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Contents:
valve help (Matt)
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Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:42:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: Matt <baumssl27 at yahoo.com>
Subject: valve help
I'm trying to build a nice bottle filling machine, and having
trouble finding the right ON/OFF flow valve for this purpose.
(BTW the beer won't be carbonated when I fill it.)
The main thing is that this valve must be able to be cleaned
well after every use. Pinch valves are ideal from this
standpoint, but my machine uses vacuum to move the beer and
hence requires rather stout hoses that probably can't be
effectively pinched.
The Blichmann 3-piece ball valve springs to mind since it
can be totally disassembled for cleaning. But it has NPT
connections and I think these would have to be unmated and
cleaned after every use as well. Is that really feasible
long term, i.e. can I mate and demate stainless steel NPT
fittings over and over and still achieve a reliable seal?
(And if not, then what in the world is the purpose of a
highly cleanable bolted-body ball valve when it's saddled
with NPT connections?) The seal has to be good, because of
course air bubbles can ruin the beer almost as quickly and
effectively as infection.
I'd love for the valve to have hose barb ends, but any
straight threads that seal against a rubber washer (garden
hose, flare, etc) would work I think. The problem is finding
a "cleanable" valve with these fittings.
So far the only reasonable ideas I have are to convert a
Perlick tap for this purpose, or to shell out $75 for a
3-piece Blichmann-like ball valve with triclamp fittings
from McMaster-Carr. Can anyone suggest other ideas? I do
have access to a good lathe, and milling machine.
Matt
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End of HOMEBREW Digest #5591, 08/11/09
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