Floating dip/transfer tube

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

Had a go at making a floating gravity transfer tube which should allow me to transfer from a basic 'no tap' fermentation bucket to a keg from the wart surface, avoiding the trub

Kit list:
£7.69 x2 Plastic Fermentation Tank Faucet - Amazon
£4.75 John Guest 3/4" Female Bsp X 3/8" Push Fit - Amazon
£13.00 Stainless Steel Float, Extended Dip Tube and and Silicone Tube - malt miller's.

 

[foxy]

I have made these for my fermenters, only with a shorter tube, there is a push in fitting for those taps, only costs a few cents. I drilled a hole in them to insert the tube. I did mine mainly for taking the hydrometer samples. Doesn't take much yeast in the sample tube to throw off a reading to the + side.

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

I was thinking I needed to shorten the tube so good to hear that confirmed.

I tested this set up with water and I was left with 2-3 inches of water above the top of the tap shaft as the tube settled against the side of the bucket and wouldn't drop further, even with gravity. If you don't mind me asking... how long is yours

 

[foxy]

About 200 ml just cut up some tube I had lying around. Thats the problem with dip tubes and sides of kegs a stainless steel fishing swivel fixes it.

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

About 200 ml just cut up some tube I had lying around. Thats the problem with dip tubes and sides of kegs a stainless steel fishing swivel fixes it.

Great shout! I've loads of fishing swivels, never gave them a thought. Cheers

200ml. Sorry, is that 200mm?

 

[Buffers brewery]

I modded my FV’s a while ago to fit taps in the bottom, not the side. The trub level didn’t quite come up to the tap entry so was OK (first pic) but then I had the idea, like you, to fit a King Keg top tap float (second pic). The only problem was attaching it to the tap. After trying a couple of fittings I ended up getting a connector 3-D printed and it works great. As @foxy says, you can take a relatively clean sample for checking SG (and if the lid is connected to a CO2 balloon you don’t get any oxygen in your FV).

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

I modded my FV’s a while ago to fit taps in the bottom, not the side. The trub level didn’t quite come up to the tap entry so was OK (first pic) but then I had the idea, like you, to fit a King Keg top tap float (second pic). The only problem was attaching it to the tap. After trying a couple of fittings I ended up getting a connector 3-D printed and it works great. As @foxy says, you can take a relatively clean sample for checking SG (and if the lid is connected to a CO2 balloon you don’t get any oxygen in your FV).
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Liking that

3D printers! Homebrewing really has come into the modern age . I'm thinking about connecting my lid to a sanitised keg to use the co2 to purge prior to closed transfer

 

[foxy]

Liking that

3D printers! Homebrewing really has come into the modern age . I'm thinking about connecting my lid to a sanitised keg to use the co2 to purge prior to closed transfer

I do that too! I think you have been doing your homework and reading the posts. I always go to secondary when dry hopping which is most of my beers. The co2 transfers to the secondary containing the dry hops this purges the secondary and produces a sterile environment for the wort to be transferred to.
From the secondary the co2 goes to the blow off tube.

Don't ever believe that co2 is a sanitiser, it isn't

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

Nice, cracking set up that

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

I do that too! I think you have been doing your homework and reading the posts.

Missed an opportunity to use one of my favourite sayings!

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Definitely, this forum, Google and YouTube have been my go-to places for research over the past few weeks

 

[foxy]

Sayings to live by.
Not because you think you know everything without questioning, but rather question everything you think know.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I'm thinking about connecting my lid to a sanitised keg to use the co2 to purge prior to closed transfer

Snap. I’ve recently started to collect CO2 in a balloon and purge a sanitised PB full of water with the fermentation gases. Pipe connection to FV lid instead of a bubbler and pipe runs through fermentation fridge wall to a “gunk” trap.

From there the gas fills a balloon which when full switches the gas supply to the PB. When PB is full of gas I seal it off and connect another balloonful of gas which I use for cold crashing (the first balloonful is discarded). When the second balloon is full the remaining gas is vented through the tube I use for closed transfer to a bubbler fitted to the outside of the fridge.
Yes, I like complicated!

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

That's a mind boggling set-up @Buffers brewery ! Good work