KegBB

For those wanting to use the SF800 Flow meter, here are some relevant connectors part numbers:

John Guest Acetal Fittings:
PI451213S - This is a 3/8" BSP Female to the John Guest Speedfit connector
PI251212S - This goes from the speedfit to a hosebarb

Check out this place (as well as many other to order):
http://www.freshwatersystems.com/c-459-john-guest-pi-range-gray-acetal-inch-size-fittings.aspx

They also make the fittings in different sizes (3/8, 1/2) but with the same female BSP connector to the SF800.

For my application, I need high temperature capabilities. The SF800 is rated to 90C, but the John Guest Fittings are not. I am using this stainless steel part:
SFHT17/10

Good luck!

Edited olympionex (March 17, 2010 15:12:59)

Thanks for sharing the part info!

olympionex
For my application, I need high temperature capabilities.

Now I'm curious -- what's your application? Homebrew control..? I've long been curious about ways to make Kegbot 'better' for homebrewers -- but, not being a brewer myself, I'm not really sure what that could be..

Edited mike (March 17, 2010 20:32:09)

mike
Thanks for sharing the part info!

[quote=olympionex]For my application, I need high temperature capabilities.

Now I'm curious -- what's your application? Homebrew control..? I've long been curious about ways to make Kegbot 'better' for homebrewers -- but, not being a brewer myself, I'm not really sure what that could be..
[/quote]

You guessed it, we're making the Alcobot. It will handle most of the process control for making beer and distillation (water, of course). Our website isn't up yet, but some time it will be at http://www.alcoboticsautonomous.com

I'll have to think of ways that you can make the kegbot better for homebrewers. At the moment, one thing that comes to mind is to add a mode using the flow meter to measure the quantity of beer siphoned from the fermenter into the keg. This would allow for very accurate analysis of quantity, though that fanaticism may not be necessary. I need to look at the software features of kegbot, as I don't know if it does cost accounting or not. Would be nice to know how much I'm spending per glass on my own Trois Pistoles vs. the stuff from the store.

By the way, the stainless steel BSPP to Hose Barb adapters are $32 each!

Edited olympionex (March 17, 2010 21:11:27)

I'm a homebrewer. I would like to see some sort of flow control for the gas. Would be fantastic to know how much gas is left in my tank from a web page.

Edited skigil (March 18, 2010 11:01:29)

skigil
I'm a homebrewer. I would like to see some sort of flow control for the gas. Would be fantastic to know how much gas is left in my tank from a web page.

Are you referring to C02 or fuel gas? The Swissflow meters are classified as fluid meters. Technically, all gasses are fluids, but from their application specification, I get the feeling they are imprecisely using the term fluid to refer to liquids. I'm sure there would be many safety requirements for a fuel gas meter, though these should be manufactured as the utility companies use them all the time. Another idea would be to use a scale and set the gas tank on the scale and calibrate weight with volume of gas remaining.

Edited olympionex (March 22, 2010 09:38:37)

CO2 is an interesting one. Moo (who has posted here occasionally) did some good work on a force-sensor mass scale:

http://vachementcool.com/MooSpace/Blog/Entries/2009/11/1_I_built_a_Kegbot.html

I'm not so sure I'd do the same thing, though; CO2 is cheap, and it is easy enough to store a spare tank. Not sure about homebrew, but for the kegerator, it might be almost as good to hack some sort of optical pickup onto the volume portion of a double-gauge regulator. That way you could at least detect when it is low..

mike

Edited mike (March 26, 2010 21:15:16)