Turning your Fermonster into a complete closed transfer system for cheap!

[dawn_kiebawls]

I realize this should go in the 'for sale' forum but I feel like it might have a better chance here - if anyone in this thread is interested in purchasing the entire setup as outlined in the original post I have all the components (fermentor, floating dip tube, posts, etc) that I would like to sell to someone who will end up using it. I purchased all the components then life got way too busy and I haven't brewed since it all got delivered. It's all brand new. If anyone is interested shoot me a message and we can work something out, otherwise I'll send it over to the 'for sale' forum and see if I can get any action.

 

[VikeMan]

I noticed something similar with the o-rings that come with these fittings. When attached to the Fermonster lid, you need to hit the sweet spot with tightness or else the o-ring will flatten/bulge out of the side, likely killing the seal. I am going to try to find better o-rings.

I think you are talking about the o-ring/gasket that seals the bulkhead against the lid. I was talking about dip tube o-rings. Different failure mode.

That said, when I first bought my parts, I didn't like the way the bulkhead o-rings/gaskets fit. After a little experimentation, I settled on #204 Buna rings, which I put between the bulkhead and the lid and also between the nut and the underside of the lid.

 

[RyPA]

I think you are talking about the o-ring/gasket that seals the bulkhead against the lid. I was talking about dip tube o-rings. Different failure mode.

That said, when I first bought my parts, I didn't like the way the bulkhead o-rings/gaskets fit. After a little experimentation, I settled on #204 Buna rings, which I put between the bulkhead and the lid and also between the nut and the underside of the lid.

Correct, I did specify I noticed a similar issue at a different seal point.

 

[Ridenour64]

Got mine set up and just ordered a second one! Do you guys take the bulkheads off each time to clean or leave in place?

 

[VikeMan]

View attachment 769841
Got mine set up and just ordered a second one! Do you guys take the bulkheads off each time to clean or leave in place?

I disasemble and clean everything. On brew day, sanitize, reassemble, then sanitize again.

 

[RyPA]

Mine keep losing their seal, I think I'm going to try vinyl gaskets as the included rubber ones just get smushed and don't seal.

 

[Ridenour64]

Mine keep losing their seal, I think I'm going to try vinyl gaskets as the included rubber ones just get smushed and don't seal.

Can you link to the gaskets you are looking at? My bulkheads are less than 100% hand tight. If I twisted as hard as I could, like you said, the rubber seal would pop out from under the fitting. I have not actually sprayed the connections to test for leaks yet, but I will at the end when I go to transfer. However, the airlock is working just fine.

 

[VikeMan]

Can you link to the gaskets you are looking at? My bulkheads are less than 100% hand tight. If I twisted as hard as I could, like you said, the rubber seal would pop out from under the fitting.

To avoid this exact issue, I use size 204 O-rings for the bulkheads.

 

[RyPA]

Air lock does work fine, but I do closed transfer and it breaks the seal under pressure.

VikeMan, have a link to ones that work?

 

[VikeMan]

Air lock does work fine, but I do closed transfer and it breaks the seal under pressure.

VikeMan, have a link to ones that work?

You can get #204 O-rings from pretty much anyone who sells O-rings. I buy most of my O-rings from Oringsandmore, so...

Buna Orings # 204-70D Minimum 50 pcs

3/8 ID x 5/8 OD x 1/8 CS - price is for 50 pieces

www.oringsandmore.com

Also, make sure about where your seal is breaking, as it could be a dip-tube O-ring problem. I've noticed that a single dip tube O-ring doesn't get compressed much when the post is installed onto the bulkhead, so I'll be doubling up in the future.

 

[anteater8]

I run into a small issue with this setup and I'm curious if anyone else has. When I got to dry hop, I attach the gas disconnect, start to open the lid, turn the gas on once gas can escape, keep spinning the lid until its open and toss the hops in. My issue is that by spinning the lid with the disconnect attached, the bolt underneath the lid tends to unscrew a bit. Obviously I want everything kept super tight for a smooth transfer on kegging day. Anyone opening their lid for dry hopping differently?

 

[Dgallo]

I run into a small issue with this setup and I'm curious if anyone else has. When I got to dry hop, I attach the gas disconnect, start to open the lid, turn the gas on once gas can escape, keep spinning the lid until its open and toss the hops in. My issue is that by spinning the lid with the disconnect attached, the bolt underneath the lid tends to unscrew a bit. Obviously I want everything kept super tight for a smooth transfer on kegging day. Anyone opening their lid for dry hopping differently?

I open mine the same as you. Your ballock connect should be able to rotate some while connected without spinning the bulkhead post.

are you pushing a gas ballock onto a liquid post? The co2 balllocks are slightly smaller and could cause that.

