Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

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Black ghost
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Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Black ghost »

How many of you keg boiler users have a ball valve installed in your kegs for drawing at the end of your runs? I'm not sure if I should bother putting one in or not as I'm currently building one.

It would be nice but siphoning seems just as easy and it's one less thing to get caught on something.
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WooTeck
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by WooTeck »

i am going to add one when ive got some down time after the up coming runs.
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by BentJar »

I have them in both my electric keg boilers to drain hot liquids so I can move the keg after use and to clean it out.
I put down a milk pail and fill it, then carry it out to the brick patio and pour it on the weeds growing up between the bricks. Good bye weeds.
I suggest you put one in while you are building, you need it.
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WooTeck
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by WooTeck »

BentJar wrote:I have them in both my electric keg boilers to drain hot liquids so I can move the keg after use and to clean it out.
I put down a milk pail and fill it, then carry it out to the brick patio and pour it on the weeds growing up between the bricks. Good bye weeds.
I suggest you put one in while you are building, you need it.
you dont NEED it but a full keg is heavy and it is a pain with out.
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LWTCS
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by LWTCS »

Lots of fellers will turn the keg upside down and use the factory ferrule as the connection for the drain assembly. Bottom dead center on a typical keg allows for complete draining.

Then weld a larger ferrule on the to for easy access and future up grades. Gotta put legs on the keg for this however.

A dump valve keeps you from feeling older and weaker than you actually are.
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Windy City
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Windy City »

A proper drain valve makes life a lot easier. I have a 11/2" on my keg and when finished with a run I just hook up my pump and away we go easy peasy. No need to lift heavy HOT liquids weather your dumping down the drain or saving dunder/backset. The pump is also convenient because since I switched to electric my boiler now sits on the floor with no room for a pail under the dump valve.
I know you asked about kegs but if you don't mind I would also like to bring up milk can boilers. Last Christmas I got a 25 gal from HBS (probably no different than most other retailers) and the valve on the bottom has a 90 degree spout which definitely will not work with the boiler on the floor. The thread/gasket configuration was also a oddball not easily converted so I had it cut off and should get it back this week from the welder with a new 11/2" tri clamp ferrule. Problem solved :D

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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Truckinbutch »

I have both a drain and a fill pipe on my boiler and would never build one without them . A cut out wheel rim supports the keg atop my turkey fryer burner . When set up it runs as long as I can without having to disassemble for emptying and filling . Makes for more efficient operation .
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by DFitz »

1st boiler was a 25 gal SS stock pot. I fit a 2" SS nipple at a 45 degree angle and added a SS ball valve. Made it much easier to drain my porridge. Made cleaning very easy as well. I think if you do AG a large valve, large as you can install reaps big rewards.
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Halfbaked »

I am supposed to have my kegs welded next week and I plan to take a 90 with part of a stainless spool and run out the side on a bottom drain on factory 2 in. No legs. I plan on cutting the top off a keg for beer and welding the top skirt to the bottom and welding a 1 in MPT to an endcap. 1 inch MPT to a ball valve out the bottom. Ball valve to 2 inch ferrule to pump. Same kind of kind of set up on beer but out the side. Electric both ways and make double batch of water either way and can boil double batch of beer or single still and single beer. The controller will be one box with 2 SSRs and 2 potientometers and 2 LED read outs and a 4 inch fan. Only thing I need to get is a couple of switches for front and 1 potientrometer and 1 SSR(about $20 total Plus pump).
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by NZChris »

I have an 8.5g still and put a drain valve in it when I built it. It was a very good decision. Not having it would be a right PITA.
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WooTeck
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by WooTeck »

NZChris wrote:Not having it would be a right PITA.
im still emptying by list and pour it is a FPITA
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by NZChris »

During my last strip runs, I managed to dump a charge and get the heat on the next charge in six minutes, plus I got to kill weeds with the hot backseat. I'd like to watch someone try and do that without a drain valve.
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by shadylane »

If the pot has a drain valve, it can be used to heat water for mashing.
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by MyUncleMo »

NZChris wrote:During my last strip runs, I managed to dump a charge and get the heat on the next charge in six minutes, plus I got to kill weeds with the hot backseat. I'd like to watch someone try and do that without a drain valve.

now THATS what I;m talkin' about!
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by jedneck »

WooTeck wrote:
NZChris wrote:Not having it would be a right PITA.
im still emptying by list and pour it is a FPITA
I feel your pain. I tip and glug.
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by heynonny »

I just let things cool down & siphon it off into the weeds. This gets all but about a cup or so. With 2 25 gal fermenters, runs take me a week, 4 runs & 1 neutral run. After the 4, I take everything apart & clean (rinse), then setup the CM on 5th day.

1st 4 = 15.5 keg, last = 7.75 keg.

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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by jedneck »

I know longer tip and glug. Just installed a 1 inch drain on my keg. If your building a keg I would put a drain in it.
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
reading and don't ask stupid questions you'll be alright most are
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Truckinbutch
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Truckinbutch »

jedneck wrote:I know longer tip and glug. Just installed a 1 inch drain on my keg. If your building a keg I would put a drain in it.
Absolutely ! :clap:
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by superdaveva »

Getting my kegs welded on this week, drain on both boiler and thumper!
just deal with it bitches
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Re: Ball valve In keg boiler for draining.

Post by Bushman »

I have a 1" Stainless steel ball valve never used I found at a garage sale for $1.00. After having gone electric with the cord I find it a lot easier to clean the boiler after a run.
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