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Location for Ball Valve & a Mushroom Discussion

Post #1 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Hi guy, I need some advise. I will be receiving my stainless steel ball valve tomorrow Wednesday 7-23-14. How high off the bottom should this be placed?

MODNOTE: This thread side-tracks into some discussion on mushrooms for those interested. :)
Last edited by rbcon2 on 23 Jul 2014, 10:21, edited 1 time in total.
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #3 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Hi MS,

Honestly I had not given it much thought. Based on all I have seen. I figure it would be a center dip tube. any pros or cons to either method. if you are using a bag to brew and hop sock do I need a filter screen? :think:
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #4 made 9 years ago
by PistolPatch
Hi there Roger,

If you do decide to install the ball-valve, my thinking is to install it as low as it can go but MS might be seeing something that I am not seeing.

Before you drill the hole in your kettle, I would ask you to read through my posts that contain the word 'ball-valve.' I have them on my two kettles and they require more maintenance and offer less control than a syphon will give.

Just because you have bought the ball-valve doe not mean you need to install it. I have a hundred things here that were poor purchases. Read this thread at least before diving in. The main thing is to be informed and doing the above will do that.

:peace:
PP

*
Last edited by PistolPatch on 23 Jul 2014, 19:25, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #5 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Hi PistolPatch,

Yes, I had read that post. Thanks, I am well aware of the possibilities of contamination. I grow exotic Mushrooms. It is interesting that mushrooms mycelium and yeast are principally the same. Contamination and infection are serious problems that can happen using hap hazard cleaning methods. Some bacteria can even become bleach resistant, thus the need to constantly change sterilization fluids. I was not surprised to see the thread describing the "grey snot". This is a result of poor cleaning regime.

My keg conversion is two fold. One to boil BIAB and the other to boil water for heat pasteurization for the mushrooms.

I have two kegs, my thinking is to ball valve one and leave the other with no penetrations.I can use one or the other to boil water for the mushrooms and the other for BIAB. or even switch it around.

I suppose this is a long winded answer to your comment. I have thought through the contamination issue. :thumbs:
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #6 made 9 years ago
by mally
Hi RBcon - I don't want to take this thread off topic, but I am really intrigued by your exotic mushroom hobby/business.

Would love to hear what that is all about. Do you have a website or any info you can let me read?
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
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Post #7 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Hi Mally,

I love talking about Mushrooms and I am very passionate about them. Sadly the website is now being created/worked on. I apologize that I can not send you there. Also this may not be the place for this discussion but I suspect we will be redirected if not told to stop. I would totally understand that request. We could also do a PM and or email if you wish. Currently I am growing "Oyster Mushrooms" and experimenting with "Shitake". I am also looking at "Lions Mane mushroom" because of its nuro-regenerative properties. (Boy could I use that!). I will gather some informational sites for you if you wish. Also there are many YouTube video's. Albeit some are less credible than others but the jest of "fungi" is there. :whistle:
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #8 made 9 years ago
by Mad_Scientist
Hole placement would be just off the seam and the curved part where the hole is in a straight sided area.

These first three photos was my setup to leave trub behind.
Image
6/4/2011 by Mad Scientist Brewhaus, on Flickr

I had it such, that the center diptube was angled and I could turn it during the last bit of draining,
when I saw the trub starting to enter.
Image
6/4/2011 by Mad Scientist Brewhaus, on Flickr

Center diptube in the full down position.
Image
5/21/2011 by Mad Scientist Brewhaus, on Flickr

This is my current setup with a center diptube. I drain the entire contents in no-chill containers, minus hop debris,
at about 190F / 88C degrees.
Image
7/12/2013 by Mad Scientist Brewhaus, on Flickr
Last edited by Mad_Scientist on 24 Jul 2014, 00:23, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #9 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Thanks MS this is perfect.
Having spent almost 50 years in construction,I can build a dip tub out of soft copper relatively easy. :idea:
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #10 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Hey MS, The first pic looks as though it is a quick disconnect fitting,is that the case? Also does the 90 at the hose connection swivel?
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #12 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Thanks MS the pics are a big help. My bag should be arriving soon. the ball valve a silicone hose will be here today.

I assume you use a no chill method, correct? How do you open the plastic container, that has a vacuum on it and not get contaminates in the wort prior to transfer?
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #14 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
OK MS I got an idea for a solution to our problem,

In mushroom mycelium growth, I use “ball” jars that has been sterilized. In these jars I place a food source along with a culture of mycelium which starts the growth of future mushrooms.(Very much like sour dough starter) The lid of the jar has a 5/8 inch hole drilled in it. A 3 micron filter is place within the lid and screwed to the jar.

