Upgrade Mis-hap. What now?

[JayZeus]

Hi guys!

I'm looking for some advice.

Long story short, I bought a grain basket with the intention of using it directly in my boil kettle, combined with a sous vide stick to conduct a more precise and convenient mash.

I was so LASER FOCUSED on making sure the dimension were right for my kettle that I overlooked the well for the temperature probe that sticks out. My boil kettle is the MegaPot 1.2 with a hole knocked out for the thermometer. Needless to say, it isn't easy to just remove the thermometer and well. (I'm left with about a 3/4" hole)

Any ideas for "plugging" said hole or do I have to get a new boil kettle if I want to use this grain basket.

TIA

 

[JayZeus]

They have a kit. I just found it.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/weldless-bulkhead-hole-plug-kit

 

[IslandLizard]

A hole knocked out with no fitting in it?
Usually those "openings" have a threaded "half port," welded on, or soldered in, so you can screw a kettle thermometer into it.

If so, a regular 1/2" NPT plug will screw into it, and plug it up, like this one:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/nptplug.htm?1=1&CartID=0
Your local hardware/plumbing store may even have them, or at least a brass one.

If there's indeed just a hole in the kettle wall, then yeah you'd need one of these:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/plugwl12.htm
Here's the whole search page for various plugs:
https://www.brewhardware.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=plug&Submit=

 

[StayThirsty]

BrewHardware has a cheaper, better plug that's also a lot easier on the eyes.

Weldless Plug Assembly for 13/16 or 7/8'' holes (1/2'' NPT)

That Northern Brewer plug also looks like it might leak without strategic use of teflon tape.

 

[IslandLizard]

BrewHardware has a cheaper, better plug, that's also a lot easier on the eyes.

Weldless Plug Assembly for 13/16 or 7/8'' holes (1/2'' NPT)

That Northern Brewer plug also looks like it might leak without strategic use of teflon tape.

Hah, I tried not to say: FK NB!

 

[bwible]

They have a kit. I just found it.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/weldless-bulkhead-hole-plug-kit

When I removed the thermometer from my Anvil pot. I was directed to Blichmann who makes one like this. Had it on a couple years now, no issues

 

[Bobby_M]

When I removed the thermometer from my Anvil pot. I was directed to Blichmann who makes one like this. Had it on a couple years now, no issues

The blichmann plug is very different. It does not require teflon tape to seal because the oring seats against the head of the hex plug while the SS washer contains it and keeps it from squeezing out. Of course, it's only useful for the smaller 1/2" actual hole size that Blichmann kettles use for their weldless thermometers.

Using a pipe plug like the NB kit is a smash and grab job at best.

The way I designed mine was to machine a groove in the main fitting to make it impossible to squeeze out the oring. It accomplishes the same thing as the blichmann design but without the extra parts.