My oxygen setup

[chastuck]

Register to remove this ad. It's free!

Got the bit I was finally waiting for from Morebeer.com - a 1.5" triclamp sight glass. I've now got all the parts I need for my oxygen setup. Main parts before assembly are shown below:



I am going to fix the assembly onto my existing wort CFC. The present outlet and temperature dial is held on with a cone hex union, so I can easily replace it with any other outlet assembly. Before and after as below:





I've used the existing CFC caddy as the support for the disposable oxygen cylinder and the flow control valve. Cable ties hold them to the caddy legs. In the oxygen supply tube I have fitted a one-way valve to stop any wort flowing back into the regulator. PTFE tape has been used on all the joints, except for the stainless steel oxygen stone and the new temperature dial. I have fitted these into their respective tees with stainless steel dowty food-grade washers, so that I can readily disassemble these two parts for cleaning and sterilisation. I've tested for leaks and all is well, but I've not tested it in a live brewing situation yet. I will be brewing at the end of the month - an imperial IPA - so will post again on how it performed.

[huaco]

I had considered doing something similar... I changed my mind though with the prospect of all those threaded fittings on the cold side. Do you plan to disassemble them and sterilize after each use?

[chastuck]

[ParadiseBrew]

looks sweet! can you show a pic of the output of the water side? where did you get that inline temp prob, it just what i am looking to add to my cfc.
Thanks

[chastuck]

[Creepy]

Now that's a proper setup! Excited to hear how it performs.
Cheers!
Scott

[Castermmt]

Looks great!! 45 years of home brewing experience, WOW. Sounds like you been brewing longer then most people on this forum have been alive. With that much experience, whats the best beer you ever brewed? Why the sight glass? Thanks for sharing, Castermmt

[chastuck]

[Castermmt]

I know what you mean about you liked all the beers you brewed. I tell people it's like having Children, you have to love them all. Shiny is nice LOL
Stay Safe, Castermmt

[chastuck]

In the light of first use of my oxygen set up, I have modified it to improve performance. The main revision is changing the position of the dial thermometer. Originally I had it placed after the oxygen stone, but what I found was that it was giving a false reading of the wort temperature as it was exiting the counterflow chiller. I think this was because the oxygen bubbles in the flowing wort were preventing a good surface contact with the probe of the thermometer. After I used it the first time I found the pitching temperature in the fermenter was 28 deg C instead of about 20 deg C, in spite of the dial thermometer showing 18 deg C. I also found the pieces were quite heavy once put together, so I have fitted a Hilti 1.25 inch pipe support bracket on a 30mm M10 bolt to support its horizontal length. The second equal tee is not needed in the new arrangement. The use of a type A and a type B camlock completed the changes. I think the modified oxygenator is much better since it has enabled me to use the original output arrangement, which had a more accurate dial thermometer. The photos below show the modifications.

[inkedbrewer]

still building my system and i may want to eventually build something like this. do you have a list of all the necessary parts..and where you got them from?

cheers Matt

[chastuck]

[kal]

Do you find it difficult to control the flow of O2 to get it low enough?

I picked up an O2 regulator and stone recently to try to see if it made a difference on really high gravity beers. Like this one here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMOP9YK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00QMOP9YK&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=52FN4AWK6EJUGDZI

All you need is to get somewhat low flow (not too many bubbles coming to the surface) for about 90 seconds into the bottom of ~5-6 gallons of wort to properly oxygenate. Stone at the bottom and it bubbles up. If it bubbles like crazy at the surface you're just wasting O2.

Chilling takes much longer than 90 seconds so I would think you'd be over oxygenating / using up almost a full canister per batch no? Then flow rate of O2 has to be tied to the wort flow rate too so there's more dials to turn at the same time?

Kal

[kal]

Do you find it difficult to control the flow of O2 to get it low enough?

I picked up an O2 regulator and stone recently to try to see if it made a difference on really high gravity beers. Like this one here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMOP9YK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00QMOP9YK&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=52FN4AWK6EJUGDZI

All you need is to get somewhat low flow (not too many bubbles coming to the surface) for about 90 seconds into the bottom of ~5-6 gallons of wort to properly oxygenate. Stone at the bottom and it bubbles up. If it bubbles like crazy at the surface you're just wasting O2.

Chilling takes much longer than 90 seconds so I would think you'd be over oxygenating / using up almost a full canister per batch no? Then flow rate of O2 has to be tied to the wort flow rate too so there's more dials to turn at the same time?

Kal

[chastuck]

[kal]

[kal]

[chastuck]

[kal]

Thanks! The flow meter's certainly inexpensive and gives you a fine adjustment with visible flow rate. Had to be installed vertically on a solid structure for it to work right of course.

A 0-3 litres per minute (LPM) one may give you slightly finer control over a 0-5 LPM:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=0-3LPM%20oxygen%20flow%20meter&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A0-3LPM%20oxygen%20flow%20meter&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=IU75QJN2AM2GOPSA

Dissolved Oxygen Meters (DOMs) are expensive, but worth it if you want to really be sure how much O2 is in there. Found it on Amazon too: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WN6AO6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004WN6AO6&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=S6L3MIU5ZJJTEWAW

Things to consider... Thanks!

Kal

[kal]

Thanks! The flow meter's certainly inexpensive and gives you a fine adjustment with visible flow rate. Had to be installed vertically on a solid structure for it to work right of course.

A 0-3 litres per minute (LPM) one may give you slightly finer control over a 0-5 LPM:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=0-3LPM%20oxygen%20flow%20meter&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A0-3LPM%20oxygen%20flow%20meter&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=IU75QJN2AM2GOPSA

Dissolved Oxygen Meters (DOMs) are expensive, but worth it if you want to really be sure how much O2 is in there. Found it on Amazon too: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WN6AO6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004WN6AO6&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=S6L3MIU5ZJJTEWAW

Things to consider... Thanks!

Kal

[kal]

An even better 0.1 to 1.5 LPM oxygen flow meter:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PCXTYMK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00PCXTYMK&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=UPOIDO7R2QE5MLNN

Will give you finer control.

Kal

[kal]

An even better 0.1 to 1.5 LPM oxygen flow meter:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PCXTYMK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00PCXTYMK&linkCode=as2&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkId=UPOIDO7R2QE5MLNN

Will give you finer control.

Kal

[kal]

[kal]

[chastuck]