Wide Mouth Bubbler lid sealing

[psuhammer14]

Hello all,
I'm considering switching to a plastic 6.5G wide mouth bubbler with a dual opening lid to use with a blow-off tube and thermowell. I have read a lot of reviews and the only real downside seems to be the fit of the lid. There is no rubber gasket to seal it, so I am curious to hear from people who have used them if the lid seal is indeed problematic and likely to cause problems.

I really like the fact that is is clear, I can see what is going on with the fermentation, and I hate the narrow openings of a traditional glass carboy or better bottle.

Having the ability to use a thermowell and airlock/blow off tube in this lid is also very nice, but I am concerned that the lid sealing quality may offset the benefits of switching from plastic buckets to these wide mouth bubbler.

Shoot away!

 

[r81stl1n]

I had a original Glass BMB 6.5G, and it had the old Lid.. Then it broke. Old Lid had foam gasket, If I piled a few in there, it sealed, otherwise, nope.
I bought a new Glass BMB 6.5G, when my other one broke. It came with the new universal lid. It fits nice and snugg, but since its a friction fit, and not a screw-on like the old style, internal air pressure can and will lift it up. I currently am using Weights to keep it down, and another forum here has instructions on fixing the issue (Which I will be implementing)

The nice thing is, since the lid is plastic, I was able to just drill a hole in it for my Thermowell (from Brew Hardware)...So I don't need another stopper for it.

I still like the BMB, but am disappointed in the lid!

 

[Wash1]

I too bought the dual opening lid, and it would slide out of the bubbler Very easily. There is a fix in the other thread, but I'm lazy, so here's my fix (bungee works great!):

 

[psuhammer14]

all the pictures I have seen have the wide mounth bubbler with a blue screw on ring that holds the lid on since the part with the holes for the airlock just sits on top. Are you saying that the screw on part pops off?

 

[Wash1]

No, the screw on ring doesn't come off. The older wide mouth bubblers had only the solid, one hole screw on lid. In my case I wanted the new "universal" two hole top so I could add a thermowell, plus an easy place to take a sample with out disturbing the air lock. The universal lid doesn't have a screw on lid, it's supposed to seal when you push it down in the bubbler. The problem comes when there is pressure (any) from the co2 pushing up, the lid just pops out. Hence, my solution of putting a bunge cord on to hold it down. There are other solutions out there.

 

[DeanWolf]

I just bought 4 (2, 6.5) & 2, 5 gal) in January and they all had the screw on lid. Maybe I got some old stock? My last couple of brews I'd put teflon plumbing tape around the top plate (white piece of lid), not blue threaded part of the lid.

Midwestern Supplies is currently offering buy one BMB and get the second for $5!

 

[SLFcentralOH]

After about 3 brews, with the screw on lid style, mine stopped sealing and I thought something was going wrong with my fermentation. Then, I soon realized fermentation was taking place and Co2 was escaping around the lid instead of going through the air lock. I tightened it real hard and immediately had air lock activity.

I have a beer in the same one now and it sealed fine, even without tightening the crap out of it.

As mentioned previously teflon tape should do the trick and I will definitely try that next time it gives me trouble.

Personally, I don't let it concern me that much but I do wonder why they didn't incorporate a gasket or o-ring setup of some sort.

I still like them for the easy cleaning ability. I just got my first glass (not BMB) one and I am already dreading cleaning that thing. Luckily, I am strictly using it to secondary/lager/age in so it shouldn't be that difficult to clean due to there being no krausen residues stuck on the sides from primary fermentation.

 

[CamG]

Two things I hate about my plastic BMB
1) If you have to move it, as soon as you pick it up and put pressure on the bottle the liquid in the air lock shoots out from the pressure you are putting on the bottle. When you put it down the opposite happens and all the liquid gets sucked back into the BMB.

2) I never get any activity in the air lock so the lid is not making a very good seal.

I really like the glass BMB. Although the lid is damn near impossible to remove if any of the sugar from the wort gets on the rim and sticks like glue.

 

[Calder]

I have one, and like it. I have the screw-on lid and have not had any sealing issues. ..... But I seem to be in the minority from what I have read. There are many comments in the forum about them not sealing well. I have no complaints.

There is the new sealing top you can get as shown in one of the posts. It can be adapted to work with the screw-on lid and not come out. I think Passedpawn did a thread on it.

Yes, moving it with the lid sealed will result in movement thru the airlock. I always break the sea before I move any fermenter (even glass ones - just habit I guess)

 

[meatcleaver]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=555388&highlight=mouth+bubbler
this looks like the best solution
& as for the thing flexing when you move it, I keep mine in a plastic milk crate. works wonders

 

[TxBigHops]

I have the 6.5 gal plastic BMB and I love mine! I use the two hole lid for exactly the same thing you want to do. I works great. I bought mine used on Craigslist, and have used it for about 5 brews myself. Absolutely no problem with the top sealing.

Here is a pic I just took. As you can see, mine is completely different from the pic in post #3. I'm pretty sure that one is glass, and that they use different tops. Also, the volume markings on mine were way off and it holds well over 6.5 gallons. Which I love.

 

[Allergic2hops]

The Universal lid is the way to go. The change is incredible. I didn't push it down all the way and the pressure popped it off. Before that I had no action in my airlock.