 

[anteater8]

I open mine the same as you. Your ballock connect should be able to rotate some while connected without spinning the bulkhead post.

are you pushing a gas ballock onto a liquid post? The co2 balllocks are slightly smaller and could cause that.

I actually started attaching a liquid disconnect to the liquid post so that the co2 comes up from the surface through the floating dip tube. Maybe I just need to tighten everything up a bit better, its just frustrating when I need to leave the lid open longer to tighten that bolt.

 

[RyPA]

I'm trying to get my bulkheads locked on. They sit on there able to spin with a little force which I don't like. Thinking new washers and maybe some type of sealant (black RTV?)/silicone to lock them in place

 

[wsmith1625]

Looking at the pic @Ridenour64 posted, his o-rings hardly look compressed. I put a wrench to the nut and the post and snug it up pretty tight. I've had no issues with them leaking or coming loose. I also leave them on and soak the entire lid when cleaning and sanitizing.

 

[ihavenonickname]

I am having trouble with leaks around my o rings as well - not sure what else I can do, I’ve got a good looking o rings on the inside and outside of the lid, still leaks at just a few PSI.

 

[ihavenonickname]

.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I am having trouble with leaks around my o rings as well - not sure what else I can do, I’ve got a good looking o rings on the inside and outside of the lid, still leaks at just a few PSI.

That quick disconnect looks like it has some stories it could tell!

Sorry, cannot help much with the leak. I have had decent luck with my setup, though I don't run it with any presssure.

 

[Broken Crow]

I am having trouble with leaks around my o rings as well - not sure what else I can do, I’ve got a good looking o rings on the inside and outside of the lid, still leaks at just a few PSI.

It might sound counter intuitive but, is there a chance you over-tightened? Easy mistake to make, but tightening much more than hand-tight causes the o-ring to bind in one point and lift in another causing leaks. Usually, just one o-ring on the inside is enough.

 

[ihavenonickname]

It might sound counter intuitive but, is there a chance you over-tightened? Easy mistake to make, but tightening much more than hand-tight causes the o-ring to bind in one point and lift in another causing leaks. Usually, just one o-ring on the inside is enough.

Oh. Yeah. I was using a wrench…. . I’ll give a try tonight

 

[wsmith1625]

I am having trouble with leaks around my o rings as well - not sure what else I can do, I’ve got a good looking o rings on the inside and outside of the lid, still leaks at just a few PSI.

Could you send a link to the parts you're using? The assembly looks off to me because the large nut is usually on the inside of the lid and a smaller hex on the post should be on the outside with an o-ring between it and the lid.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Could you send a link to the parts you're using? The assembly looks off to me because the large nut is usually on the inside of the lid and a smaller hex on the post should be on the outside with an o-ring between it and the lid.

Good point. My posts look exactly like your prior pic.

 

[seatazzz]

Just got my lid and bulkheads today, and got them installed. Have to hit up HD tomorrow for barbs to attach under the lid. Did a short leak test with co2 and it didn't hold 3psi longer than 10 minutes. Spray test didn't reveal any obvious leaks. Does anyone use keg lube on the lid to help it seal better? Lid did not come with the o-ring but I had a spare. I'll keep hammering at it until I can get it to hold pressure, in the meantime I'm looking forward to transferring to kegs with little or no oxygen exposure.

 

[Dgallo]

Just got my lid and bulkheads today, and got them installed. Have to hit up HD tomorrow for barbs to attach under the lid. Did a short leak test with co2 and it didn't hold 3psi longer than 10 minutes. Spray test didn't reveal any obvious leaks. Does anyone use keg lube on the lid to help it seal better? Lid did not come with the o-ring but I had a spare. I'll keep hammering at it until I can get it to hold pressure, in the meantime I'm looking forward to transferring to kegs with little or no oxygen exposure.

Was the fermenter filled with liquid or unfilled? If it was filled, how warm was the water

 

[seatazzz]

Was the fermenter filled with liquid or unfilled? If it was filled, how warm was the water

Nothing in it, maybe that was my goof.

 

[Dgallo]

Nothing in it, maybe that was my goof.

No there’s nothing wrong with that. I was asking as if waters in the fermenter, and the water was warm or hot, it would started to absorb the co2 in the headspace and you’d see a drop in psi.

If I were you, I would fill your fermenter to the 5 gallon line with your tap set cold. Then set it to a higher psi, like 5 - 7 (lower psi setting on a regulator are less likely to be accurate) and check the pressure after an hour and then an hour after that. As the air in the head space and water meet an equivalent temp, the psi should hold relatively stable within 1 or so psi. If it doesn’t, you have a leak

As stated earlier in the thread, don’t over tighten your bulkheads and if you have the “wrench” that comes with the fermonster, uses that to tighten the lid

 

[Ridenour64]

View attachment 769841
Got mine set up and just ordered a second one! Do you guys take the bulkheads off each time to clean or leave in place?

