Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

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schmand
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Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

Hey guys,

just bought a 30l Euro Keg in a spontaneous decision :D But as my other 50l Euro Keg - from which I cut the top off and got a custom lid built by a friend to use it as a fermenter - it has one of those goddamn "Korbfittings" (german for ... uhm ... Cagefitting? dunno) and I cannot open it ... again. I do not want to destroy the fitting because I think I'm gonna put a tri clamp on it.
IMAG01912.jpg
Do you know how to open it?


Take care
Schmand
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Titus-a-fishus
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Titus-a-fishus »

Hey Schmand

The search function is an excellent research tool
Just did a search in the related Hardware section and got fifteen hits.
I typed in "Keg spears"
Try each section you think the information might be under and see what comes up.

There is a wealth of information on removing these keg spears.
And a lot of other things as well :D

TAF
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schmand
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

Hey TAF,

searched the forums but found nothing for this type of fitting (or spear). Instead I found a tutorial by searching google. Basically you have to build a tool that pushes down the rubber valve gasket. Then you can push a long needle into the now generated gap and push it into the inside of a kind of barbed hook (this was the thing which prevented the spear from coming out). Now just push the needle and you can pull the spear out.

Now I've got a good-as-new keg full of old beer (eeks :D) with a 2" pipe and a tri clamp "fitting". On the inner side there is a little thread, too. Do you think I can use this to screw a 2" copper thread in it? The Problem is that the thread measures only about 5mm in length, so I have to seal it with teflon tape, but it would be the easiest method. btw how much does a 2" Tri Clamp with a PTFE gasket cost at your part of the world?


Take care
schmand
Non-Native English Speaker. I'd appreciate if you would tell me my mistakes! Thank you and have a nice day!
Titus-a-fishus
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Titus-a-fishus »

Sorry Schmand
I used a different type of keg and made my own fitting out of copper pipe to join the column.

From memory a triclamp from one of the many suppliers is around the $20 mark
But have also seen some trying to sell them at well over $50 :wtf:

All the best with your build.
Maybe some photos?

TAF
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by olddog »

I pay around $10 for a 2"triclamp from my supplier.


OD
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Fastill »

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4705
Don't know if this will help, it might.
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Husker »

Fastill wrote:http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4705
Don't know if this will help, it might.
Isn't it amazing, the information people could find, if they only look at the forum sticky messages :ewink:


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robs
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by robs »

Olddog,
I pay around $10 for a 2"triclamp from my supplier.
what supplier do you use?
2" copper Boka on 50l gas boiler
rubber duck
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by rubber duck »

In the US I highly recommend this outfit. http://glaciertanks.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Also you can try Ebay. I needed 4 for a project I was working on and got 15 for 25 dollars. Now if I could only find where I put them. :roll:

Oh ya by the way, when you depress that little ball in the center of the spear to let off the keg pressure, make sure you get a good look at it while it degases. Not to close though, it's really something to see, you don't want to miss out on that experience.
Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen. John Steinbeck
schmand
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

Husker wrote:
Fastill wrote:http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4705
Don't know if this will help, it might.
Isn't it amazing, the information people could find, if they only look at the forum sticky messages :ewink:


H.
Sorry mate, but this is the wrong fitting :D

This is my keg spear, it has some kind of barbed hook on the right side of the photo. That prevented it from just coming out like the US ones.
spear.jpg
Titus-a-fishus wrote:Sorry Schmand
I used a different type of keg and made my own fitting out of copper pipe to join the column.

From memory a triclamp from one of the many suppliers is around the $20 mark
But have also seen some trying to sell them at well over $50 :wtf:

All the best with your build.
Maybe some photos?

TAF
There you go :) :
still.jpg
That is my pot still head. Maybe it is a bit to small for a gas powered 30l Keg!? I think I am going to build a new one. Can you recommend a good pot still plan for me?
Non-Native English Speaker. I'd appreciate if you would tell me my mistakes! Thank you and have a nice day!
schmand
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

At first, sorry for 2 posts in a row if you do not like that here.

I think I am additionally going to build a bokabob reflux still. I need some packing for this:
1. Is it okay to use glass marbles which have kind of a color inside? (not coated)
2. Maybe I will buy 1kg of SS wool. Is 1.4113 (X50CrMoV15), 0,45 - 0,55 % C, 14 - 15 % Cr, 0,5 - 0,8 % Mo, 0,1 - 0,2 % V, ok to use? It is used for german knife steel (e.g. for kitchen knifes).
3. Are there any other (non-toxic) packing materials aside from copper/ss wool and marbles?


Have a nice day

schmand
Non-Native English Speaker. I'd appreciate if you would tell me my mistakes! Thank you and have a nice day!
rad14701
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by rad14701 »

Marbles provide roughly 1/3 the HETP potential of Copper or Stainless Steel structured packing... That means you would need your packed column section to be 3X as tall...

