Sample valves seizing up

[ziggy13]

Anyone ever have an issue with their sample valves seizing up? They worked fine for the first 20 or so batches, and now every single one starting leaking, so we had to tighten the nut on it, and when we do that it gets so tight it seizes and will no longer turn to let beer out. I believe they would be considered the Perlick style.

We used food safe grease and that doesn't seem to help. Now when we loosen the nut the handle still won't turn. I am about ready to throw them all out and purchase the pig tail style sample valves for all of our tanks.

[TGTimm]

If these are the old-style Perlick type valves, ie stopcocks, they are just plain a bad design. Stainless-on-stainless bearings result in severe galling, which locks the valves solid. Some of ours lasted years, some months.

Go to Perlick's website and order some of the new-style Bonnet valves. There's a reason Perlick stopped making the old style. The new ones have no SS-SS contact, and are rebuildable. Prices are about the same as the old style. The new style is also much better at isolating the vessels from the brewery air--stopcocks must always be turned the same direction or they can introduce contaminants into your ferms/brights.

[ziggy13]

If these are the old-style Perlick type valves, ie stopcocks, they are just plain a bad design. Stainless-on-stainless bearings result in severe galling, which locks the valves solid. Some of ours lasted years, some months.

Go to Perlick's website and order some of the new-style Bonnet valves. There's a reason Perlick stopped making the old style. The new ones have no SS-SS contact, and are rebuildable. Prices are about the same as the old style. The new style is also much better at isolating the vessels from the brewery air--stopcocks must always be turned the same direction or they can introduce contaminants into your ferms/brights.

Are these the "bonnet" valves you're referring to? https://www.perlick.com/store/webcat...tno=13&grpno=1

[ziggy13]

If these are the old-style Perlick type valves, ie stopcocks, they are just plain a bad design. Stainless-on-stainless bearings result in severe galling, which locks the valves solid. Some of ours lasted years, some months.

Go to Perlick's website and order some of the new-style Bonnet valves. There's a reason Perlick stopped making the old style. The new ones have no SS-SS contact, and are rebuildable. Prices are about the same as the old style. The new style is also much better at isolating the vessels from the brewery air--stopcocks must always be turned the same direction or they can introduce contaminants into your ferms/brights.

I'm trying to decide between the new style Perlick sample valves and the "pig tail" style that GW Kent sells: http://www.gwkent.com/pig-tail-sampl...-1-1-2-tc.html

Any experience with the Pigtail style? I really like the way the new Perlick's look with the black handles, but they're $60 more than the Pigtails.

[mmussen]

Those are the valves Tim was referring to. They are great.

I have one of the GW kent pig tails, and its hidden in a corner never to be spoken of again. I was not well built for cleaning, catches on things way to easily and doesn't have enough restriction (coils) to be able to pull a sample under pressure. Plus good luck getting spare parts for them if something goes wrong.
My suggestion would be to get the valves from Perlick, and if you need a pig tail get 1 you can move around (there's a standard design that attaches to the perlick valves)

[ziggy13]

Those are the valves Tim was referring to. They are great.

I have one of the GW kent pig tails, and its hidden in a corner never to be spoken of again. I was not well built for cleaning, catches on things way to easily and doesn't have enough restriction (coils) to be able to pull a sample under pressure. Plus good luck getting spare parts for them if something goes wrong.
My suggestion would be to get the valves from Perlick, and if you need a pig tail get 1 you can move around (there's a standard design that attaches to the perlick valves)

I am looking on the Perlick website and am having trouble finding their pigtail option. Also, what do you mean by move around?

[ziggy13]

Is it this, the item on the bottom right: https://www.perlick.com/store/webcat...tno=13&grpno=3

So I would need to buy a Perlick sample valve and then the pigtail to attach to it?

[mmussen]

That's the one. It will attach to any perlick style sample valve. I'm pretty sure there are some off brands that have can attach as well. I'm just not sure who all offhand. I use a 15 turn coil to reduce pressure low enough. Makes for a nice pour out of the brite tank. Pretty sure micromatic and a couple others make similar pigtails as well.
If you look at the valves the little stainless bump just past the valve body is where the pigtail attaches to. That also lets you attach your Zahm CO2 tester, or various other fittings.

[TGTimm]

We use one sampling pigtail, which attaches via a short piece of vinyl tubing. Super easy to move around, and a quick rinse with hot liquor (we have a hose barb to attach to one of our faucets) keeps it nicely clean. I'm not sure where it came from, as it's been around the brewery since time immemorial.

With pigtails permanently attached to your sample valves, how would you pull sanitary samples or attach a Zahm for CO2 measurements? How would you clean it? Seems to me that the pigtail would just become an interesting micro-bio propagation experiment.

I've yet to be impressed by the quality of anything I've seen from GWK. The new Perlick valves should easily last the lifetime of your brewery, so the extra cost is meaningless.

[ziggy13]

I ended up purchasing a new Perlick sample valve for each of our fermenters as well as their 15 coil pig tail. They have not arrived yet but I am sure I will be impressed with the quality and made the right decision. Thanks for the help guys!