Spunding valve issue

[XerionBrewer]

Hi all, I am using my fermzilla for the first time since Sunday. Rather than a blow off tube, I had put the blowtie spunding valve completely unscrewed, which I understand means no pressure at all. On Wednesday night after 3.5 days fermenting, I closed the spunding vale. My goal was to let it ferment out for the remaining time at 10psi.

I couldn't see the gauge moving at all, so yesterday I closed it off completely (my thought being if it is closed completely it will be quicker in attaining the required pressure).

The gauge today still hasn't moved and it is on 0. There is still a krausen, I don't know if that means anything. Am I doing anything wrong? Is there any risks if I leave it fully closed (max pressure) and the pressure level displayed isn't accurate? Could fermentation still complete under full pressure? Could it explode?

I am just thinking whether I should go back to a blow off tube, but I really liked the idea of carbonating the beer with the "waste" CO².

Thanks a lot!

 

[DocAnna]

First check if you do have pressure in your container by pulling up the pressure relief valve.

• If you have a LOT of pressure then your spunding valve isn't working
• If you have some pressure then your gauge either isn't working or is a bit sticky
• If you have no significant pressure (I'm guessing the most likely scenario) then you have a leak somewhere.

You can also attach the pressure out from your spunding valve to a piece of tubing to a jar of sanitiser to have the reasurrance of it bubbling away.

 

[Twogunrocky]

Also it has a directional arrow on it to indicate the correct flow of gas I believe.... so worth a check to see if it's the correct way round.

 

[XerionBrewer]

First check if you do have pressure in your container by pulling up the pressure relief valve.

• If you have a LOT of pressure then your spunding valve isn't working
• If you have some pressure then your gauge either isn't working or is a bit sticky
• If you have no significant pressure (I'm guessing the most likely scenario) then you have a leak somewhere.

You can also attach the pressure out from your spunding valve to a piece of tubing to a jar of sanitiser to have the reasurrance of it bubbling away.

I must have a leak... How didn't I think of trying the PRV I don't know... What should I do, just let it finish and hope it doesn't get infected? The only leak I could think of is if the lid isn't tightened properly, but it seems to be

 

[XerionBrewer]

I must have a leak... How didn't I think of trying the PRV I don't know... What should I do, just let it finish and hope it doesn't get infected? The only leak I could think of is if the lid isn't tightened properly, but it seems to be

And I will say I did manage to fill a keg with disinfectant straight from the fermzilla, in a closed loop transfer. Wouldn't this mean that the fermzilla itself is sound?

Is it worth untightening the lid and checking the seal?

 

[DocAnna]

And I will say I did manage to fill a keg with disinfectant straight from the fermzilla, in a closed loop transfer. Wouldn't this mean that the fermzilla itself is sound?

Is it worth untightening the lid and checking the seal?

Yes, it is worth taking the lid apart and using a wee bit of vaseline on the seal.

 

[Brewelder]

And I will say I did manage to fill a keg with disinfectant straight from the fermzilla, in a closed loop transfer. Wouldn't this mean that the fermzilla itself is sound?

Is it worth untightening the lid and checking the seal?

Also try the connection on the gas post by applying either starsan or another soapy liquid, the seals do sometimes fail and pressure can be released that way. That said you should hear it.

I do what Doc Anna said and have a longer tube from the spunding valve into a bottle filled with starsan so i can actually see it bubbling away.

 

[LeeH]

If it’s hold pressure, you have it backwards or it’s faulty.

I set mine up by applying pressure and adjusting after I’ve dumped in the wort in.

 

[XerionBrewer]

Thank you all. I have used vaseline on the lid and screw collar and done a test... It seems to leak from between the very lid and collar, so assume it is an issue with the oring... Just bought one, trouble is how long it make take to get here!

 

[DocAnna]

Thank you all. I have used vaseline on the lid and screw collar and done a test... It seems to leak from between the very lid and collar, so assume it is an issue with the oring... Just bought one, trouble is how long it make take to get here!

You may find if you give the O ring a good scrub to clean it in hot soapy water, then sanitse and a small amount of vaseline - that it will then work. I've had issues before with hard stuck compressed deposits on O rings that needed a bit more than a soak to clean them.

 

[gyurmaember]

I found the crapland spunding valve very unreliable, I'm doing my first pressure fermentation in my f80 and it continuously needs adjusting. The chances are yours is faulty is quite big.