Dip tube not picking up below valve

[BroomVikin]

So I finally got my keg cut and drilled and yesterday I tackled installing the hardware. All went well and there were no issues. Today I built a simple dip out of 1/2" copper tubing I had left over from an IC build. I elected to go with the side p/u option since I don't use a false bottom and it seemed like it would pick up less trub. It's super simple. Just two lengths of pipe cut to length with a 90 degree elbow in the middle. Here's the problem, it doesn't seem to work. The keg drains beautifully down to the level of the valve (no leaks anywhere, HOORAY!) but stops once it gets below that. Am I doing something wrong? My understanding is that the liquid should continue to drain all the way down to the level of the end of the p/u tube. Am I wrong?

 

[geoffm33]

You need a hose from the ball valve that drops below the water level to where you are draining to.

 

[wardens355]

You need a hose from the ball valve that drops below the water level to where you are draining to.

A siphon will allow water to flow uphill, but only if the outlet is still below the liquid surface. If he had a tube on there extended below the liquid surface, then the only other way it will stop flowing is if the siphon breaks/air is entering somewhere.

 

[arcticz1]

I use pretty much the same setup that you show in the pictures. However, it looks as though you did not solder the elbow to the straight length of copper coming from the stainless coupler. This will allow air to be sucked into the line as soon as the liquid level gets down to the level of the elbow and you will just pull air instead of liquid. You have to figure out how to make the elbow liquid/air tight.

 

[BroomVikin]

I use pretty much the same setup that you show in the pictures. However, it looks as though you did not solder the elbow to the straight length of copper coming from the stainless coupler. This will allow air to be sucked into the line as soon as the liquid level gets down to the level of the elbow and you will just pull air instead of liquid. You have to figure out how to make the elbow liquid/air tight.

I soldered the coupler fitting to the horizontal piece and the vertical (diagonal) piece to the elbow. I didn't solder the elbow to the horizontal piece though. If I did that how would i screw it in or unscrew it for cleaning?

 

[PhinneyWoodBrews]

While I don't have any input on why your dip tub isn't picking up below the valve fitting( the air problem seems logical) I'll share what I've got.

I installed a stainless elbow and hose barb as shown in this thread by user Gavin C:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/new-kettle-dip-tube-setup-questions-510655/

Doing a test with water(first brew in my 20g megapot is this weekend!), it drained all but 48 ounces from the kettle. Not bad I think. The parts can be found at bargainfiitings.
Cheers, and good luck.

 

[eric19312]

I soldered the coupler fitting to the horizontal piece and the vertical (diagonal) piece to the elbow. I didn't solder the elbow to the horizontal piece though. If I did that how would i screw it in or unscrew it for cleaning?

You need to use a compression fitting.

Here how I did mine:

Bulkhead - Compression Fitting - Dip tube


Edited to add: I do what Phinney suggests in my boil kettle and HLT but I needed to use a proper removable dip tube in my MLT to get under the false bottom. Except instead of the barb I use the High Flow Elbow from Brewhardware.com

 

[Yooper]

I don't have a compression fitting, and my diptube slides right in and doesn't leak air at all.

I suggest trying it with the long tubing out the valve first, with the end at the bottom of a bucket with water (for the siphon effect) and see if it's sucking air or not, before fixing it.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I am curious, did the OP put a hose on the valve output to see if that fixes the issue?
I am with geoff and warden in that you need to have make sure that the point the water is exiting the system is below the point you are trying to draw it from. If not air will enter the 'circuit' and break the siphon.
Put a hose on the valve, pour in a few quarts and let it drain--if it stops again it is the elbow letting in air breaking the siphon. If that is happening, solder the elbow and connect to the bulkhead using a compression fitting.
Just my thoughts....

 

[arcticz1]

I soldered the coupler fitting to the horizontal piece and the vertical (diagonal) piece to the elbow. I didn't solder the elbow to the horizontal piece though. If I did that how would i screw it in or unscrew it for cleaning?

If you are using a weldless fitting you would remove that in order to remove the pickup tube. If you have a welded fitting you will have to incorporate a compression style fitting as mentioned earlier.

 

[Chrisl77]

I did the same thing inside my boil kettle and mash tun. I didn't solder that one side of the elbow so I could remove it. What I did do is take a small piece of silicone tubing and worked it over the elbow with an inch sticking off the end. The piece that is hanging off the end of the elbow slips snug over the copper pipe and makes an air tight seal.

 

[BroomVikin]

Thanks for the help guys (and gals?). I got hold of a compression fitting and now it works like a champ. Might have left 1/2 gal. in the bottom of the keggle when I tested it last night with water. Now to test it out with 10g of that sweet sweet wort!