Clueless with used rotokeg

[septic]

Hi homebrew experts. I just bought a couple of roto kegs that appear to date from the late pleistocene. I just filled one with apple juice and wine yeast.

First question: I am assuming that one of the doo-dads (pictured) on the top of the keg is an "S30" valve.

I believe this because my Google search for "Rotokeg instructions" landed me on "homebrewcentre.co.uk" where they were selling "S30" valves -- "S30" valves are also for sale here:

The doo-dad on the Rotokeg lid looks like the pictured "S30" valve. The reason I am so excited to find out if this IS actually an "S30" valve is because the instructions for the "S30" valve on the LoveBrewing site, suggest "When pressure in the barrel reaches a certain point, gas will travel up the release tube, and force its way past the rubber band. This will only happen when there is excess pressure in the barrel". I find this comforting.

I am also a moron. I have no idea what I am doing. If anyone has a moment to help me by confirming that I have not just created a bomb -- that -- in fact, the "S30" valve in the top of my Rototkeg is literally designed to relieve pressure BEFORE the keg explodes, I would be extremely grateful.

Also, if anyone knows where to find an instruction book for the Rotokeg online, that would be a big help. Otherwise, basic tips would be a big help.

Cheers everybody and thanks again.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Yes, that indeed looks like a HB valve and it has 2 uses. 1 to allow the keg to be pressurised from CO2 canister or bulb and the lower (smaller) rubber band acts as a non-return valve. 2 to act as a pressure relief valve where excess gas is exhausted up to the larger rubber band where at around 10-15 psi it will leak.
Hope that helps.

 

[septic]

Oh thank you Buffers.

I am grateful for your rapid reply and the reassurance.

Cheers!

 

[soupdragon]

Didn't some of the valves that looked like that have no pressure release bit? The other taller doo-dad should be the pressure release valve. The thinner bit in the centre at the top should lift up to allow pressure out. That's if I recall correctly the set up on my old ancient and since given away a long time ago rotokeg.

Cheers Tom

 

[septic]

Thank you Tom.

Again, providing this ancient contraption still works as designed, I do not have a bomb in my living room. I would love to see some instructions for either doo-dad -- even if they are written in Aramaic or Ancient Greek.

Do you know if the company that made these things is still in existence? Is it these guys:

www.hambletonbard.com

I can appreciate that you gave your rotokegs away. Currently, they are serving as plastic buckets with lids, as they cost me less than new plastic buckets with lids. However, if I can get them to seal, I will fit them with pressure gauges and hook them up to the same CO2 system as the two corny kegs in my kegerator system -- to displace the O2 and allow for the indefinite holding of yet two more kinds of (albeit, room temperature) wine on tap.

Any thoughts on the above cunning plan would be appreciated.

Thank you again.

Cheers.

 

[soupdragon]

Also, I'm sure they dropped that valve arrangement as the separate relief valve wasn't particularly reliable (leaked). Don't take this as gospel but I'm sure the 4" cap is a standard thread so a king keg cap with proper s30 and built in relief should fit

Cheers Tom

 

[soupdragon]

If the pressure release valve does leak and doesn't use standard rubber washers you'll struggle to find spares. Might be best either getting a new lid/valve or taking the relief valve off and gluing something over the hole then getting a new combo valve.
The hooking up to your main co2 supply is a bit over my pay grade, sorry.

Cheers Tom

 

[soupdragon]

From your picture of the cap. It doesn't look like the main valve has the pressure release bit. There should be no thread where the rubber band sits but that looks threaded all the way

Cheers Tom

 

[septic]

Thank you very much Tom.

All this is making me nervous. I'm happy for the release valve to leak at this point. Perhaps the yeast will have to deal with the cooler temperatures outside this time around -- to minimise the damage in the event of catastrophic failure. .
I will look into the Kingkeg replacement lid -- that sounds like a good solution.

Horribly, only one of the two plastic pressure kegs I just acquired has the screw top anyway -- the other roto-keg is the REALLY old kind with just an oval hole in the top -- the guy I got these from had apparently lost the lid for the old keg. I have had some success with just taping a rubbish bag over the top of a bucket during primary fermentation -- as I said, I am lacking buckets with lids and airlocks. So I might try just taping a bag over the top of the older style keg to use it as a primary fermentor -- until I spring for a glass carboy or something like that.

I will contact Hambleton Bard and see if they can tell me anything about these kegs.

Thanks again.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Not sure what the thin taller bit is next to the S30 valve is? Possibly the pressure relief bit if the S30 HB connector doesn’t have a pressure relief part. If it’s a standard 4” cap I’d get a replacement King Keg cap and new HB valve especially if you want to pressurise the keg. If you just want to use it as a fermenter, chuck the cap away and cover the neck with cling film?

 

[soupdragon]

An oval opening, a couple of metal plates and a clamp if I recall correctly? Now that really is a blast from the past

Cheers Tom

 

[soupdragon]

You could check the thinner valve by pulling the centre pin upwards. Fingers crossed that it seals again when goes down again. Should be a spring loaded return

Cheers Tom

 

[septic]

Roget that Tom. I am checking the thinner valve by pulling the centre pin upwards.

The little central pin can be pulled up and then springs back down. No sound of gas escaping yet -- but I do find this a comforting reassurance that I might yet not blow myself up.

Thank you for all your help!

 

[soupdragon]

Yep, centre pin up then springs back down. No gas escaping, has the stuff been in long enough to create any yet? Valve could be leaking? Either way, the valve seems to function mechanically

Cheers Tom

 

[septic]

Not sure what the thin taller bit is next to the S30 valve is? Possibly the pressure relief bit if the S30 HB connector doesn’t have a pressure relief part. If it’s a standard 4” cap I’d get a replacement King Keg cap and new HB valve especially if you want to pressurise the keg. If you just want to use it as a fermenter, chuck the cap away and cover the neck with cling film?

Bingo Buffers: I am about to pour a box of VinClasse black box Sauvignon Blanc into the old fashioned Roto with no screw top -- after sterilising -- and then I am just going to tape a bin bag over the hole.

Thank you.

 

[septic]

Yep, centre pin up then springs back down. No gas escaping, has the stuff been in long enough to create any yet? Valve could be leaking? Either way, the valve seems to function mechanically

Cheers Tom

I think the we are out of the woods on the explosion. The stuff just went in yesterday -- and I just poured the yeast out on to the juice. So it might take a bit to get going. When it does, I will give the release valve another pull.

 

[soupdragon]

Fingers crossed

Cheers Tom

 

[moto748]

I remember when when people were banging on about rotokegs being the last word in hi-tech home-brewing!

I never bought one, though.