Racking arm ideas please.

[MashBag]

I would like to fit a rotating racking arm and tap for bottling. Currently I have a 15mm bsp port.
Did not really want to go triclamp.
Anyone got any ideas?

[IPA]

I would like to fit a rotating racking arm and tap for bottling. Currently I have a 15mm bsp port.
Did not really want to go triclamp.
Anyone got any ideas?

Fine and transfer before bottling. No need for rotating racking spout.

[MashBag]

Kettle finings. Then ferment in kettle. No secondary - straight to bottle, I thought a rotating racking spout might help. Currently using a racking cane and a party tap

[guypettigrew]

What problem are you trying to solve with a rotating racking arm?

Guy

[MashBag]

When you ferment in the kettle you have a layer of trub, with dead yeast on top of that. Bottling with a racking with a cane & party tap works well, just trying to improve it - and have a 15mm threaded hole where the tap used to be doing nothing

So "Tinkering" really I guess.

[f00b4r]

Isn’t it a 1/2” BSP thread on the BM?

[guypettigrew]

The potential difficulty with a rotating racking arm in the way you want to use, MB, is you can't see whether or not the end is in the sediment. I'm assuming you're thinking of an angled racking arm like this one.

You won't know until you start running the beer off. The first bit's bound to have trub in it before it runs clear. And even then, the beer could start running clear then trub could drop in from the well you've created by sucking the first load of muck out.

My SS chronical has a rotating racking arm attached to the top valve you can see in the picture in the link. But, as I'm kegging the beer, with finings, trub running into the keg isn't a problem. It drops out in a day or so.

Guy

[MashBag]

My thinking was to keep it horizontal during fermentation, and then as the volume reduced I would be able to see it and adjust accordingly.
Would it be any difference to how you use a racking cane?

[MashBag]

Isn’t it a 1/2” BSP thread on the BM?

Sure is. 15mm tube.

[guypettigrew]

My thinking was to keep it horizontal during fermentation, and then as the volume reduced I would be able to see it and adjust accordingly.
Would it be any difference to how you use a racking cane?

Never used a racking cane. In truth, I don't even know what one is!

How would you adjust the racking arm? Long forceps, perhaps?

If you keep the racking arm horizontal during fermentation it'll just fill up with yeast. And as you turn it, you'll just disturb the deposit.

Stick with what you've got!

Guy

[Cobnut]

My racking arm (Tri-clamp variety) has an arm on the outside of the conical fermenter which allows it to be rotated. Simply loosenthe TC fitting and rotate the racking arm to the desired position. The "adjustment arm" is at the same position as the opening on the internal end of the racking arm, so it's quite easy to know its' orientation.

That said, in some respects I prefer my fermentasaurus as it's transparent, so you can se what is happening inside the fermenter. Stainless steel has many benefits, but it is somewhat opaque!

[MashBag]

I am beginning to think my racking cane in the top might be OK.

I could spend a handful of money for the triclamp, tap and rotating arm, and not really gain anything.