Positioning of soldered ferrule in 2" opening, 15.5 keg

[adamf]

Hi
This might be a st00pit question, but I'm really not sure here.

I have a 2" hole bored on top of 15.5 Keg, closer to the rim/handle. Plan to connect the 2" line from boiler to a ferrule/clamp here for the intake into the keg.

Since the hole is on the side of the top part of the keg, it's angled, not level. My question is:

Do I solder the 2" ferrule so that the face where the junction is, is level, or do I solder it so that it's square in the hole, giving the junction an angle.

Simple question, but not for me!

Thanks!

[Twisted Brick]

Yours is not a stupid question.

If you study keg thumper pics, you'll see almost all fix the ferrule vertically for easy hookup to a boiler's vertical riser.

If you can angle your boiler's output pipe to mate with an angled thumper ferrule, the angled ferrule (provided its at the correct angle) can later be used for an agitator like below.

In a perfect world, I would have 2 ferrules to accommodate both.

[Bushman]

Maybe I am reading it wrong but sounds like you want to use it for your column not a thumper. If it is a column having it vertical will help prevent entrainment. Not sure how I would attack it from the side. On my keg I cut the two inch hole into a four inch and welded a ferrule on it. Having the keg at different thicknesses and getting it straight was not easy.

[adamf]

Thanks for the reply Bushman!

I'm going from the boiler keg, up and over via 2" line to the 2nd keg, where I'm planning to connect (down and into the 2nd keg --thumper).

My instinct says to solder the ferrule so the face where it meets the incoming line and is clamped, is level. This would make the position of the

ferrule in the keg slightly not level. As long as there's no issue I can't foresee with that, I'm good to go.

You see any issue with the ferrule not being quite level in relation to the hole in the keg?

[Bushman]

No problems I can see. My earlier post was referring to a reflux column but that doesn’t sound like what your doing.

[adamf]

Thank you, sir!

[adamf]

Follow-up. The 2" ferule for the boiler-to thumper down-tube soldered onto the keg did not fare well with the stress the connection to the boiler put on the ferule. I developed leaks several times at the ferule/keg joint and after re-soldering several times, I had a friend weld the ferule to the keg. It has run perfectly since then-- no leaks and a strong connection.

Although it's a keg mod, this discrete 2" line from the boiler (Usage had this set-up; and where I obtained the idea) to the thumper down-tube works really well.
That it's a separate line form the boiler, and that the vapor exits through the top of the keg, via the original sanke flange, prevents heating the vapor like the tube-in-a-tube thumper design with a single connection for inlet and outlet. Possible smearing could result if the vapor leaving the thumper has to pass through the same tube as incoming vapor from the boiler. This is of course theoretical, since I haven't compared the two set-ups in a test, but I'm very pleased with the way my thumper works, both for flavoring, increasing ABV and great taste/mouthfeel.

The down-tube is about a 1/4" off the keg bottom, and I have 6 round holes drilled slightly up from the end of the down tube. I tested round holes, castellated ends,and notches to produce bubbles from the down-tube.. The round holes worked well and were easy to make. In this15 gallon keg, I put 2 gallons of fluid in for the charge. I'd like to be able to add solids but that will be another project, making a 15 gallon keg with a 6" opening, reducing to a 2" for the riser.
Thanks to all here for good advice and answering questions!

[Wildcats]

If I was putting a Ferrule on the keg like you are taking about. And need to make sure it was level at the face of the ferrule. I would cut a small "pup" of pipe that was slightly angled at the bottom and square at the top. Then solder the "pup" to the keg and then the ferrule. That way the ferrule face was level. I hope that makes sense. Good luck sir.

[adamf]

@ Wildcats Thanks, yes it does make sense. I had to have the ferule welded in: soldered joints didn't hold up to the stress placed on them when jockeying the thumper into position with the boiler. What angle off I am with the position of the ferrule, I adjust with a couple wooden shims under the keg.
The ferule I chose had a fair amount of extension, not unlike the "pup" piece you suggest!