spunding valve - harbor freight air tool valve?

[mike_57401]

Hello.

I'm planning to move to pressure fermentation in corneys, as others have described on this site.

My first move is to build a spunding valve. I've seen several designs, which apparently work well. In a comment in a thread at Brulosophy, http://brulosophy.com/2018/02/26/ca...-carbonation-vs-spunding-exbeeriment-results/ a commenter, Colin K, described using a Harbor Freight air tool valve https://www.harborfreight.com/150-PSI-Air-Compressor-Regulator-Kit-with-Dial-Gauge-68223.html as part of his spunding setup.

I've seen a number of regulators of the sort, ranging from $5 to $20. They all have the gauge built in, which kills two birds with one stone.

Has anyone used this or similar product for spunding ?

 

[brewbama]

I don’t recall how much it cost to cobble together mine based on Sean Terrill’s website http://seanterrill.com/2015/06/25/build-a-better-spunding-valve/

...but you can buy one for less than $40 from Brian

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/spundingvalve.htm

 

[thekraken]

I wouldn't use that gauge for spunding, the dial goes up to 150 PSI so you don't have the resolution you need for spunding. You want something that goes up to 30 - 40 PSI and that you can accurately read.

Using that dial would be like trying to measure out teaspoons with a gallon jug.

 

[TheHopfather]

You can buy tons of different, completely assembled, spunding setups from Aliexpress for like $20 to $30.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bal...id=3bef7b32-2e8e-4c6f-b347-a65e30a86a37&tpp=1

 

[thekraken]

Are those PRVs worth a damn?

 

[TheHopfather]

Read the reviews, see what they say. Damn near everything you buy comes from China, buying from Aliexpress just cuts out the middle man, you're getting the same stuff just without the mark up.

 

[Br3w4u]

$30 bucks sounds like a good deal. I might get one too.

 

[mike_57401]

Thanks for the thoughts. For me right now, I think I'd go with the brewhardware option - looks like he's massaged the kinks out of the valve.

However, still curious about the air regulator idea, assuming one had a usable gauge. Anyone tried this?

 

[Br3w4u]

Thanks for the thoughts. For me right now, I think I'd go with the brewhardware option - looks like he's massaged the kinks out of the valve.

However, still curious about the air regulator idea, assuming one had a usable gauge. Anyone tried this?

Zoro has a 30 psi gas gauge for $5 that you could use with some pipe fittings to make your own but I would bet in the end you will spend close to $30.

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

That is an interesting idea. But as others have said it would be too hard to set it to an accurate setting with such a large range on the gauge. I think this would be even harder at the low end of the pressure spectrum.

Here is a parts list of what I used in a video I created about building one - .

I think I spent somewhere around $30-35 (before adding my Gas Connector). The pressure regulator was the most expensive part, at around $15. The gauge was around $8, the flared connector about $5 and other pieces $2-$3 each. If I could have found a 1/4" threaded Male to 1/4" Flared Female fitting I would have saved a little.

Variable Pressure relief valve - Granger Item # 4TK26 Mfr. Model # CR25-100
Low pressure gauge with 1/4" threads - Local Home Brew Store
Pin lock threaded Gas connector - The threads are 1/4" flared fitting (you can also use a threaded Ball Lock Gas Connector) - Local Home Brew Store
1/4" Brass "T" fitting (F,M,F) - Menards/Lowes/HomeDepot
1/4" Female to 1/4" Female adapter - Menards/Lowes/HomeDepot
1/4" Male to 1/4" Male Flared adapter - Menards/Lowes/HomeDepot
1/4" Female Flared to 1/4" Female Flared adapter - Menards/Lowes/HomeDepot
Lots of Teflon Tape - Menards/Lowes/HomeDepot

In retrospect, I probably could have purchased a pre-made one a bit cheaper and might if I decide I need another one. But then, I like building things and knowing how they work, even with simple stuff like this.

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

I have been thinking some more about this and remembered something I thought about when I built mine and looked at these too. Here it is, feel free to correct me if my theory is wrong.

I don't think a pressure gauge regulator, like this, would even work. Even if the gauge was 0-40lbs.

A pressure regulator gauge like this is set up to let air flow in an outward direction from a high pressure source to a low pressure need. It is not relieving excess back pressure, it is controlling the higher pressure output. In my mind it is actually backwards of what you need. The high pressure, say 125lbs, is behind the gauge and it lets the pressure out in front of the gauge to a tool at a maximum of say 45 lbs.. What you need is something to control pressure at a minimum level.

Here is an example of my thinking. If I am using a blow gun on my pancake compressor and set the output to 15 lbs. air flows out at a maximum pressure of 15 lbs until the compressor air runs low, the compressor kicks in and tries to keep up and can't. Air is still flowing out of my air gun, but it is now at a lower pressure and it never stops.

I don't think you can plumb an air pressure gauge backwards.

If you set the gauge to 12 lbs., wouldn't it let everything out at any pressure less than that? How would it ever build up the back pressure on the corney? You need a device that controls the source pressure, not the destination pressure.

 

[mike_57401]

Tim,

I have similar reservations. I've been in correspondence with Colin over at the brulosophy comment thread since posting this. It sounds like he hooks it up different than the normal arrangement, so maybe that is how it works. Interestingly, he describes capturing CO2 and reusing it to serve his keg with two of these regulators and some other plumbing.

 

[thekraken]

...Interestingly, he describes capturing CO2 and reusing it to serve his keg with two of these regulators and some other plumbing.

That is interesting. Get the deets, mike!

 

[kiwipen]

Are those PRVs worth a damn?

I have one and it's no good if you want to accurately adjust the pressure.

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

Tim,

I have similar reservations. I've been in correspondence with Colin over at the brulosophy comment thread since posting this. It sounds like he hooks it up different than the normal arrangement, so maybe that is how it works. Interestingly, he describes capturing CO2 and reusing it to serve his keg with two of these regulators and some other plumbing.

I wonder if he has pictures. I have heard of low O2 people harvesting CO2. I would be interested in that too.