Recommend water level gauge/sight glass

[Mudturtle]

Earlier today I had mashed 100 pds of corn. Loved how easy it was. Figured Id do a Sweet Feed as well, since I love it.

So, since Id only mashed once today, I figured I was still good on water, and since it was still hot, Id save gas on the heat up time. So I fill another barrel, toss in the sweetfeed, and light her up. fast forward about an hour later. A breeze had kicked up, and playin hell with the flames, so I put some old tin roofing I had laying around the shop around the burner. And went back to tinkering on my Corona mill / Mudmixer drill set up. a little bit later, I smell an odd acrid smell. I look over at the injector, and figure it may have been something on that old tin heating up. No biggy. I give the barrel another stir, and go back to adjusting the mill. a few minutes later, A motion catches my eye, and I look over and I see the foam pipe insulation I have over the pipes just melting away.

So I run over, open the blow valve.....and one tiny puff of steam puffs out. I kill my heat, and see that the keg is a very bright cherry red. Give it a few minutes to cool, and I crack the union going down to the foot, and I see black crap stuck to the insides of the pipe. Take off the flange to the keg, and see that the little O ring is now gone, along with the gasket material I had. Its now all over the inside the inside of the keg. Along with what looks like the charred inner layer of the keg in crunchy clumps. Kegs a total loss. The copper piping Im gonna attempt to save by breaking all the solder joints, soaking everything down in acetone and then going at it with a shotgun bore brush. Probably have to rig it on some parachute chord and pull it thru a thousand times.

If that doesn't work, Im out about 300 bucks.

But worse than that, Im so pissed at myself.

[kimbodious]

stainless steel keg? Try some hydrochloric acid dilute 1:3

[MichiganCornhusker]

Ouch.
I ran my keg dry once when using it as a steam stripper.
I was on my third thumper full of potato slop when I noticed there was no more distillate dripping.

I was able to shut down before any real damage, but there was some garbage scorched to the inside bottom of my keg even though I was just using water.

I thing Shadylane posted a water level sight tube build not long ago.

[shadylane]

The sight tube build was part of this, http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 83&t=59138
I bought the boresillica glass tubing from amazon
The OD of the glass was 12mm and it fits inside a 1/2" id copper tube.
I drilled the ID of the fittings to 1/2 so the glass tube would fit inside of it.
And drilled out the threaded end so the copper tubing would fit, for soldering.
The O-ring gets compressed when the fitting is screwed together and provides the seal

[Mudturtle]

Well, they say necessity creates innovation. Looking price wise, my most expensive parts were the 2 inch to 3/4 inch nipple, the flange, valves and keg. I can cut those out and easily clean. The rest will go to junk pile, and the keg can be cut, cleaned and I have a big stew pot. I can get a 100 pound propane tank at HD for about 140, take out valve, cap the hole, lay it on the side build it a cradle. Cut holes for a 3/4 nipple, a sight glass, and a valve and fitting to add water. Rebuild the foot and long arm piece with the relief valve. Injector done. Then build 2 gas burners with shrouds under the tank. Back in business.