I put pressure on mine yesterday and checked with Star San. No leaks.

 

[seatazzz]

No there’s nothing wrong with that. I was asking as if waters in the fermenter, and the water was warm or hot, it would started to absorb the co2 in the headspace and you’d see a drop in psi.

If I were you, I would fill your fermenter to the 5 gallon line with your tap set cold. Then set it to a higher psi, like 5 - 7 (lower psi setting on a regulator are less likely to be accurate) and check the pressure after an hour and then an hour after that. As the air in the head space and water meet an equivalent temp, the psi should hold relatively stable within 1 or so psi. If it doesn’t, you have a leak

As stated earlier in the thread, don’t over tighten your bulkheads and if you have the “wrench” that comes with the fermonster, uses that to tighten the lid

I do have that lovely wrench (dunno how I ever got along without it) and will run another test tomorrow with cold water in the fermonster. If nothing else I'm looking forward to pressure-transferring the pale I have ready to keg right now.

 

[Brewer Mike]

So, I don't have a Fermonster, but had a thought on the lids. Has anyone tried keg lube on the threads to make them easier to get off?

 

[RyPA]

Is it possible to get the bulkheads secure so they don't spin--like locked on? If I even remotely tighten mine, my rubber gasket starts poking out of an edge, breaking the seal.

Do you guys put your washer on the outside or inside of lid?

 

[VikeMan]

Is it possible to get the bulkheads secure so they don't spin--like locked on? If I even remotely tighten mine, my rubber gasket starts poking out of an edge, breaking the seal.

Do you guys put your washer on the outside or inside of lid?

I do outside and inside. I think I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but I use #204 O-Rings instead of the original style gaskets. They compress and tighten nicely, and tend to not poke out of an edge.

 

[Ridenour64]

Is it possible to get the bulkheads secure so they don't spin--like locked on? If I even remotely tighten mine, my rubber gasket starts poking out of an edge, breaking the seal.

Do you guys put your washer on the outside or inside of lid?

Post #408 @VikeMan says he uses a 204 Oring to fix this.

 

[Ridenour64]

When you say washer, do you mean the oring? I don’t recall there being a washer. My oring is on the outside and mine is sealed up nice. Hand tight only.

 

[RyPA]

Yes, o-ring. Mine was nice and tight for my first batch, but second time around it somehow lost seal and I heard some co2 sneaking out while transferring. Fortunately I was still able to get the transfer done, likely at the expense of some wasted co2. I want to get silicone o-rings and get the bulkheads really snug. The included o-rings poke out relatively easily.

 

[VikeMan]

I want to get silicone o-rings and get the bulkheads really snug.

Buna may be a better choice than silicone. The latter is among the most gas permeable "rubbers."

 

[LostHopper]

Pardon the interruption: Has anyone used a floating dip tube in their Fermonster then dry hopped in bags? Is it possible for the dip tube to work around the bags? This may be obvious but this is my first rodeo with the floating dip tube. Would it be better to go commando on the dry hops?

I've used the pressure transfer kit from Brew Hardware and it works great but after a grommet mishap on this batch I had to make an emergency lid with the ball lock posts since I had the floating tube. It's still early in fermentation but I'm planning ahead.

Has anyone mounted a ball lock post on an ordinary plastic bucket fermenter and successfully used it without wearing the beer?

 

[RyPA]

Yeah, for my first batch I used a muslin bag and it worked fine. I've since switched to commando.

 

[Dgallo]

Pardon the interruption: Has anyone used a floating dip tube in their Fermonster then dry hopped in bags? Is it possible for the dip tube to work around the bags? This may be obvious but this is my first rodeo with the floating dip tube. Would it be better to go commando on the dry hops?

I've used the pressure transfer kit from Brew Hardware and it works great but after a grommet mishap on this batch I had to make an emergency lid with the ball lock posts since I had the floating tube. It's still early in fermentation but I'm planning ahead.

Has anyone mounted a ball lock post on an ordinary plastic bucket fermenter and successfully used it without wearing the beer?

I personally do not see the benefit of bagging the hops at any time but especially if you have a floating diptube. After cold crashing your hops should be settled to the bottom.

I would believe that the floating dip tube could get interference from the bag or even block the tube

 

[LostHopper]

I personally do not see the benefit of bagging the hops at any time but especially if you have a floating diptube. After cold crashing your hops should be settled to the bottom.

I would believe that the floating dip tube could get interference from the bag or even block the tube

Thanks. I've always been a commando guy but the few times I used bags it worked fine with the pressure transfer system because I could direct the racking cane.

 

[VikeMan]

If I were dry hopping with a closed xfer fermonster, I would do that by transferring into a purged keg containing caged hops, then xfer again to a purged serving keg.

Opening the fermenter to add hops works against the goodness of doing a closed xfer.