blanking off a spare hole

[patwestlake]

Converting a combo mash tun / kettle back to a pure kettle and need to move the thermowell into the hlt. What is the normal way of blanking off the resulting 20mm hole - if there is one? Kettle is a 50 litre 40x40 stainless job from Powells.

Cheers, Pat

[lord groan]

I'm not sure there's a normal way, but if you search the toolstation website for "flanged plug" you'll see what I use. A brass blanking plug (1st result), with a flanged backnut (3rd result ). I make a silicon washer from a cheap pie dish, put it on the plug and push the threaded part through from the inside, then tighten the backnut firmly on from the outside. it hasn't failed for me yet. One thing though, you say the hole is 20mm, these fittings are 1/2" BSP which works out at a bit over 21mm so it might be a tight fit or even slightly too large. The hole might need a bit of filing out.
Hth

[patwestlake]

Thanks for the link - looks suitably simple to what I had hoped for! The hole is actually 1/2" BSP, so it will fit perfectly.

Cheers, Pat

[Haydnexport]

I'd probably just buy another thermowell

[patwestlake]

I'm removing a thermowell in order to get a good whirlpool - 100mm thermowell ruins any swirl. Apart from cooling (when I can use a hand held anyway), I'm not sure what the point of a thermowell in a kettle is? Boiling is boiling!

Regards, Pat

[Fil]

1/2" bsp brass or SS blanking cap. some M20 SS washers and a 1/2" bsp lock nut should do it.. a good wrap of ptfe round the hilt of the blanking cap so a m20 ss washer is a snug tight fit shoveved thru the hole with another m20 washer and the locknut to compress and seal..

[patwestlake]

cheers all - Screwfix here we come!

Pat

[AFewTooMany]

Any chance of a pic once you are done? Curious to see how low profile this is

[patwestlake]

yep, no problem!

[patwestlake]

outside view

inside view

sealed from the inside with a fat red silicon washer. no leaks, job done!

Pat