So I have 6 kegs and I will like some stainless steel flanges to make them into fermenters and maybe a boiler. I'm just new to all of this but happy to listen.
I recommend 6" or 8", and buying one more than you need, so you can clamp two of them together to minimize warping when welding, and use proper welding practices to also minimize warping...
Correct size for a keg boiler for you is no more than a 4" ferrule for the collumn. This will allow you to run an element between 3 kW and 5.5 kW element without any problems.
In addition, remove part of the top chime (top ring) and install on the top dome an additional 3" ferrule for keg access. You can blank this off for closure. (the 3" ferrule causes proximity interferance to the chime.
Lift the keg up by welding legs to it and then underneath weld a 1/2" bend to the bottom centre and extend to terminate with a ball valve on underneath side.
An additional side ferrule will be required to fit and hold the heating element. This size is heating element boss size dependant.
Rich you can simplify that a bit by just turning the keg upside down.
The original 2" port becomes the drain and the larger column ferrule goes on what was the bottom of the keg.
I can just get my arm in a 4" for cleaning but with a submersible pump in a 10-20lt bucket and a CIP spear on the outlet you can clean unmodified kegs very well. The keg just sits on the bucket with the spear/sprayball up through the 2" port and it drains back around the outside into the bucket again to continue circulating.
I don't have a fill port but I guess if it were there I would use it and blank it off with glass when running.
I really like my 6", easy to get arm in and clean... there be some nasties in there if you just ignore it... I had a 15" diameter, 1" thick mushroom thing grow in one, I had to pull out of one through the < 2" sankey hole... never again!
I would have thrown it away. I'm scared of weird fungi.
Az for a fermenter i'd be using plastic. Kegs are heavy and clumsy and the level of sanitation they provide is not really a huge benefit for our higher alcohol short term washes.
For a boiler then the standard is a 4" ferulle in the top or bottom if turning up side down. Easier to use the top if running gas.
Then a 3/4 or 1" socket at the outer bottom for a ball valve drain and 2" ferulle for each element port (2 is best in Aus with our little wiring)
Fill port will hold a funnel just as well in 2" as it will in three or four inch and it's cheaper and easier to install.
There's no problem using the standard 2" opening on the top of the keg like below either, just that if you want to give it a good clean you'll need to do it with sodium percarbonate and hot water.
This one way to do a drain for an electric one using the 2" connections
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Here you go.
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I recommend 6" or 8", and buying one more than you need, so you can clamp two of them together to minimize warping when welding, and use proper welding practices to also minimize warping...
Just use unmodified kegs.
What you need is modified blanks.
Easier in every respect.
Correct size for a keg boiler for you is no more than a 4" ferrule for the collumn. This will allow you to run an element between 3 kW and 5.5 kW element without any problems.
In addition, remove part of the top chime (top ring) and install on the top dome an additional 3" ferrule for keg access. You can blank this off for closure. (the 3" ferrule causes proximity interferance to the chime.
Lift the keg up by welding legs to it and then underneath weld a 1/2" bend to the bottom centre and extend to terminate with a ball valve on underneath side.
An additional side ferrule will be required to fit and hold the heating element. This size is heating element boss size dependant.
Rich you can simplify that a bit by just turning the keg upside down.
The original 2" port becomes the drain and the larger column ferrule goes on what was the bottom of the keg.
I can just get my arm in a 4" for cleaning but with a submersible pump in a 10-20lt bucket and a CIP spear on the outlet you can clean unmodified kegs very well. The keg just sits on the bucket with the spear/sprayball up through the 2" port and it drains back around the outside into the bucket again to continue circulating.
I don't have a fill port but I guess if it were there I would use it and blank it off with glass when running.
True. In any case this is the way that I have finally done it. (ignore the 1/2" ball valve connection on top ... it needs to come off).
I really like my 6", easy to get arm in and clean... there be some nasties in there if you just ignore it... I had a 15" diameter, 1" thick mushroom thing grow in one, I had to pull out of one through the < 2" sankey hole... never again!
If you allowed a 15" diameter, 1" thick mushroom thing grow in one, you deserved to have to clean it out... :))
I'm more like I am now than I was before.
I would have thrown it away. I'm scared of weird fungi.
Az for a fermenter i'd be using plastic. Kegs are heavy and clumsy and the level of sanitation they provide is not really a huge benefit for our higher alcohol short term washes.
For a boiler then the standard is a 4" ferulle in the top or bottom if turning up side down. Easier to use the top if running gas. Then a 3/4 or 1" socket at the outer bottom for a ball valve drain and 2" ferulle for each element port (2 is best in Aus with our little wiring)
Fill port will hold a funnel just as well in 2" as it will in three or four inch and it's cheaper and easier to install.
There's no problem using the standard 2" opening on the top of the keg like below either, just that if you want to give it a good clean you'll need to do it with sodium percarbonate and hot water.
This one way to do a drain for an electric one using the 2" connections
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Never thought of the neck being used as the drain like this.
I am now a convert to the inverted keg boiler.
You should use a 50mm prime lens on your camera so that bokeh removes that background distraction. :D
I'm more like I am now than I was before.
Only so much room in this old abused brain left for new skills. Neither photography or bookeeping made the list.. ~X(
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Is punkin just announcing a 50% off sale? ;)
Yes, the new pens are just ONE DOLLAR!
StillDragon Metal Pen @ StillDragon Australia
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Lol