FV Lid mod and temp control.

[Scooby]

I spent some time using the search facility and found useful info from the likes of V1, Steve Flack, Chris e1n and others on this subject.

The first task was to make lid for the vessel as the original one is floppy and I need something rigid.



The neck has a rim that I can use to clamp a lid in place.



I cut a disc from 5mm acetal sheet for the lid and 3 x 12mm discs from a 32mm acetal rod,
I worked out positions for holes in the lid and off centre holes in the discs so they had a 'cam action' when turned.
The M5 cap screws pass through the lid sealing with cornie dip tube 'O' rings, I countersunk the discs and lightly tapped
the M5 nuts into the countersink.



When assembled the discs pass through the aperture, a turn on the cap screws rotate the discs which foul on the neck,
a few more turns and they pull up tight on the rim and clamp the lid. Well it's not quite a straight forward as that and
requires a bit of a fiddle but it works.



I had a 1m length of 10mm 316 SS formed to act as the cooling element.



I'm not sure how I will mount this, 2 x 10mm couplers drilled through was my first thought but I would like to be able to remove the element from the lid, this bulkhead connector is something
I'm considering as an alternative, any comments?

I may have to fit some kind of gasket to the lid if I want it to seal completely, did think of cutting the original lid for that but want to keep it intact,

Other items I have worked on are a chiller with the pump independently wired and the TC-10 boxed up. Obviously can't comment on the TC-10 in use yet but the display is very dim.




I have a 20w heat pad that will wrap round the vessel, will fix that to the inside of some camping mat or similar so that it will just slid on and off.

[Scooby]

They've made a nice job of that stainless loop Scooby, it's all coming together very nicely. I didn't get to the PO last week but it'll be in the post tomorrow.

No prob Chris. The guy at Pirtek was very helpful, even made a pattern from a length of 'scrap' ss to make sure I was happy.

Have you thought of using something like this for your bulk head fittings (with a couple of copper tails soldered in for the pipe work ?


10mm x 1/4"bsp coupling (screwfix)
Looks like there might be enough thickness in the cap to tap a thread in there (they're cheap enough now) and you could use some ptfe paste or an o-ring to seal it.

Yep That was my original choice. Do you mean fitting it with the nut and olive on the underside of the lid, which would make for easy removal of the loop, and threaded through the lid, ie upside down.

[Waffty]

I did a similar thing with my FV, using a 3/8" stainless steel cooling tube & fitted it, using Cable Glands, bought from Maplin.

I fitted an O ring on the back of the Gland to make it air tight & the jobs a good un, if you need to remove the cooling pipe, just back off the cable gland screw & the whole thing slides apart.

[Scooby]

OH BALLS! I knew there was something wrong with that but it didn't click

I may try and drill some tap washers to 4.5mm and see how that goes.

I'm leveling the site round our extension in preparation to lay 30 sq m of paving slabs, thinking about this project as I work, I've got a HB starter going to try and brew sometime this week. Add to that a lengthy 'do list' from my wife and all she has to do is swan off to work to earn the money

[Scooby]

I use this now, look a prat but saves the back. Good luck Thursday

[edit1now]

Nice one!

I know that chiller....

Could you seal the plastic disk onto the neck of the FV with either:

1. offcuts of Armaflex

or

2. a gasket/sealing washer cut from a silicone baking sheet?

I keep looking in Poundland for the mythical silicone baking sheets - I may have to give in and get something from Lakeland.

[Scooby]

I've scanned the Lakeland site and looked at them, do they have any 'give' to them or are they paper thin?

Altec do some Silicon sheet that looks ideal.

I'll get to the post tomorrow

[edit1now]

Dunno about the Lakeland ones, I'll have to go to the shop at Brent Cross and fondle one. The Altec stuff is a bit pricey unless you can think what to do with the rest of the sheet - maybe cut out lots of element washers?

[Scooby]

Just found this Bakeing mat 1.5mm thick and smooth both sides, many seem to be textured on one side, so maybe not so good as a gasket.

[arturobandini]

Scooby, slightly off topic but where did you get the snazzy fermenter in the first place?

[edit1now]

Aha - another good find. I've just ordered one - thanks a lot

[Scooby]

Scooby, slightly off topic but where did you get the snazzy fermenter in the first place?

It's a Minibrew conical that I got from Beertech a few years ago, I don't think he sells them anymore. I have seen another homebrew shop that sells them but can't remember which one.

[arturobandini]

Thanks Scooby and Chris. Great pictures as always Scooby and good luck with it.

[Scooby]

I've completed the job at last, here it is ready to drop into the fermenter;



Fitted and ready to run at the end of the week when I have a brew.





I have a Vivarium mat to use for heating in the winter, I'll attach that to some camping mat and make a jacket for the fermenter.

[RabMaxwell]

That looks very nice Scooby well done .