Lid latch for kettle help

[Bensiff]

I have a 20 gallon stout kettle:

https://conical-fermenter.com/30-Ga...rmowell-Tangential-Inlet-and-Sight-Glass.html

which is great except for the fact that when the weather cools down my entire garage becomes heavily clouded to the point I start getting dripped on. My solution is to use a condenser such as:

https://conical-fermenter.com/Condensate-Stack.html

With this I need a way to secure the lid to the kettle. I want to have my welder tack on some draw latches to the kettle with the catches on the lid. So the problem I'm having is every draw latch I see only works on flush surfaces and as you can see the lip of the lid sticks out about a 1/4 inch. So, does anyone know what sort of latch to use that can handle that offset? I don't want anything that requires cutting the stainless, just something to weld to the outside surface.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Have your welder to "rosette" weld a mount pad of the appropriate height to the O D of the kettle, which would bring your latches to the O D of the lid.
Rosette weld your latches to the mount pad, ( which has a flush surface due to said weld).

Got something along these lines picked out for latches?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-draw-latches/=sjv103

 

[kickflip_mj]

Thats an expensive condenser. Its basically 1-90 degree elbow and one tee. Why dont you just weld a TC onto the top of your lid? That wont be to heavy to pull the lid off.

 

[Bensiff]

Yeah no way in hell I'm buying that thing. I'll have my buddy weld something up or use a couple TC parts and make modular version. Dropping my lid off at a weld shop tomorrow to weld the ferrule on (I don't trust my friends ability to weld a ferrule without warping the lid)

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Your fears of warping on the expanse of that lid are probably well founded!

You could roll some stiffening beads into it beforehand before cutting the hole for the ferrule.

 

[Bensiff]

Your fears of warping on the expanse of that lid are probably well founded!

You could roll some stiffening beads into it beforehand before cutting the hole for the ferrule.

I'm paying a pro who has plenty of experience with sanitary welding in the good and dairy industry. Most likely he is going to cut the hole and then pull a lip with a mandrel or something to protect from warping. But he will make the final determination after looking at the lid. But, back to my question, how do I lock down the lid...might be able to make it into bk/fermenter if I can seal it.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

My only idea about latching it down I posted above.

Now, if you made ANOTHER lid for it, from a substantially thicker piece of stainless,( .080 or so), you would only need some type of conformal seal on the edge of the kettle.
The weight of the heavier lid would seal it.

I made a post in either "DIY" or "Equipment and Sanitation", about a silicone gasket that I came upon.

I don't know the diameter of your pot, but this gasket I found is "expandable" to a certain extent.

I'll track down the thread, and link it to here.

It started with "Seekers of fermenter lid........."



EDIT: Here....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/seekers-fermenter-lid-gaskets-478998/

 

[Bensiff]

Dropped the kettle off at the welder, he suggested fabricating some brackets and then using some studs on swings with wing nuts to tighten everything down. So assuming he pulls through with good work all I need to do is add a seal and I will be able to double the boiler for a large fermenter.

 

[Bensiff]

I got it back from the welder...he put two 3" TC ferrules on the lid. I got some 3" TC piping to redirect the steam and hope it means I will not longer have a cloud in the garage in the winter. The other opening will allow for easy hop additions when the lid is on. He also did a nice job fabricating the locking brackets, very heavy duty. Now all I have to do is figure out the seal and I will have a nice 20 gallon fermenter.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Where's the pic?..........

 

[Bensiff]

Good point. I'm lazy. I'll try and remember clicking a few pics this weekend.

 

[Bensiff]

Alright so half of what I'm trying to do is use one of these:



In hopes I eliminate my garage from clouding over and causing water damage to my stuff as I'm currently renting and can't install a vent hood. Of course $400 for that is absurd so I pieced something together with TC fittings. I suppose it will be a few months before it gets cool enough to try out. Now all I need is to add a gasket to the lid for a seal and make an insulation jacket to ferment in it.