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Author Topic: Keggometers......  (Read 3342 times)

Offline oscarvan

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Keggometers......
« on: December 24, 2010, 07:48:50 pm »
OK, being the AR OCD control type A right brained freak that I am I can't STAND it that there's no fuel gauge on these Cornies....

So I've been thinking..... you could put a small scale under each one in the keggerator, but that's kinda silly.....

Before I get too crazy here, I haven't heard of anything, but is there anything out there to know how much liquid is in the Cornie? I mean it' can't be THAT hard..... Or do I have to invent it and then become from commercial?
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline euge

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2010, 07:52:50 pm »
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline oscarvan

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2010, 08:04:58 pm »
Excellent, thanks, good thing I asked. I hate inventing things and then discovering someone's already done that! 6 ordered, in the mail.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline hopvine

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2011, 10:23:36 am »
Make sure you update us on how well they work

Offline oscarvan

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2011, 10:36:12 am »
They work......

It's a temperature sensitive strip that turns red when cold, not sure at which temp but at 40ยบ they are red, and white when warm. So you rub the strip with a hot sponge and it all turns white. The trick is that it cools faster where the liquid is on the other side on the metal wall, than where there's air. So for a few minutes there's a red section and a white section. The border is your fluid level.

So, you can't just open the fridge and SEE, it takes some action. Also, the keg has to be cold, again not sure how cold, to work. So it doesn't work for keggies that are outside the keggerator/keezer.

For the money I'm very happy. The only alternative I can think of is weighing the keggies, but that requires disconnecting and removing.....although you could have scales under each one with remote readouts... 8)..no, bad.....bad.....stop the voices...... ::)
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline denny

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2011, 10:59:05 am »
although you could have scales under each one with remote readouts... 8)..no, bad.....bad.....stop the voices...... ::)

You are a sick, sick, man....my kind of sick!   :D
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline EHall

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Offline oscarvan

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2011, 11:33:13 am »
Hmmm, that's interesting, but has limitations. It assumes every beer I pour is the same size (it's not). And it appears geared towards Sanke kegs. But it does give me an idea.......flow meters.....fuel flow meters......hmmmmmmm
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline euge

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2011, 12:21:24 pm »
The 1/6 barrel or 53 12oz beers would be a cornie keg. I believe the "1/16" is a typo in the keg works model.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline passlaku

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2011, 08:42:02 am »
I don't know how true it is, but the guy at my hb store once told me that you can't get these strips wet or else they stop working.  Does anyone know if that is true?

Offline rjharper

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2011, 09:07:13 am »
The only alternative I can think of is weighing the keggies

What about a fish scale? A full cornie is 5 gallons so thats 40lbs plus tare, so its perceivable you could simply hook up the fish scale and lift.  No disconnecting...

Offline denny

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2011, 09:46:32 am »
I don't know how true it is, but the guy at my hb store once told me that you can't get these strips wet or else they stop working.  Does anyone know if that is true?

Yeah, it is.  But they seem to work OK again once they dry out.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline richardt

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2011, 11:13:22 am »
Similarly, I used a fermentation temperature strip on my Better Bottle and noticed gradual delamination of the strip after too much time immersed in the swamp cooler.  But, like Denny says, it still works when it dries out. I no longer use a swamp cooler technique.  I've upgraded to fermentation fridges and Ranco controllers.

Offline kerneldustjacket

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2011, 01:36:30 pm »
oscarvan...something like this but cheaper? Or maybe price is no object.... ;D

It's an in-line flowmeter that also displays accumulated volume, in gallons.

http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2834-flowmaster-digital-flow-meter-01-1gpm-14-qc-02-2gpm-38-qc.aspx
« Last Edit: January 06, 2011, 01:38:11 pm by kerneldustjacket »
John Wilson
Savannah Brewers League
Savannah, GA

Offline a10t2

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Re: Keggometers......
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2011, 04:07:06 pm »
Come on guys, stop beating around the bush. Someone already built a better mousetrap:

http://kegbot.org/

:'( <- Tears of joy.
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