Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

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dave-o

Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by dave-o » Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:20 pm

I have an old Boots pressure barrel that i have not yet used under pressure.

I am slightly concerned about the pressure release mechanism on the lid.

Basically, it is made up of a tiny plastic cap with a rod that goes into the barrel. A spring around the rod holds the cap flush against the top of the lid.

Now, having fiddled with this whilst changing the CO2 valve, i am finding it hard to believe it will hold any pressure. The reason is it is really easy to push the rod up the hole in the lid, which surely means that this will happen under not very much pressure. However, the lid and mechanism does nto appear to be damaged or incomplete, so i am not sure.

Perhaps someone who has some experience of this particular barrel/lid can reassure me.

Alternatively, i will release a bulb or two into the barrel and see if it holds the pressure. I don't want to waste too many bulbs though, and surely it would take quite a few to replicate a full barrel of beer that has been allowed to carbonate naturally.

I suppose i could fill it almost to the top with water and then empty a bulb into it....?

Thirsty Paul

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by Thirsty Paul » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:46 pm

dave-o, Ive got a boots pressure barrel that I've had for years with a release valve that sounds like yours, the pressure relief valve on mine has a spring on the inside and a small O ring under the little cap. I tightend the spring right down and added a smear of vaseline to the O ring and it works just fine. In fact its the best barrel I've got. Fill it with water and give it a shot of CO2 and see what happens.

sam c

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by sam c » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:52 pm

im using one of those at the moment and it works just fine. exactly the same as you described. i did however change the gas injector but that little black pressure relase valve is still on and works

if i was you though i would test it anyway. it only takes one bulb to fill the empty keg with gas. put vasaline around the o ring and do it up, fill it with gas and hold it under the water in the bath. this way you will know if there are any other leaks like from the tap ect.

dave-o

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by dave-o » Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:52 pm

Excellent - that's just what i wanted to hear.

Will test it before filling it with my precious creation!

MattyBoy

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by MattyBoy » Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:39 pm

Dear All

I have recently purchased an old Boots Pressure Barrel with the aforementioned screw, spring and O-ring safety valve.

Mine has the original black plastic sparklet injector in the lid with the screw-up bulb holder and the press button the other side to introduce the CO2.

Unfortunately the valve is corroded inside and leaks like a sieve. The whole bulb is discharged in about 1 minute.

I tried to take the injector head apart to polish it but could not get into it at all. I couldn't even get it out of the plastic housing.

I have now removed it from its 16mm hole and junked it so I am left with a peferctly servicable lid but no injector; just a 16mm hole.

Question - what do I need to put in its place?

Can I get a similar sparklet injector as the original or is a bottle system (S30??) better?

Thanks for any advice :)

Matty

grmills

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by grmills » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:50 am

Go for the S30, cheaper in the long run and more versatile inasmuch that you can add as much or as little gas as you want.

Alternatively get your hands on an M16 nut/bolt and close it up. (Probably need an o-ring and a bit of vaseline to make it gas-tight.)

MattyBoy

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by MattyBoy » Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:45 pm

Sparklet bulbs available from wilko

Cheers
Matty

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johnmac
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Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by johnmac » Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:55 pm

Anything to do with Sparklets bulbs = throwing good money after bad.

GARYSMIFF

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by GARYSMIFF » Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:10 am

Out of intrest what is the date of the barrel, there is a round clock like stamp on the barrels with markers pointing to I think a Month and a Year if I remember? :shock:

Lets play Top trumps oldest Boots barrel. :lol:

BrewingAgain

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by BrewingAgain » Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:21 am

I like my Boots pressure barrels. I use them as conditioning/bottling barrels. I don't like beer to be too carbonated so when fermentation is finished I drop the beer from the fermenter (via a long tube to avoid mixing air) into the Boots barrel then leave it there for a few weeks before bottling. Seems to work fine and the beer is lively enough to have a nice hiss when the bottle is opened but not too fizzy.

The one that I have to hand is week 40 1984.

johnbarleycorn

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by johnbarleycorn » Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:03 pm

Week 10 1980......

dave-o

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by dave-o » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:19 pm

Haha, i didn't know this.

I will check when i get back. I got it 2nd hand so it could be ancient for all i know.....

speedtripledan

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by speedtripledan » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:37 pm

I also use a boots barrel from yesteryear it was my dads, when i got it the release valve had a rusty spring so i bought a whole new cap with an s30 valve in.
The lid is the same as a new king keg type.

Dan

GARYSMIFF

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by GARYSMIFF » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:06 pm

My Boots Top Trumps are:

Week 27-1989
Week 36-1986

Week 47-1982


Looks Like johnbarleycorn winning
Last edited by GARYSMIFF on Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

dave-o

Re: Boots Pressure Barrel - Reassurance needed?

Post by dave-o » Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:26 pm

Week 24 - 1990 here.

It may not be the oldest, but i will be celebrating its 20th birthday next year.

Or do i perhaps have the youngest one?

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