How to make a keg level indicator

[TurnDevil]

Well after several annoying attempts at tapping the side of a keg (much like kicking a tyre), messing around with scales (meaning disconnecting) and generally just faffing about, I decided there has to be a really simple way to see what's left in your Corny!

Well good news there is, and it involves eating chocolate and drinking beer!

1. Buy a Kinder Surprise Chocolate Egg
2. Pop a small magnet in it (one that looks like the old fat watch batteries), you don't need to stick it down as I have.
3. Drop the food safe (I'm assuming Kinder use food safe plastic here!) egg with magnet into your beer filled, pre carbed keg. Close it as normal.
4. Grab a larger magnet and attract the Egg inside to the edge of the keg.
5. Drop a steel ball-baring onto the magnet and slide the larger magnet way, leaving the ball-baring holding the floating Egg in place.
6. Each chocolate, and test ball-baring movement by drinking beer.

Hope this help, and let me know if you find better bits to do this method with. I am currently using a BB gun baring which could do with been a bit bigger but you get the idea!

 

[YeastFace]

Genius. .

 

[DethApostle]

That's this weekends project sorted then!
You sir, are a legend.

DA

 

[TurnDevil]

Good luck guys - let me know how you get on - so far a larger baring is my mission next week!

 

[Godsdog]

Without sounding a bit dense here,won't the bearing and magnet inside the kinder act as a clamp against the SS keg wall without letting the kinder fall with the beer level?like the idea though if it works

 

[Racinsnake]

I think you may be right Gods' maybe a magnet could be put on the outside instead of the ball bearing. Drag the magnet on the outside down until the resistance stops and there's your level, then again you would still need to attract the egg in first place.

Just thinking aloud

 

[Godsdog]

Unless the magnet in the kinder is far heavier than the bearing and I imagine we are talking small like 5mm and when the beer drops the kinder egg drops and the lighter bearing in effect rolls down the outside of the keg as there is minimal surface contact touching the keg just a mill or so?

 

[TurnDevil]

Because the keg isn't magnetic the ball just rolls down the side as the 'floating' egg drops with the level of liquid.

Doesn't really matter how strong the magnet is in the keg/egg (as long as it doesn't cause it to sink). its all about the baring rolling down the side without resistance.

Have tested this with water in my corny and works fine but a bigger baring would make the ball more secure on the outside. If you knock it off you need the bigger magnet to get the egg back to the side again, which can be a pain.

 

[TurnDevil]

I think you may be right Gods' maybe a magnet could be put on the outside instead of the ball bearing. Drag the magnet on the outside down until the resistance stops and there's your level, then again you would still need to attract the egg in first place.

Just thinking aloud

This way round the light egg which should float just stays fixed in the air as the magnet on the outside has a flat surface - it needs to roll.!

 

[Godsdog]

This way round the light egg which should float just stays fixed in the air as the magnet on the outside has a flat surface - it needs to roll.!

A very clever idea TD as like you said the annoying thing about cornys is not knowing how much beer you got left in them so you can time the next brew,I'm certainly going to try it next time my corny is empty, what size bearing did you use anyway?

 

[TurnDevil]

I just used a baring from a BB gun - really small - really the bigger the better upto a point. I guess that it has to match/balance with the strength of magnet inside the egg. Too big and it will fall off and too big magnet and it will sink or hold the baring too 'tight'.

I really want to use a real baring about 5mm but when my brainwave came I didn't have anything else in the house.

PS Dont tape the magnet on the inside of the egg as I have in the pisture - much better loose.

 

[Godsdog]

I just used a baring from a BB gun - really small - really the bigger the better upto a point. I guess that it has to match/balance with the strength of magnet inside the egg. Too big and it will fall off and too big magnet and it will sink or hold the baring too 'tight'.

I really want to use a real baring about 5mm but when my brainwave came I didn't have anything else in the house.

PS Dont tape the magnet on the inside of the egg as I have in the pisture - much better loose.

if we can refine this and make it work you will have solved the dilemma of the cornie keg and if so I will award you the forums gold medal for innovation :clap:

 

[stevej]

if we can refine this and make it work you will have solved the dilemma of the cornie keg and if so I will award you the forums gold medal for innovation :clap:

Found the answer to this thread SCALES :whistle:

 

[Godsdog]

Found the answer to this thread SCALES :whistle:

nah..we need something visual without faffing about with scales

 

[TurnDevil]

Feel free to go on Dragon's Den - just a mention will be fine for me!

 

[stevej]

I will have a word with Duncan Bannatyne for you he lives down the road from me:lol:

 

[zipfly]

I think he's a bit busy down under for the next few days though.

 

[ManseMasher]

https://www.ballandkeg.com/

 

[Godsdog]

Oh deary me,you been plagerising TD?or do great minds think alike:lol:gonna have to revoke your gold medal for innovation to homebrewing:whistle:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Oh deary me,you been plagerising TD?

He didn't say it was his idea. :wink:

Well good news there is, and it involves eating chocolate and drinking beer!