Fitting a sight glass properly

[ryan]

Anyone have any ideas on how to keep one of these sight glasses from tipping side to side?

I have one on my HLT and a bigger one on my kettle and to have one of these knocked over while brewing could make a mess pretty quickly! The top of both of them both reach higher than the lid of the pots so there's no way to clamp the top down with an elbow like it's done at the bottom.

Any ideas how I could do it?

 

[Vossy1]

There is a 'gismo' thing that will do it. It's basically a wire loop which goes over the sight tube and slides down it, to whatever height you want, and then it's attached to the pot, drilled through. I'm sure someone else will know what I'm trying to describe :grin:
I'll try and find a pic.

 

[snail59]

There is a low tech option.

Fix one end of a piece of string/wire to one handle. Loop string/wire around top of tube 2-3 times. Fix string/wire to other handle. :thumb:

You could always shorten the tube and fit an elbow at the top :hmm:

 

[timbim]

Eyebolt around the sight glass, nut, through vessel, another nut. Simple.

 

[Vossy1]

That's the one, cheers timbim :thumb:

 

[Sean_Mc]

Looks good Ryan, where did you get it from mate?

 

[Vossy1]

Sean, have a look here :thumb:

 

[jambanks]

PDNC has a picture in his home page of what you need his link is here **************************/2010/11/23/50-litre-copper-boiler-hlt-build

 

[Springer]

As above simple no need for fancy money, or how about a strip of stainless bent into an "ohm"shape, circular with two legs sticking out to bolt to the vessel, if you see what I mean. :?
Can't find a picture but I actually fed by tube back into the boiler with a tank connector like the bottom fitting.

 

[ryan]

An eyebolt would be OK but it would cover up the sight tube. What's the plastic fitting in this pic called?

 

[commsbiff]

Looks like one of these contract pipe clips. Cheap as chips :thumb:

 

[Springer]

An eyebolt would be OK but it would cover up the sight tube

Does that matter, if you are filling the vessel that much liquid may well splash out :?
Can't see the vessel properly but an alternative to a sight tube is a dip stick, simple cheap and effective, ( this is how Mrs. S. refers to me :lol: ) minimal effort and no chance of a leak.
I use this method on my mash tun and boiler but have sight tubes on my heat exchanger cos it got a lid with only a small vent and my HLT cos its positioned high up out of reach.

Pipe clip, :hmm: exactly what I thought it looked like Coms, :) Beat me to it, the power of the forum. :clap:

 

[timbim]

As above simple no need for fancy money, or how about a strip of stainless bent into an "ohm"shape, circular with two legs sticking out to bolt to the vessel, if you see what I mean. :?
Can't find a picture but I actually fed by tube back into the boiler with a tank connector like the bottom fitting.

You mean a pipe clip? And that would be an omega.

 

[Springer]

Thats the one Tim

 

[timbim]

10mm copper pipe clips can be used to great effect fixing bamboo canes to a wooden fence/gate. Colossal fudge, but works brilliantly. In our house, if you're using something for its design purpose, you're doing something wrong

 

[ryan]

Does that matter, if you are filling the vessel that much liquid may well splash out :?

Don't forget I have a sight for both the HLT and my kettle and have them already so no point throwing them away and using a dipstick!

 

[ryan]

Well, I only need two clips and two nuts and bolts so I think I'll have a look around B&Q instead of paying £10 for them online! Thanks for the help!

 

[ryan]

I'll get an eyebolt for the kettle and see if there's any 18mm pipe clips at B&Q...

Will have to saw the thread off to fit but it'll be more secure and even add a bit of shiny

8mm x 100mm x 20mm STAINLESS 316 LONG EYEBOLT

 

[timbim]

I'll get an eyebolt for the kettle and see if there's any 18mm pipe clips at B&Q...

Will have to saw the thread off to fit but it'll be more secure and even add a bit of shiny

If you're going to cut the thread, remember to run a nut all the at down to the head first so you can restore the thread afterwards. If you don't, you'll probably find you can't get a nut on afterwards.

Tim

 

[ryan]

If you're going to cut the thread, remember to run a nut all the at down to the head first so you can restore the thread afterwards. If you don't, you'll probably find you can't get a nut on afterwards.

Sounds like good advice. I was just going to file it down afterwards. :thumb: