Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

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Jim
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Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Sun Dec 16, 2012 4:29 pm

Well, it turns out Plan B did the business! 8)

For anyone else that might be thinking about doing this, here's my picture guide. :)

Spare barrel cap, carbonator cap, top cut off a pet bottle (and a hole saw).
The shoulder on the bottle is 33mm diameter and the thread 28mm.
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I enlarged the hole to fit the pet bottle top -
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The hole needed a bit of filing, but the shoulder on the pet bottle isn't that much bigger than the thread, so a tight fit was essential.
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With the carbonator cap screwed fully on, there was still a gap of 4mm -
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..so a thick gasket was needed. I used 2 washers cut from a piece of nebar. Nebar is supposed to be a gasket for liquids, but works up to about 75psi so I doubt it will have much bother holding back 5 - 10 psi of CO2 -
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Two layers together were just the right thickness. :=P
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I cleaned everything up, vaselined the gaskets & o rings, refitted the PRV and fitted the lid to a spare barrel for testing.
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And finally pressured up to about 4 psi for leak testing. No discernable leaks after the first hour, but I'll leave it overnight to be sure.
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If all holds up, I'll swap the cap over to my barrel full of ale. All in all, a successful afternoon. 8)
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Mon Dec 17, 2012 5:27 pm

Hmm, slight leak which I'm sure is coming from the disconnect/carbonator cap connection. It's far from drastic but I'd rather not have it.

Maybe that's because I filed the carbonator cap down so I could get a liquid disconnect on it for line cleaning. :roll:

Maybe a thicker o ring will help.
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Befuddler » Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:03 pm

Jim wrote:Maybe that's because I filed the carbonator cap down so I could get a liquid disconnect on it for line cleaning. :roll:
You could've just used another gas disconnect for line cleaning... they're the same apart from the post connection! #-o
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:24 pm

Befuddler wrote:
Jim wrote:Maybe that's because I filed the carbonator cap down so I could get a liquid disconnect on it for line cleaning. :roll:
You could've just used another gas disconnect for line cleaning... they're the same apart from the post connection! #-o
To coin a phrase, 'bugger'. :lol:

Never mind, I can live with the level of leakage - it really is very slight. It would probably take weeks for the pressure to fall significantly with the gas bottle switched off. And I can always top it up by switching the bottle on every now and again - in fact I used to have to do that with my cornies before I got all the leaks ironed out.
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Steve B

Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Steve B » Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:34 pm

Nice one!

Out of interest, where did you get the carbonator cap from?

Ebay only seem to have them, by that name, in the U.S.A.

boingy

Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by boingy » Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:52 pm

Nicely bush league, Jim. I like it! =D>


Carbonator cap here:

http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/public/det ... AR20194935

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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Wed Dec 19, 2012 6:53 pm

Latest update. I put a new o ring on the carbonator cap and the pressure held overnight (though was down a bit after 24hrs) - a lot better than 2 hours, though, so I'm happy with it. I'm judging pressure loss by turning off the gas bottle once the pressure has settled down in the system and seeing how long the 'bottle pressure' gauge takes to go down.

Anyway, the modified cap is on the live barrel now, and I'm just cleaning the lines out before I connect everything up.
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:35 pm

All done. Works fine.

That's me sorted for Xmas! :)

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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Twistedfinger » Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:06 pm

Nice one Jim =D>

You've got me well jealous I'd say happy Christmas but I think you have that covered. :)

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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by subfaction » Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:34 pm

Very cool. Could this be done with a cheap youngs pb?

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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:27 pm

subfaction wrote:Very cool. Could this be done with a cheap youngs pb?
I would say as long as there's room to fit the carbonator cap and (VERY IMPORTANT!) the cap still has a separate pressure relief valve - yes.
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by subfaction » Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:29 pm

Nice one I'll have to find one in the flesh to examine, as all mine have bulb injector valves.

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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by Jim » Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:32 pm

subfaction wrote:Nice one I'll have to find one in the flesh to examine, as all mine have bulb injector valves.
If it's got a 2" cap you may find the PRV is built into the injector valve, in which case you're knackered because you'd have to remove that to fit the carbonator cap. :(
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by far9410 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:59 pm

Befuddler wrote:
Jim wrote:Maybe that's because I filed the carbonator cap down so I could get a liquid disconnect on it for line cleaning. :roll:
You could've just used another gas disconnect for line cleaning... they're the same apart from the post connection! #-o
Hi, what does a gas disconnect look like, where can I get one ?
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Re: Cornie Disconnect to Pressure Barrel

Post by mooj » Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:08 pm

It's the grey coloured cornie disconnect - as in Jim's photos
A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.

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