Spunding valve vs airlock

[Dordoor]

Hi brewers,

Been a long day, first ever brew is in the fridge/kegerator.

My fermzilla doesn’t fit my fridge with the airlock. Can I use the spunding valve insted? Just pitched yeast and kinda worried, don't want any accident. Temp is solid 20.6 in there. The recipe came with NBS ale yeast.

Learnt a lot today. Brewzilla gen4 user. Can someone tell what's the purpose of the second plate that supposed to put on the top of the wort? I tried and sank down the bottom, compressed the grains, blocked the spigot and the pump as well. Gravity sorted the transfer but it was a long day.... That plate goes in the bin. Silly thing.

Happy altogether, hit OG, calculations so far so good.

Don't want the fermzilla to explode. Not fermenting under pressure.

Thanks folks

 

[Rwilts]

Top plate is to help disperse the recirculated wort during mash, prevents channels forming (apparently) . I stopped using mine for a while (gen 3.1.1) but have started to use it again recently, can't say I notice much difference. It should not compact the grains it should just sit on top .

Regarding airlock v sounding valve. I never used an airlock in 30+ batches in a bucket and since moving to a fermzilla I always just use the sounding valve ( pressure fermenting or not and never had an issue (YMMV)

 

[Agentgonzo]

Both airlock and spunding valve will let co2 out as the pressure increases, and won't let air back in.

So you should be fine to use the spunding instead of the airlock

 

[Dordoor]

Top plate is to help disperse the recirculated wort during mash, prevents channels forming (apparently) . I stopped using mine for a while (gen 3.1.1) but have started to use it again recently, can't say I notice much difference. It should not compact the grains it should just sit on top .

Regarding airlock v sounding valve. I never used an airlock in 30+ batches in a bucket and since moving to a fermzilla I always just use the sounding valve ( pressure fermenting or not and never had an issue (YMMV)

Thanks, do I just leave the spunding valve completely open? Let some pressure build up and set to something really low? Might fall asleep while waiting to pressure build up.

 

[Dordoor]

Both airlock and spunding valve will let co2 out as the pressure increases, and won't let air back in.

So you should be fine to use the spunding instead of the airlock

Thanks for confirming it.

 

[Rwilts]

Thanks, do I just leave the spunding valve completely open? Let some pressure build up and set to something really low? Might fall asleep while waiting to pressure build up.

I have done both, depends on what your trying to achieve. At very low pressure there will be very little difference in the outcome. If you don't want to ferment under pressure just leave it open

 

[Dordoor]

I have done both, depends on what your trying to achieve. At very low pressure there will be very little difference in the outcome. If you don't want to ferment under pressure just leave it open

Right now I just to sleep without worrying about the fermzilla explosion. I hope nothing huge is going to happen overnight. It's a stout so the pressure fermentation not needed.

I led the end of the spunding valve into a bottle of water, is that a good practice?

 

[Rwilts]

Right now I just to sleep without worrying about the fermzilla explosion. I hope nothing huge is going to happen overnight. It's a stout so the pressure fermentation not needed.

I led the end of the spunding valve into a bottle of water, is that a good practice?

I have never bothered. I think that most would use starsan or similar in any blow off bottle. But as far as I am concerned it's not necessary to have a blow off tube etc .

 

[Agentgonzo]

I have never bothered. I think that most would use starsan or similar in any blow off bottle. But as far as I am concerned it's not necessary to have a blow off tube etc .

A blow off tube in starsan is basically just a bigger version of an airlock. It'll let co2 out, but not air back in.

The valve in a spunding valve won't let air back in, so there is no need to have the tube in starsan etc.

 

[Dordoor]

A blow off tube in starsan is basically just a bigger version of an airlock. It'll let co2 out, but not air back in.

The valve in a spunding valve won't let air back in, so there is no need to have the tube in starsan etc.

I see, thank you

 

[Brewelder]

Thanks, do I just leave the spunding valve completely open? Let some pressure build up and set to something really low? Might fall asleep while waiting to pressure build up.

I’m currently doing my first brew in my new Fermzilla and i use a spunding valve, initially piped into the yeast collection jar on the bottom where i had my dry hop additions. I had the screw cap slightly open to avoid any pressure build up, but also to let the dreaded oxygen out as well. Once i was satisfied that the jar was full of C02 (and hops) i sealed everything up and disconnected the line from the spunding valve.
I then ran the spunding valve into an empty bottle filled with starsan, but water will do.

Don’t worry about the Fermzilla exploding, they come with a PRV set at about 25 PSi (i think)

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Just take lid off and put clean tea towel on top. Spund once krausen drops.
Unless you are warm lagering and then I'd set spund to 25 psi and let it ferment.