Mold spores are 3-40 microns in size and yeast is 5-10 microns. This is a basic one way filter allowing the contents to breath while filtering out the bad guys. The problem I see in the whole process of no chill is how to keep the bad guys out when releasing the vacuum on the no chill jug. This I think would solve the problem, you have no vacuum. One still has to unscrew the filtered lid to pitch the yeast but the exposure is minimal. Transfer is the next opportunity for infection. Even that is minimal exposure.
What do you think?
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #15 made 9 years ago
by Mad_Scientist
I think you should start a new topic on this. :) Sounds like you are on to something.

Until then, what is the safest way to open my no chill cubes, this weekend?
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Post #16 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
Gosh MS I feel like obi wan asking Luke sky walker how to fight dearth vader.

I would use an alcohol laced rag and slowly release the vacum allowing air to be drawn through rag slowly. I suspect bobrews would say your being to anal and perhaps so. I know how pervasive mold, bacteria and other organisms can be, so I error on the side of caution.
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #17 made 9 years ago
by PistolPatch
rbcon2 wrote:I suppose this is a long winded answer to your comment. I have thought through the contamination issue. :thumbs:
Good on you Roger. If it's an informed decision, I am really happy.

:clap:
Last edited by PistolPatch on 24 Jul 2014, 18:40, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #18 made 9 years ago
by Rick
Mad_Scientist wrote:I think you should start a new topic on this. :) Sounds like you are on to something.

Until then, what is the safest way to open my no chill cubes, this weekend?

+1

I'm quite interested in improving, would like to take all of the most reasonable precautions I can.
Last edited by Rick on 24 Jul 2014, 19:25, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #19 made 9 years ago
by goulaigan
I tried growing exotic mushrooms once when I was younger, they were more the neuro-altering type as compared to the nuro-regenerative strain you speak of, but I failed miserably. :sneak:

Definitely a hobby requiring stricter sanitization regimes (sterilization) than brewing I must say.
:argh:
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Post #20 made 9 years ago
by rbcon2
MS, I have a problem.

I installed my ball valve this weekend and it leaks. I should have raised it higher on the keg. I suspect my keg may be different than yours. I guessed the height based on the photo of yours. When I view the hole from the inside of the keg a small area at the bottom appears to be at the radius for the bottom. The water seems to be leaking through the keg itself rather than the bulkhead connection. No water get to the exterior of the connection on the ball side, but water runs from the underside. I wondered about getting a larger thicker rubber washer to try to take up the wedge effect of the apparent small radius change. worst case would be to remove it, find someone to weld a stainless steel plug or plate over the hole and re drill. Such a bummer! The leak is not great but during boil it drips onto the burner. I had boiled water as a test for it this past weekend, the boil was for my mushroom straw not my brew. that is when i discovered the leak. Any suggestions on a possible fix for this leak? :angry:
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #21 made 9 years ago
by Mad_Scientist
I have this bulkhead; http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.ph ... duct_id=91

(o-ring on the inside of the keg)

Off the top of my head, the hole is 7/8".

Yes, there is a technique for this. You need to wrap the nipple with teflon tape at least 5 times where the o-ring is/will meet the keg wall. That should do the trick. I also tighten from the outside of the keg, drawing the o-ring towards the keg wall, so there is no possibility that the o-ring gets twisted or out of shape.

I replaced the standard nipple for a hex nipple. It makes it easy to tighten it.

If for some reason the o-ring is on the outside, then tighten from the inside.
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Re:

Post #22 made 6 years ago
by jube
Hi there,

I have a question regarding the seals when installing a 3 piece ball valve like here. I have the following and would install it on my 100lt kettle with the kettle wall between the two rubber seals. Has anyone experienced leakage this way - I can imagine that liquid could follow the thread? Should I replace the factory seals with other ones? Anything else I should pay attention to?

Cheers,

Jube
IMG_20180316_112539344.jpg
IMG_20180316_112446687.jpg
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Re: Location for Ball Valve & a Mushroom Discussion

Post #23 made 6 years ago
by PistolPatch
Hi Jube,

Apologies for the lack of replies. At this point in time, don't worry about starting a new thread with any question you have.

One thing I'll ask is if you checked the link I made in about the third post of this thread. It's really important that you understand the problems with ball-valves. I was chatting with a head-brewer the other day and he agreed that they are a real danger. So check out some of my "rants" on ball-valves on this site first.

And yes, those seals will very likely cause you problems with leaking. I ended up paying to have the holes drilled in my kettles welded up for many reasons that you'll find in my rantings :)
PP
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