipple is left as it is I assume.

 

[SavoryChef]

I use this on all three of my Conicals. No leaks

View attachment 1422379734202.jpg

 

[jcorn]

What Fred said.

But to add: Yes, you can put a SS weldless valve on it. But the cranking the hell out of it may not be the issue. Gaskets only need to be snugged enough to create the seal.

Is the problem that where the hole is drilled the circumference of the conical does not allow a decentl flat surface for the valve to sit properly?

That is probably most of the problem. The area is not entirely flat. I have tried sanding it down to flatten more but its not off by much at all. How would I counter this?

 

[FredTheNuke]

Food safe silicone...... Insert tube on caulk gun. Cut end. Squirt silicone onto washer. Hand tighten nice and snug plus a quarter turn. Apply more silicone to seal

 

[FredTheNuke]

.

 

[Paps]

......

 

[jcorn]

Sweet! I will try some food grade silicone for sure

 

[kenglish427]

I got my 15G in the mail Monday. Silicon-ed the seal between the lid ring and the tank so it has some drying time. Looks like I am cleaning out the garage to make room for a fermentor rack. I'm looking to go with a 1/2" stainless coil inside, and a dorm fridge recirculation system using some leftover parts from my electric brewery build-out( PID SSR's thermocouples). I'll post some pictures if all goes well. Thanks to everyone for all the incite, inspiration, and excuse to spend more money on beer making toys!

 

[Surly]

I use this on all three of my Conicals. No leaks

Is that a rotating arm? Would you please list the order of needed parts? And, the source of the SS arm?

Much appreciated

 

[SavoryChef]

You can rotate it if you cut the tube shorter.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-pick-tube-sanke-keg-mash-setup.html

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-12-comp-mpt.html

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-full-coupler-12.html?site_id=5

and everything from post #1051 will create a leak free racking arm.

Then on the outside of the conical you will have a Male 1/2" npt that you can add whatever you want. I use this

http://www.brewershardware.com/1.5-Tri-Clover-X-1-2-Female-BSPP.html

and then a butteryfly valve.

If you want a "cutout" pic of all the components, I can get one when I get home.

 

[Artifishal]

I used the $3 valve you use on a bottling bucket, a 3/4" hole (hole saw), razor blade to clean up the burrs, and a 3/4" female threaded elbow from the pvc isle at menards ($0.60), turned down so it doesn't get clogged. Not pretty, but works great. And fits my bottling tube and wand (if all my kegs are filled and I have to bottle)View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422653070.879732.jpg

 

[Surly]

You can rotate it if you cut the tube shorter.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-pick-tube-sanke-keg-mash-setup.html

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-12-comp-mpt.html

http://www.morebeer.com/products/stainless-full-coupler-12.html?site_id=5

and everything from post #1051 will create a leak free racking arm.

Then on the outside of the conical you will have a Male 1/2" npt that you can add whatever you want. I use this

http://www.brewershardware.com/1.5-Tri-Clover-X-1-2-Female-BSPP.html

and then a butteryfly valve.

If you want a "cutout" pic of all the components, I can get one when I get home.

TY a pic of the whole unit would be nice. That will finish off this line of questioning.


That last part the: http://www.brewershardware.com/1.5-Tri-Clover-X-1-2-Female-BSPP.html is not needed if I am just adding a ball valve with a female end, correct? The parts you listed above will provide the male protruding from the inside of the tank.

 

[SavoryChef]

You don't need the tri clover on the left, but I use them on all of mine. I hope this helps

View attachment 1422721166029.jpg

 

[Surly]

You don't need the tri clover on the left, but I use them on all of mine. I hope this helps

Yes, Savorychef that puts the words to great meaning. I appreciate your service. Thanks.

 

[chapusin]

Anyone know the caster size I can use on a INFD30/55-ST? I was lookin at these ones http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PFC1R6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20, Hess Brewing says they used mcmaster 2460T85 (http://www.mcmaster.com/#2460T85) but they were using a 110 gallon at the time.

 

[chapusin]

Also, anyone knows what type of connections I can use to attach plastic tubing and a ss chiller?

 

[theck]

I see most of the builds are 15g or more any at 7.5ish?

 

[SavoryChef]

Not sure they make a 7 gal version

 

[FredTheNuke]

You may want to look into the new $99 fermenter that can hang on the wall. It is 7.5 gallons.

 

[theck]

Ya I've checked those out but I'd probably be more likely to get a brew bucket at that price. It's double but stainless. I'd love to find a conical build like that for $60. Ha. Oh well I might do the bucket down the road.

 

[thomasjr16]

Finally joining the party after a few wks of lurking and planning! Ordered one 15 gal (infd15-19) tank, nipple, 2 banjo valves (1.5" and 0.5"), female banjo cam with male threading, and banjo cam coupler with female threading. I'll be attaching a homemade yeast catcher to the cam coupler that's made from a water bottle and PVC adapter.

All this from ruralking.com for $110 shipped!! (Free shipping on orders over $99)

 

[Artifishal]

Finally joining the party after a few wks of lurking and planning! Ordered one 15 gal (infd15-19) tank, nipple, 2 banjo valves (1.5" and 0.5"), female banjo cam with male threading, and banjo cam coupler with female threading. I'll be attaching a homemade yeast catcher to the cam coupler that's made from a water bottle and PVC adapter.

All this from ruralking.com for $110 shipped!! (Free shipping on orders over $99)

Can you send a picture or link of the water bottle pvc adaptor?

 

[thomasjr16]

Can you send a picture or link of the water bottle pvc adaptor?

So this is what I'm thinking...

1.5" PVC adapter with male threading for the banjo coupler connection

http://m.lowes.com/pd/LASCO-1-12-in-Dia-PVC-Sch-40-Adapter/3339826

Then a 1.5" x 3" PVC adapter from the above piece to the water bottle I have with a 3" opening

http://m.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-Pipe-1-12-in-x-3-in-dia-PVC-Adapter-Coupling-Fitting/3132739

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423270523.005205.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NTME6F6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I'll need to dry fit the bottle at lowes this wknd but I'm hoping it works as I'll be able to see the yeast collecting

 

[thomasjr16]

Back to the drawing board as the water bottle didn't fit quite right. I know I could replicate the other PVC catchers but I kinda wanted to see the yeast collecting in the bottle.

 

[FredTheNuke]

Use clear PVC

 

[thomasjr16]

Thanks, saw that in an earlier post and it looked great, was just hoping to use a bottle I already had at first.

Good/bad is that the fermenter isn't shipping for 8-10wks (according to rural king.com) so I've got time to get everything together

 

[Artifishal]

I also liked the clear pvc so I made this out of a Nalgene bottle. Used it twice so far with success, but I don't like how hard it is to clean. http://youtu.be/Z8kHQizRba8

 

[chapusin]

I ordered 6 weldless bulkheads from bargain fittings and looks like they won't work. The 3 I was going to use for the lids fit ok but the nut doesn't, so I can't tighten it like it should. The one for the conical leaks water. I now ordered plastic ones, I'll report back.

Also bought 1200 dlls in triclamps, the good thing is that I can migrate all of this stuff if I ever get stainless steel.

 

[FredTheNuke]

With a properly sized yeast trap you won't need any bulkhead fittings for