However, that being said, I have had decent luck with marbles in a short column section and have been able to pull consistent runs at under 90%... So if you are shooting for something with flavor then using marbles is a viable option... I find that they work better than completely detuning my LM column and have used the method many times over the years... With my 1.25" combo rig, with a short 8 inch column filled with marbles, I have maintained ~88% ABV for the entire run... Your mileage may vary...

For structured packings your best bets are Copper or SS, then Raschig Rings or ceramic saddles, then marbles...
bluethumb
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by bluethumb »

put the keg on it's side while putting a blunt instrument into the center of the valve with moderate pressure to vent the keg. The spears pick up tube will have a difficult time spraying old beer all over the place on it's side and maybe save you from injury. After that then worry about the best way to dismantle the spear.
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Prairiepiss »

bluethumb wrote:put the keg on it's side while putting a blunt instrument into the center of the valve with moderate pressure to vent the keg. The spears pick up tube will have a difficult time spraying old beer all over the place on it's side and maybe save you from injury. After that then worry about the best way to dismantle the spear.

Why you got to go and spoil Rubberducks fun? :moresarcasm: :lolno:
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schmand
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

Prairiepiss wrote:
bluethumb wrote:put the keg on it's side while putting a blunt instrument into the center of the valve with moderate pressure to vent the keg. The spears pick up tube will have a difficult time spraying old beer all over the place on it's side and maybe save you from injury. After that then worry about the best way to dismantle the spear.

Why you got to go and spoil Rubberducks fun? :moresarcasm: :lolno:
Haha, sorry to disappoint you, but I did that more than once ;)

I am going to buy a gas burner now and transform it into a car rim burner for my keg. Do you think this burner is appropiate to heat a 50l keg in a short time?
It has got 9,5 kW which is approx. 32000 btu. It needs 580g/hour at maximum.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/9-5-KW-Gaskocher ... 53e731b353

Actually I want to use electric heat but I fear the complexity and also the costs. How much does a phase fired controller (was that the name? :D) cost?
Non-Native English Speaker. I'd appreciate if you would tell me my mistakes! Thank you and have a nice day!
myles
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by myles »

Electric or gas often comes down to WHERE you are running the still. I tend to run indoors and for me that means electric.

I have a 30 litre keg as the boiler for a reflux still that works just fine on a 1.5kW electric hotplate. I also have a 100 litre keg with 2 of 3kW elements for the pot still.

Going over 6 or 7 kW means that you need to start thinking about your wiring, I run each 3kW element on its own circuit. Some folks have access to spare cooker / welder circuits or a handy workshop with beefed up wiring which makes life easier.

I don't have the faccility yet but an outdoor gas strip boiler would be a nice option.
schmand
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by schmand »

myles wrote:Electric or gas often comes down to WHERE you are running the still. I tend to run indoors and for me that means electric.

I have a 30 litre keg as the boiler for a reflux still that works just fine on a 1.5kW electric hotplate. I also have a 100 litre keg with 2 of 3kW elements for the pot still.

Going over 6 or 7 kW means that you need to start thinking about your wiring, I run each 3kW element on its own circuit. Some folks have access to spare cooker / welder circuits or a handy workshop with beefed up wiring which makes life easier.

I don't have the faccility yet but an outdoor gas strip boiler would be a nice option.
People on HD always evade my question :P
So is 32k BTU for a 50l Keg enough to heat it in a short time?
Non-Native English Speaker. I'd appreciate if you would tell me my mistakes! Thank you and have a nice day!
myles
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by myles »

schmand wrote:
myles wrote:Electric or gas often comes down to WHERE you are running the still. I tend to run indoors and for me that means electric.

I have a 30 litre keg as the boiler for a reflux still that works just fine on a 1.5kW electric hotplate. I also have a 100 litre keg with 2 of 3kW elements for the pot still
People on HD always evade my question :P
So is 32k BTU for a 50l Keg enough to heat it in a short time?
MORE than enough IMO :)
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by Dnderhead »

So is 32k BTU for a 50l Keg enough to heat it in a short time?
im going to say it is going to take quite a wile 2-3 hours?
rad14701
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by rad14701 »

The handy Time To Boil Calculator calculated that 50 full liters of 65F wash will heat to 212F, or the boiling temperature based on the composition of the wash, in 36 minutes at 85% efficiency with 32000 BTU's... Throw however much plus or minus onto that as you want...
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Re: Keg Still - How to open the fitting?

Post by emptyglass »

schmand wrote:People on HD always evade my question :P
So is 32k BTU for a 50l Keg enough to heat it in a short time?
I have a burner grunty enough to make the base of my 50 litre keg glow.

No good with a pot.

You will superheat the backset/water and this will carry over.

Don't go too quick with a pot. Slow and steady. I only use 1 ring of a 3 ring burner from start to stop. I feel you need to let the ethonol absorb the heat with time so it can leave first, without taking the things you dont want with it.
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